Out & About: The Emancipated Crossdresser [Paperback]

Lacey Leigh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002

“Out & About” is an intelligent, fresh, and light-hearted look at crossdressing. Ms. Leigh writes, with no psychological mumbo-jumbo, to enlighten and encourage crossdressers ultimately to dump their guilt, shame, and denial so they may finally and fully express their feminine attributes in taste and style.

"Out & About" was recently selected for inclusion in the assortment of books distributed to public and scholastic libraries by Tri-Ess, the international sorority for heterosexual crossdressers.

This book (160 pages, soft cover, perfect bound, lots of photos and illustrations) is also an ideal resource for outreach as well as an introduction for wives and significant others. It includes how-to chapters on femme essentials, shopping, photography, dining, travel, and much more.

Lacey stresses that a crossdresser's mindset is a prime factor and suggests a simple formula for gaining a positive attitude:

Accept yourself - denial doesn't work;
Assert yourself - you deserve the best;
Allow yourself - to enjoy your new freedom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best book I have ever read on crossdressing... written by a crossdresser."

Jane Ellen Fairfax -- President, Tri-Ess International

From the Author

Like most crossdressers, I lived a hidden life - cowering in fear that my dark secret might be discovered. I had absorbed all the media-driven, negative social attitudes and stereotypes. Television and films had shown crossdressers either as objects of scorn or derision. They told me that men in dresses were gay; but I wasn't. They told me that crossdressers attire themselves to attract sexual partners; yet I was happily married. They told me that transvestites were psychologically disordered; however I'm quite well adjusted, thank you. After talking with hundreds of other crossdressers, both in person and in correspondance, I discovered that everything I thought I 'knew' about the subject was wrong!

Over a very short time I left 'the closet' and learned to become an emancipated crossdresser, free to express my feminine attributes and to enjoy the experience without shame or guilt.

It's not that difficult, really. Now that I have accepted myself and all of my gifts of gender, life seem much less complicated. Once I was an angry person, no doubt due to the stress of keeping such an important part of my personality a secret as well as from the frustration at not being able to change it, no matter how desperately I tried. No longer. Now, life is sweet again.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Double Star Press, a division of SYZYGY Press; 2nd edition (January 15, 2002)
• ISBN-10: 0971668000
• ISBN-13: 978-0971668003
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,986,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Welcome How-to Book, February 4, 2002

By 

"laceyp" (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out & About: The Emancipated Crossdresser (Paperback)

As a home-confined heterosexual crossdresser of 30 years, this book spoke directly to me as to who I am and what I have been doing all these years. I am not unusual or a freak, just a family man, who likes to wear woman's clothes.

The early sections of this book discusses the who's, what's, and wears's of being a heterosexual male crossdresser. It supports the idea of expressing one's feminine side by wearing woman's clothes. Being transgendered is a good thing and an emotion to be proud of and expressed without guilt and shame. But more importantly, it does so without being preachy or too psychological. Some other books concerning crossdressing get bogged down with finding the roots and reasons for crossdressing without exploring the joys of it.

One of the premises of this book is that it addresses an acceptance of the dressing because it is just something one does for fun and a means of expression. The book has a lightness and sense of humor about itself. It almost reads as a how-to book about one's favorite hobby.

As a recent "out and about" crossdresser this book helps smooth over those fears of making that step out the front door. It is clear in pointing out that no matter how good you may think you look that you will always be a man in a dress. Once that is realized and accepted, one can then move on and enjoy the experience. This is something my wife has been trying to tell me for over a year now. She kept asking me if I was enjoying my little ventures out because my fears and apprehensions were showing rather than my slip. My concerns of being clocked never enabled me to be relaxed.

This book is about attitude. It gives pointers on how to develop an attitude that makes it acceptable to be that man in a dress accepted by salesclerks in store, waitstaff in restaurants, and so on. It says, yes I am in a dress, I like who I am and so should you. It says I am not unusual and should be treated as any other customer. Practing this approach has paid dividends for me . I am about over my phobia of approaching salesclerks. It has helped me engage them in asking for help. Some salesclerks have even gone that extra mile on the occasion when I have been read. It has helped in eating out by keeping the walls of the restaurant from closing in on me. There have been no problems to date, just a wealth of better dressing experiences.

This is a great and fun how-to book. Besides any book written by another gal named Lacey has to be good.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A helping hand for crossdressers and other TG types, February 5, 2002

By 

Gina Martine (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out & About: The Emancipated Crossdresser (Paperback)

Lacey Leigh has been a visible participant on the national crossdressing scene for some time and has done all crossdressers a real service --- distilling for those hesitant to undertake this lifestyle the guidance, tips and advice they need to break through the barriers separating them from their femme side and the enjoyment and fulfillment that awaits them there. Her counsel runs the gamut from dealing with the psychological issues (both of the crossdresser and wives or SOs) to wardrobe and makeup to going out on the town and mingling en femme. While especially helpful to those who are looking for a guiding hand, a "how to" manual if you will, it also contains much of interest to those at a more experienced level. Many will especially enjoy her thoughts on security and safety as they are both humorous and helpful.

Simply put, it is the best book available for those who are or want to be crossdressers. It is also a very valuable work to share with those close to crosdressers who need to be informed about what CDing is (and is NOT) all about. For a subject needing much clarification and accurate information (rather than the tabloid and television nonsense) this book is a refreshing and much needed breath of clean, cool air. I highly recommend it to all readers.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Balanced View, February 4, 2002

By 

Jane Cox (Perth, Western Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out & About: The Emancipated Crossdresser (Paperback)

I read Lacey Leigh's "The Emancipated Crossdresser" and would thoroughly recommend it to both closeted and 'out' crossdressers and their families and friends.

As I see it, the book has 2 parts - the first part dealing with the 'inner' crossdresser, the cause, effects, consequences and joys of being a crossdresser. The second part is about the 'outer' crossdresser - the clothes, make-up and presentation which has lots and lots of helpful information and tips not only about achieving the desired 'look', but also about the manner in which to conduct yourself whilst in public.

I have read other books on crossdressing written by both so-called professionals and crossdressers themselves, but Lacey's book is by far the most well-rounded and balanced I have read on the subject to date.