Hypothesis: Spectrum from CD to TG to TS

[James Kaon]

OMG I have the same exact theory and my therapist has confirmed the exact theory. Wow chills here. I KNOW this has to be it. It makes total sense. How can kids at a young age have a desire to be more female and try female things. It is programmed at that point.

Great thread! I am a big fan of science, probably more of a cosmic nature but still, asking questions always gets me interested . And I have been truly trying to work out why 4 months ago I found it was a turn on to wear girls stuff. But although still scientific, how much can this be attributed to the biological things doing their ummm thing? I quote GirlieAmanda because of the suggestion of programming. Maybe thats true, and there is something inherent at a genetic level - but I really think it has more to do with how those genes are exposed to their immediate environment - family, and then pretty soon after during the maturing stage, society. I dont have the answer and GirlieAmanda, I'm not disagreeing with you and perhaps at a bilogical level, some genes respond more and some less to that environment. Even so, im just not so sure that our destiny is so mapped and it is just how we cope with it - happy or not? Evolution itself is about genetic streams that thrive and do not thrive - the ones that do continue to evolve (by surviving and then procreating lalalala), the ones that do not die out. Humans are at a level where the intellect has some input too - I think. Hmmm i think I'm entering a verbal cul de sac! Great food for thought though

Jx

[sissystephanie]

The one thing that I have not seen mentioned in this thread is what happens once the person is born! Once that person is old enough to think for themselves, maybe anywhere from 4 to 6, their brain is the one making decisions! I started crossdressing at age 6, wearing my older sisters panties! I have never wanted to be a woman, just to dress, and maybe to look like one. For most of the past 70 years I have done that! I dress enfemme and go out in public at least part of almost every day. It is my life and I do what I want. My late wife knew I was a CD and accepted it. But I have never dressed around my 2 children, and never will. They both know I am a CD, but don't wish to see me dressed!

I guess what I am saying is that there may be biological reasons why we CD's do what we do, but most of it is purely mental!! As I have said before, if you really want to completely stop crossdressing you can!! BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO WANT TO!! Unless you are a very weak person, your brain can do that! I did it for a 5 year period, and only started dressing again because my late wife begged me to!! She missed Stephanie in her life!!

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

I wonder if I have had a testosterone wash was I wrung out to dry or spun dry cos my head is still spinning? Maybe why I get a lil mixed up like that question "Who am I?". I should complain coz there is still some Testosterone residing here, must've been a bad rinse cycle.

[docrobbysherry]

I always thot women were CLEANER than men! And, for the most part, I think they r! (Judging by the males and females I know).

However, some of the dirtiest apartments I've ever seen, were occupied by females! Obviously, they weren't properly "washed" in the womb! And, those bad habits must have STUCK!?

[Fran Moore]

All I know is that if they come up with a "wash" to make me "normal", they can keep it. I like myself just the way I am.

Suzanne

[Cynthia Anne]

All I know is that if they come up with a "wash" to make me "normal", they can keep it. I like myself just the way I am.

Suzanne

Suzanne, Hon.! That was beautiful!

[Sophie_C]

I'm not in the mood to look it up, but the most recent hypothesis is that gender identity is based on a specific component of the brain. I know I don't exactly have the most detailed explanation in my hands, but I look at gender identity as the same sort of spectrum that Kinsey had for sexual preference. And just like sexuality, most people land up in their expected side. But, there are people who are in the middle, and those who land on the far opposite site. Men to Women, Women to Men. And, this can apply to people who do not identify with the opposite gender! Many people land in the middle and are most confortable with masculine and feminine characteristics.

Let me explain further. I personally do not like to use a scale of 1 to 5 like Kinsey since it is too basic, so I'm going to do a 1 to 10.

1 will be completely feminine, think Elle Woods from 'Legally Blond.':



2 / 2.5 would be for Karolina Kurkova and Andrej Pejic



4 is Ellen DeGeneres:



6 is Zac Efron:



7.5 would be David Beckham:



10 will be completely masculine, say like 50 Cent:



Now, per people with GID,

1 would be for Caroline 'Tula' Cossey



10 would be for Buck Angel:



Now, I know this is only appearance, but behavior is also the same way. You see, people even without GID naturally have a gender identity they fall in, regardless. Some are more in the middle. Some are at the ends.

