We once spent a bank holiday weekend on a caravan site in Somerset. It was an old holiday camp ( think Butlins but not). It was quite isolated and very pretty surroundings but not near civilisation.
Anyway the family we went with had a static caravan there, we hired one. We had planned to stay until the Monday but they were fully booked. They were hosting a transvestite get together during the following week. Our friends were aware but hadn’t told us. I think they thought we’d be a bit 😱. What they didn’t know was that DH’s best mate is a tranny ( old school) and DH ( bit of a Neanderthal) was not particularly shocked. He is not into dressing but accepts his mate has weird fetishes ( he has his own S&M dungeon).
As the weekend progressed the transvestites trickled in. Remember that this is a remote campsite with a bar. They wore full drag including heals and wigs, despite high winds and soggy grass underfoot. The weirdest thing was watching a small group meeting up in the bar and then sitting “daintily” round a table having placed their handbags on the table.
My friend, not familiar with tranny behaviour, commented on how much effort and detail went into their transformation. I explained that if they dressed like most women do when camping they would look like men. The trans dressers who look like x-rated pantomime dames are serious fetishists, I have it from the horses mouth (DH’s friend) it’s all about sex. He once appeared in the Telegraph in a photo taken at a famous social event wearing a suit that has the back cut out so you can see his full underwear, co ordinated, lacy bra, knickers , suspenders and stockings.
Unfortunately, DH’s friend is rather sad that the TRAS have lead to serious problems for the old trannies who no longer feel that they are a distinct group, a heterosexual subgroup of the drag movement who are less public and not in the entertainment sector. They are being forced into extinction. They didn’t flaunt their fetish in public, meeting in private groups, basically not bothering anyone. A little bit like the Masons but in dresses, from what I heard quite a few were members of both.
My DH’s friend has always maintained that it’s no different to being a football fan or a trainspotter. It requires a bit of effort but rarely spills into everyday life. And importantly it doesn’t involve surgery or hormones. The vast majority just wanted to dress like women they had no urge to be women.
I know a trans woman who actually dresses like most of us, jeans, t-shirt, converse and little makeup. She identifies as a woman but quietly gets on with life. She has had surgery and takes hormones, and does not really pass , but her reason for transitioning is due to severe PTSD after a spell in the forces in the Middle East. She would find any large, noisy, aggressive crowd very triggering so does not join in with the current mainstream Trans movement.
I am GC but actually understand the reasons behind the transition in the Trans individual I know. She is definitely not a look at me trans and I have no problem respecting her pronouns. Because she doesn’t expect me to treat her as anything but a person.