CHIC member’s formed a club which had security as an important concern and still is. They established requirements for membership which protect the member’s privacy. Member’s refer to each other by their femme name only. Occupations and family member names are not discussed unless the member volunteers them. It is understood that this disclosure is not to be shared with others and kept in confidential.
Usually only one or two members know or have access to any member’s male personal information. They are the initial interviewer of the new applicant, and the CHIC Membership Secretary. Guests are not allowed at meetings without PRIOR board approval. Please click on the Joining CHIC selector for information on our membership requirements.
Because security is a priority CHIC is able to provide a relaxing venue members can enjoy companionship of other crossdressers and wives.
CHIC’S BEGINNING
In 1975 a group of married, heterosexual southern California crossdressers formed CHIC. The Heels & Hose group started by Dr. Virginia Prince was too restrictive, and she ruled with an iron hand, so the CHIC founders wanted a change. They saw a need for a special kind of sorority with an emphasis on security and a place the wives would feel comfortable. In those days there were only a handful of groups, most of which were support groups that met hidden in back rooms. The founding members had become comfortable with their crossdressing wanted to have more freedom and fun. Even though most of the early meetings were in private homes, they did venture out to mainstream places occasionally which was very risky in 1975.
Many of the members were in high profile occupations and cared deeply for their wives’ and children’s feelings. The “outing” of a member might complicate the member’s relationship with his employer. There is also the posibility of problems with relatives and neighbors, not to mention divorce.
The founders knew others would be interested in joining them once word got out that something was available besides Heels & Hose. It wasn’t a club at this point, just a few like-minded crossdressers and their wives looking for somewhere to crossdress and have fun. At some point they figured becoming a club was inevitable and so besides a name they needed a structure.
According to Lane, CHIC’s first president, she came up with the name CHIC because she liked the elegant ring to it. The Crossdressers Heterosexual Club was easy but coming up with an appropriate word for the I in CHIC took some thought. She finally made up the word “intersocial,” which, at the time, was not in the dictionary. So, the club was named Crossdressers Heterosexual Intersocial Club, which would become CHIC.
How the club was to be structured aside from the typical president, VP, treasurer, and a board of directors was going to be the defining factor that set the club apart from those that came before and after. The club was started by crossdressers and their wives so from the beginning membership was restricted to crossdressers only. Being married was not a requirement in those days because unfortunately for one reason or another some crossdressers had never told their wives.
Security was paramount from the beginning and everything about the club, its members, applicants, where it went, etc., so everything by, for, and about the club reflected this concern. Besides the bylaws, a code of conduct was established with rules to protect the members. In addition, a handbook was created and printed in booklet form for members to refer to. New applicants were given a copy during the interview process.
An application was created with carefully thought-out questions to find the best possible crossdressers for the club. It was important that new members be compatible with the existing members of the club and especially their wives who from the beginning were an integral part of the group. Only heterosexual crossdressers were allowed to join the club.
The members decided that the application process should be a thorough vetting of a candidate for membership in CHIC. The application process would consist of a written application that must be fully completed to be considered. The questions were designed to get as much information as possible about the applicant.
The application process was designed to ensure security for all and make sure the candidate would meet all the expectations of the membership. The process consisted of:
- Submitting the written application. (Via U.S. Mail—there was no internet yet)
- Completing a face-to-face interview with a board member.
- Attending a meeting of the full membership.
- Assuming the first meeting was a success, attend a second meeting.
Attending the meetings gives the membership a chance to meet the applicants in a social environment where they can evaluate the applicant. All members are encouraged to take time to visit with and ask questions of the applicant. Club officers and board members are required to spend time with the applicant so they can vote to accept or reject the applicant at the following board meeting.
At the board meeting following each club meeting the members’ impressions of the applicant are discussed. If there are no negatives the board will vote to invite the applicant to the second meeting. After the second meeting a final vote is taken and if successful the applicant is invited to join the club.
The club would establish a P.O. Box to receive applications and the secretary would be designated as the person to retrieve them.
It was decided that the board would meet in person on the Tuesday following the monthly club meeting which was held on the second Saturday each month. At the board meeting the club secretary would present the application or applications to the board, reading it aloud. A discussion would follow and if the applicant looked like a good prospect a board member was assigned to contact them for the face-to-face interview.
The board member’s identity and his reputational security would be at risk so they may insist on additional measures prior to the interview taking place. In addition, the security of every member of the club depends on the interviewer getting the right questions answered.
The applicant was contacted by phone and a convenient location was established it was made clear the interview was always done on regular male street clothes. Neither party was ever crossdressed although the applicant was required to bring three photos of himself completely dressed as a woman. The photos had to be shown head to toe with full makeup. The applicant was allowed to take the photos back at the conclusion of the interview for his security.
The purpose of the photos was to confirm the applicant was a crossdresser first and second the style of dress being compatible with the group. Provocative or fetish style of dressing would be an indicator of the applicant’s taste and could be offensive to the wives. It would be discussed at the next board meeting.
The rejection of an applicant was not a judgment of him as a person so much as a lack of compatibility with the group. Group harmony has been a major reason for the club’s success for almost 50 years.