Well here we have a very active Tri-Ess chapter.  I know several of the people who are active, including the local president.  They are wonderful people and genuinely helpful to others.  I mean that.  However, I have never gone because they have told me in detail what they are about and what they want to accomplish.  Sorry, I am happy for them but I just don't fit in.  I really don't.  I do not mean that as an insult.  But a bunch of hetero CD guys, who will always identify as guys,  trying to look femme is cool if you are into that.  Just not where I am.  I am glad they are around, and the need is great.  So, I guess the moral is, know yourself.  Find what you need.  And if you need to, try on a few different kinds of groups till you find one that fits where you are and want to go.

Best of luck, honey.  This can be a very lonely walk.

Kristi

Quote from: SilverDragon419 on November 23, 2009, 07:09:00 PM
Just a question that may not apply to the subject, but while on the topic of GLBT, does a hetero/undecided normal crossdresser fit into the category of GLBT or are we something else entirely?

The title doesn't seem to lean towards it, but the group seems to be an umbrella term.

Any insights?

I have allways been interested in attending some kind of GLBT meeting but I didn't think the term applied to CDers.

"Transgender" is an umbrella term that includes crossdressers, drag queens, drag kings, transsexuals, genderqueers and other gender-variant monikers.

That said, TRIESS was founded as and has been an organization only for heterosexual crossdressers and their wives. Last I knew, the CDs had to dress in boy mode if their wives were in attendance. That even applied to founder Virginia Prince when addressing the wives.

Maybe another way of putting this is that one who defines themselves as a crossdresser will see what they do as gender expression whereas one who defines themselves as a transsexual will consider what they do as gender identity. Both of course fall under the transgender umbrella.

I feel that due to the fact that trans people are relatively scarce, it is more useful for an organization to be transgender-friendly as a whole rather than be specific on just one aspect of trans behavior or identity. Say you have a group specifically dedicated to transsexuals and another dedicated only to crossdressers, it leaves out all of the people who are still questioning their identity. Often TSs considered themselves crossdressers at first and generally "cross-dressed" before going full time in their new gender role. It is therefore quite likely that a lot of the CDs in a group like Tri-Ess may actually be TSs but have not yet come to terms with that yet. Such an organization with its restrictive focus can be counter-productive to anyone not 100% sure of their identity. The same goes with a group specifically on TS issues. A person who is not yet 100% sure they are TS will avoid such a group because they won't be able to "keep up" so to speak.

Obviously, people can form whatever groups they want but I personally think that any group that excludes certain segments of transgender identity and expression is going to be counter-productive in the long run to a lot of members or prospective members. Even in major cities, it is not like their are trans people everywhere so being the minority that we are makes it more logical not to unnecessarily divide ourselves up further.

The person who started Tri-Ess did so before there was a transgender community.  Matter of fact, she did it before there was even a word 'transgender'.  She is given credit to be the first to use it. It's her word.

And every group at some point has some sort of mission, some sort of include/exclude portion to it.

I'm sure its fine for a lot of people, wrong for others, and of no use for most.  Just like any other group.