Reply To: Questions brought about by posts about CD friendly store posts.

[Rhonda Lee]

Some stores have a reputation for being CD-Friendly..Macy’s Sephora, Soma, Dillards, Lane Bryant, Dress Barn, Torrid, Victoria Secret to name just a few. I know CDs who feel comfortable getting a makeover at the Mac counter. I personally, have had great experience from more-than-helpful sales clerks at such stores. I have run into clerks which clearly don’t know how to handle requests such as bra fittings, in other chains.

It has been my understanding that employees  in CD-friendly chains are trained to be empathetic and especially helpful to CDs. I have read reports of negative experiences in some chains which have led to CD-sympathetic policies, which I believe are chain-wide. I don’t know first-hand if this is true.

Having heard of consistently friendly treatments which are widely known in our community and those who serve us, such as dressing services, and of stores such as Sephora hosting makeovers and special hours designed to attract CDs and TGs at special events, I’d assume that employees in such stores would at least know of their stores’ reputation for welcoming policies (and the sales it can bring).

Based on my own experiences and hearsay I am confident in steering CDs to certain chains, never having heard of a negative experience. It is good to know stores on which I can rely to allow use of ladies’ changing rooms and welcoming treatment. I know some stores allow me to use women’s changing rooms if I present en femme but not otherwise.  I avoid stores if I am in doubt and guiding a newbie (I myself being willing to take my chances anywhere if uncertain, but being more guarded if advising another, especially since my experiences have not been uniformly positive.)

Thanks for this thread! I’d be interested in learning more about whether CD-awareness and treatment of male customers seeking female items and service is in fact based on chain-wide policies which are conveyed to the sales attendants or seeing if anyone can unearth instructions embedded in training manuals to this effect. If there are in fact chain-wide policies welcoming CDs I’d love to see a list of chains known to have such policies.