Ellen DeGeneres (who I love, btw) is not the sort of girl who's going to be running around in skirts all day, getting her nails done all fancy, shopping for the latest jewelry. That's not how she naturally is. Sure, she can be fashionable, but it's not going to be in the most 'femme' way and her personality is a lot more 'tomboy.' Likewise, Zac Efron seems to actually be wearing makeup in the photo and I'd be surprised to hear him playing football with his friends. What i'm getting at is that gender identity varies person to person and is not always what you expect, know about yourself or even what people display.

So, with that explained, you must remember that crossdressing, independent of gender identity, is a 'kink'. It's something that gets a person's rocks off, just like, someone can get their rocks off from leather, or PVC, or beind dominated or dominating. Yes, they're all different, but they all give a person a 'kick.'

With that being said, that's how it gets blurry. There are crossdressers who are any point on the scale of 1 to 10. That's how you get the hairy linebackers with heels and nylons shocking you on the corner in a city. They're a 10, but getting the kick of being a CD. And, there are crossdressers who are, of course a 1.

And, most people are NOT aware of where their natural identity falls in the gender spectrum.

But, for those not on the matching side of the scale, there's a problem. You see, when all is done and you're in drab, something's not right. You're still not yourself. And, eventually you learn that feeling, that understanding is inescapable. Then you learn, there really wasn't much a kick (sexually) in the first place. It was more freedom to be yourself. And, then it's whatever path you take to being or not being who you really are (being transgendered).

Is this a little clearer?

Lastly, know that the true bluriness is for those in the middle. There are people who have some GID, and some of the crossdresser kink. And, for those people, they may never come to a balance and understanding, since the both overlap. But, that is the how and the why to it all...

[Shananigans]

I'm not in the mood to look it up, but the most recent hypothesis is that gender identity is based on a specific component of the brain. I know I don't exactly have the most detailed explanation in my hands, but I look at gender identity as the same sort of spectrum that Kinsey had for sexual preference. And just like sexuality, most people land up in their expected side. But, there are people who are in the middle, and those who land on the far opposite site. Men to Women, Women to Men. And, this can apply to people who do not identify with the opposite gender! Many people land in the middle and are most confortable with masculine and feminine characteristics.

Let me explain further. I personally do not like to use a scale of 1 to 5 like Kinsey since it is too basic, so I'm going to do a 1 to 10.

1 will be completely feminine, think Elle Woods from 'Legally Blond.':



2 / 2.5 would be for Karolina Kurkova and Andrej Pejic



4 is Ellen DeGeneres:



6 is Zac Efron:



7.5 would be David Beckham:



10 will be completely masculine, say like 50 Cent:



Now, per people with GID,

1 would be for Caroline 'Tula' Cossey



10 would be for Buck Angel:



Now, I know this is only appearance, but behavior is also the same way. You see, people even without GID naturally have a gender identity they fall in, regardless. Some are more in the middle. Some are at the ends.

Ellen DeGeneres (who I love, btw) is not the sort of girl who's going to be running around in skirts all day, getting her nails done all fancy, shopping for the latest jewelry. That's not how she naturally is. Sure, she can be fashionable, but it's not going to be in the most 'femme' way and her personality is a lot more 'tomboy.' Likewise, Zac Efron seems to actually be wearing makeup in the photo and I'd be surprised to hear him playing football with his friends. What i'm getting at is that gender identity varies person to person and is not always what you expect, know about yourself or even what people display.

So, with that explained, you must remember that crossdressing, independent of gender identity, is a 'kink'. It's something that gets a person's rocks off, just like, someone can get their rocks off from leather, or PVC, or beind dominated or dominating. Yes, they're all different, but they all give a person a 'kick.'

With that being said, that's how it gets blurry. There are crossdressers who are any point on the scale of 1 to 10. That's how you get the hairy linebackers with heels and nylons shocking you on the corner in a city. They're a 10, but getting the kick of being a CD. And, there are crossdressers who are, of course a 1.

And, most people are NOT aware of where their natural identity falls in the gender spectrum.

But, for those not on the matching side of the scale, there's a problem. You see, when all is done and you're in drab, something's not right. You're still not yourself. And, eventually you learn that feeling, that understanding is inescapable. Then you learn, there really wasn't much a kick (sexually) in the first place. It was more freedom to be yourself. And, then it's whatever path you take to being or not being who you really are (being transgendered).

