Guest Bloggers

Normal Like You - Guest Blogger Vanessa

A few days ago Mattie asked me to write a guest post for her website, so I thought that it would only be polite to introduce myself before I begin. My name is Vanessa, I’m a 29 year old crossdresser and am happily married to a wonderful woman who (most days) accepts my transgendered nature. I live in Seattle and run a website Crossdresser Heaven that offers fashion, beauty and makeup tips for the crossdresser who wants to be more feminine.

Now that we know each other lets begin!

What comes to mind when you think of a crossdresser? Let me paint a scenario that may resonate with you.

A tired, ragged looking face with makeup fit for a clown. As you’re thinking you can hear a faint chanting in the background. While images of overweight men in mini-skirts and 4″ heels come to mind, the chanting grows louder. Prostitutes, sex workers and weirdos fill your inner vision as you begin to make out the words - “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry! Jerry!”

That’s it! Your mind finishes the picture by adding coarse language and a proclivity for homosexual sex. You know what crossdressers are - freaks of nature. This masterpiece of association has been crafted by Jerry Springer, and brought to you by countless media outlets.

Lets face it. Crossdressers have a PR problem. Yet as so often happens with the media - the portrayal of crossdressers has very little to do with fact. Tri-ESS ,an organization dedicated to helping crossdressers and their significant others, estimates that as high as 90% of all crossdressers are heterosexual. Many of whom are happily married with kids, and have good paying jobs.

Most of these crossdressers do not frequent nightclubs dressed in clothes ill-designed to cover the human body. Largely due to the stigma associated with crossdressing, many of the regular crossdressers wear woman’s clothes in private, far from the prying eye of the media. Even if the media did happen upon us, the story is slim because, well, we’re just not that different from everyday people.

Personally I work in the software industry, one of my crossdressing friends is married with two children and works as an engineer, another is married with children and works as a plumber. For all intents and purposes, we are regular folk. We go to church on Sunday, are involved in community projects and care about the quality of our schools.

I hope that I’ve helped balance the negative stereotypes the media throws at us about crossdressers. At the very least, I ask you to base your opinion on crossdressers in your own experience. We may not be normal like you, but I’ll bet we’re pretty close.

Thanks again to Mattie for offering me the opportunity to share my thoughts on your blog - you’re a sweetie!

If you enjoyed this post, drop me a line at Crossdresser Heaven, I’d love to hear from you.

Hugs,

Vanessa

© 2008 the girl inside.