Back in the Bad Old Days

 Remember when the only time you saw a cross dresser or transvestite on the media was when they were up to no good. 

One of the primary examples I can think of is Christopher Morley. Perhaps you will remember him on Magnum PI  when he played a rogue British agent trying to assassinate a politician. One of his "disguises" was a policewoman. 

Ironically, I just saw the episode on the "Hallmark Channel" this morning. By total accident. 

Then in 1974 Morley played another evil character in the movie Freebie and the Bean. I remember vividly seeing the movie with a couple other friends and being totally surprised by Morley's transvestite presentation in the film. In fact, I tried to be careful not to act too mesmerized by the action. 

I guess you can say even then I wasn't very pleased about the negative presentations concerning "transvestites" back in those days. But, that was all there was except for the early talk shows such as Phil Donahue.  Check out this picture from 1991 of a transsexual on Donahue"

Unfortunately, as all of this played out I was in a severe battle with my own gender dysphoria and none of it provided much relief.
 

Freebie and the Bean

Yet another cross dressing classic for the Cyrsti's Condo big screen.  For those of you don't who remember Christopher Morley,(left with Carol Burnett) he was one of the top female impersonators of his day and was in several movies and television shows - when they needed a very convincing cross dresser. I have a very difficult time of labeling him since there just weren't many labels "back in the day" Plus.unfortunately those were the times when most anyone in the media cross dressed, they just had to be up to no good. Such as this 1974 scene from the movie Freebie and the Bean: