First of all I would like to send out a big thank you to all who sent me birthday wishes over the weekend. I received so many messages and each one made me feel very special. Let’s put it this way: my female profiles got tons more b-day shout outs than their male counterparts. Thanks again!
On Saturday my wife and I decided to drive to a support group meeting, I had never been before and it seemed interesting. We prepared our belongings and hit the road around mid-morning of that sunny day. The drive was calm and quick, but we weren’t able to check into our room until 4 pm. Normally this wouldn’t have been an issue but because we were out celebrating my birthday with friends the night before, I was just a tad hungover.
I didn’t feel horrible or sick by any stretch of the imagination, I just needed some more rest. As such, I layed my head down on the barely adequate hotel pillow and passed out, sleeping for about three hours. My wife realized the time and woke me at 7 o’ clock.
Although I was fully prepared to go en femme for the meeting — I had everything I needed from wig to shoes — there was simply no way I could get ready for a meeting that was about to kick off in thirty minutes. Instead, I decided (out of necessity) to attend in male mode, feeling somewhat awkward yet enthusiastic about seeing new faces.
The president of the group assured us that all would be fine if I came in drab, so in we went. Soon I began meeting members of the club and feeling comfortable even though I was disappointed at not being able to dress up in a place where I would certainly not be ostracized. Oh well, I figured, there’s always next time 
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After the potluck dinner, things got started and a few announcements were made. Once this part was over, we all got together for a roundtable discussion where various questions were posed and everyone got a chance to speak.
The girls in this group are easy going and fun loving and I could defintiely see myself attending again. Also, there are some get togethers outside of the meetings that seem like a lot of fun, we are going to try our best to make some of them.
This is probably rehashing, but support groups really have a lot to offer. I know that they aren’t for everybody and even active members tend to drift away and return at varying intervals, but one of the greatest things is the personalities and stories that you encounter. There are a few within reasonable driving distance of us; I am going to take advantage of this to meet as many sisters as possible.
What would you have done if you prepared to attend your first support group meeting but didn’t have enough time to get fully dressed? I must admit that there was part of me that wanted to stay in that hotel bed, roll back over and fall back asleep. However, my wife urged me on and I gathered the will to get up and go. I’m happy that I did.
Have you had a similar experience? Leave a comment below 
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I’ve got a few more surprises cooked up for this week, the first of which I hope to announce tomorrow (Tuesday November 10th) morning! Please stay tuned !
photo credit: jenny downing
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The first (and thus far, ONLY) support group meeting I have attended, I did go “en homme” (male mode, drab, or whatever other label communicates to you), mostly because I was scared. I was relatively new in town, but had already built up a network of friends and business contacts, and I didn’t know who would be at this meeting. And since they had their meeting, then went to a restaurant for dinner, I felt it best to be “safe”. And I have regretted it ever since. I hope that I will have another opportunity soon to attend such a gathering.
There was definitely a hint of fear factor for me as well, especially since I was from out of town. It was a bit depressing to be there in drab, but I hope to meet up with them again soon
The first time I went out, I turned up in drab mode and got changed on site. I was nervous, but that was more because it was a first time than I wasn’t dressed up like everyone else.
I think it was a few months later when I went along in just my male clothes. Perhaps some internal tipping point had been reached, and I felt comfortable enough to sit and talk in bloke mode. Certainly, there are times when you just can’t be bothered with the whole war-paint business and a chat is all you want
ps: Belated birthday greets, BTW
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Lynn and thanks for sharing your story
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As you know, I don’t crossdress (although I did to drag a couple times – not again…the body aint what it used to be), but I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog. It’s very personal and honest.
Thank you for being YOU!
Thank you Corey, that means a lot to me
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I must be a fast dresser but I would have made it in 30 min. OK so the makeup wouldnt be perfect but Im sure others didnt look that perfect either. I would just explain I slept to long and leave it at that. It just would have been not as much fun to go without getting dressed up.
Hehe, yea. You’re right, it wasn’t much fun, though I am glad that I went because I half-felt like staying in bed and going back to sleep
Good job Jess! I would’ve been quite frustrated with not being able to dress up to go to such an event. I’m not sure, maybe I would’ve tried to throw some things together real quick and/or chanced being late. Props to you though for going in drab.
Thanks Jerica, yea in retrospect I probably could’ve thrown something together, I guess I was lazy
I would have been upset with my wife for letting me sleep late…
LOL!
I have gone to meetings with my old TG group en homme-which sometimes provoked good-natured pokes but otherwise it was okay. We’d have newcomers show up en homme because they weren’t sure about things and we’d tell time it was just fine. The “group” I have been part of here in Dallas has an unwritten rule about dressing, which I think is yet another reason it’s having problems…
Yea, they were pretty good about me being there in male mode too