Is this a little clearer?

Lastly, know that the true bluriness is for those in the middle. There are people who have some GID, and some of the crossdresser kink. And, for those people, they may never come to a balance and understanding, since the both overlap. But, that is the how and the why to it all...

All I know is that 50 Cent would be happy that he is the portrait of masculinity.

So, what do you think about this spectrum and the effects of the testosterone wash in utero?

[Sophie_C]

Well, about 50 cent, it was simply the first thing I thought of. In terms of a spectrum as you're indicating, I disagree, since it's completely not addressing the 'kick' people get from fetishistic crossdressing. Could some sort of hormonal effect cause a change in brain structure, and thereby change gender identity? Yes. It is possible, but there could be other causes as well. But, the overall spectrum I disagree on, and that's what I wrote about in there. I was showing a different spectrum and how crossdressing overlaps it in different ways. What about my argument do you disagree with?

[Shananigans]

Well, about 50 cent, it was simply the first thing I thought of. In terms of a spectrum as you're indicating, I disagree, since it's completely not addressing the 'kick' people get from fetishistic crossdressing. Could some sort of hormonal effect cause a change in brain structure, and thereby change gender identity? Yes. It is possible, but there could be other causes as well. But, the overall spectrum I disagree on, and that's what I wrote about in there. I was showing a different spectrum and how crossdressing overlaps it in different ways. What about my argument do you disagree with?

Hmm...I guess I am confused. It seemed like what you did Was a spectrum but with pictures instead of labels. I think anyone could get a kick out of crossdressing on different parts of the spectrum.

But, maybe I am misunderstanding what you are getting at which is possible because I am running off salad and spite.

P.S.

I was playing with you about 50 Cent. I just found it really funny.

[Andromeda]

A very interesting hypothesis. Just how do we go about proving it thou. I suspect that in the end we will find that the origins cross-dressing will be more complex rather than one size fits all.

[MichelleOBrien]

Pheobe, I had the same hypothesis after my high school biology mid term, frighteningly enough. But I've also done some research into other things as well.

Obviously, the testosterone wash, brain receptors, genetics, and "mommy meds" could all be to blame. But what about this:

What do we eat?

Think about it... with every piece of meat we put in our mouths, we're ingesting some hormones of the animal we're eating. Now, obviously a truly organic chicken couldn't give you the necessary spike needed for changes, but... With our milk coming from hormone-injected cows, our chickens being injected with growth and other hormones, the eggs of those chickens carrying those same hormones, and so on...

What level of hormones do we take in with our morning "balanced" breakfast of eggs, bacon, milk, pancakes, whatever? There's already studies linking hormones in milk to breast growth in male children... why couldn't it also affect us both in the womb (as mommy eats) and from birth (as we eat)?

Just some food for thought...

[Dale59]

Or, maybe pre-op transsexuals are like fish...there aren't enough female fish in their community so they change their sex.

Close. I don't think it's that there aren't enough females, it's that they aren't feminine enough. (@&^$%# sneakers and sweats)

Think about it, we all wish we could be really sexy or at least classically beautiful. So we either sex it up and don't come close to passing, or we begrudgingly tone it down to age and body type appropriate for the sake of blending in. We appreciate the beauty that is the female creature, but we don't see it nearly often enough, so we head towards the mirror.

[Rianna Humble]

maybe pre-op transsexuals are like fish...there aren't enough female fish in their community so they change their sex.

Close. I don't think it's that there aren't enough females, it's that they aren't feminine enough.

I liked Shananigans' joke, but I'm sorry Dale, I don't think being TS has anything at all to do withthe appearance of other women (or men for the FtM's).

I know I didn't spend best part of half a century wrestling with Gender Dysphoria because I disliked the way other women dress.

[Shananigans]

I liked Shananigans' joke, but I'm sorry Dale, I don't think being TS has anything at all to do withthe appearance of other women (or men for the FtM's).

I know I didn't spend best part of half a century wrestling with Gender Dysphoria because I disliked the way other women dress.

Haha yes it was a joke. I'm glad you picked up on that. I actually posted it because of another thread where people were saying that they CD because their wife doesn't dress up, etc. And, I thought about animal communities and had a chuckle.

I am also glad that you are true enough to yourself to know that you aren't transgendered because there aren't enough people in skirts in the world. I've been harping on people using this excuse for days now.