PRE INTERNET CROSSDRESSING

Years ago the crossdressing landscape looked a lot different. For instance most men who enjoyed wearing women’s clothes like myself had no idea that there was a label for us. Many were unaware there was even an us to begin with thinking we were the only man on the planet with this weird pastime. There were conventions at various locations like Provincetown and First Event but you needed to know someone in the underground community to know about them. Adult bookstores had some publications like Female Mimics but those primarily dealt with professional entertainers.

By chance one afternoon I was watching one of the afternoon talk shows pre Oprah and they had a woman from Orange County California on who caught my attention right away. She went by the name of Mistress Antoinette and she owned a store called Versatile Fashions that dealt in all kinds of fetish clothing. Through the interview she touched on all of the areas she served most of which were of no interest to me until she mentioned that she catered to crossdressers also. That and the fact that her store was in my sales territory changed my schedule for the following week. When I stopped in her shop the only thing of interest were some magazines and a card for a wig lady that led to a crossdressing support group so it was well worth while. I stopped by from time to time and bought the newest crossdresser magazines but never saw Antoinette. The support group was Powder Puffs of Orange County or PPOC and I attended meetings until I joined CHIC some years later.

In the late 1980’s the Phil Donahue Show an afternoon television show which specialized in bringing on various guests with unusual and interesting lifestyles or professions booked a crossdresser on the show. They also had a female impersonator, male to female transsexual, female to male transsexual and a hermaphrodite. Note that these are the exact terms from the show not mine. I discovered the video by accident on YouTube listed on the right margin while watching something else and recognized Jo Anne Roberts picture. I did business with Jo Anne back in the days when she had her magazine Lady Like and CHIC advertised in it trying to recruit new members. She was truly a pioneer in those days starting numerous businesses and organizations.

What is particularly interesting when you listen to the video is Jo Ann identifies as a Crossdresser / Transvestite. The other interesting term is female impersonator which was common in those days. Impersonation was the goal and comedy secondary different from DRAG today.

Some other things of note are the respectful manner in which all of the participants are treated on the show which, was the norm for talk shows of that era. They are all well dressed, well spoken representatives of their segment of the community which I think contributed to their positive experience.

YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION!