crossdresser or transdresser

[Inna]

I have just read a post by Annie D. "Do you want to be a woman ?" and started to think what lies beneath the cloth and lace.
I am a trangender and by still undefined terminology, a transsexual and considering definitions every one here falls under transgender umbrella, with transient gender self expression. What really got me thinking are the answers I have read. Great number of you answered that you appreciate the male side of life as well as the feminine expression and so transition would not suffice. Then I though of what really makes us one or the other, besides of course the obvious appendages
Thing we do in daily life, drive, drink, eat, sneeze, scratch, do not involve gender nor sexuality. In fact taking in an average day, we don't even notice our gender until some gorgeous, high heeled, silhouette passes in front of our eyes or our buddies get us involved in the sports euphoria.

Is it then, when for most, crossdressing represents a heightened sense of sensuality their perception of transition would then put them on the spot to experience and prolong such heightened state for ever, which quite realistically would be impossible. However, realizing that such transition would just make them appear feminine but yet preserve their ability to be quite them selves, would they still answer NO, to the posed question of weather would they want to become a woman.

I think that the missing link is the lack of understanding what transition means and realistic expectations of what really changes. Not so long ago I have realized that in fact I am comprised of two identities, that of male and that of female, weather I want it or not. Male has been there because of my genetic predisposition to producing testosterone, female, because of my brains gender variant. Even after transition I shall remain having those two ingredients.

I hope this message shall remain in this section because it really pertains to crossdressing question raised before,

[AnnaCalliope]

I notice my birth gender every morning when I wake up, every time I have to use the restroom, when I walk without the weight of breast forms on my chest. There's the fact that while the weight is reassuring and the forms help me pass, that I can't actively feel them as a part of me is bothersome. I've noticed all these things since I realized I was truly transgendered at age 14. The feelings that I'm still at least biologically male have never departed. My perspective has changed completely, and I've started referring to myself as a "heterosexual woman with a few anatomical shortcomings." But that's really what makes me different, why I may have considered myself a CD for so many years, when in fact I was just waiting for the right time to transition. That time is now.

[Raynefall]

I had decided a long time ago that I would transition if I was 30 and had nobody in my life. But since I currently have someone I want to be with and want to have a child with I can't even think about doing it then or at all. There are certain things I want out of life that I couldn't get if I transitioned. I want to have a child of my own. Some people out there can have a child and decide later they want to transition. But I don't think I could do it. It would be strange to have to explain things along with my SO possibly not being supportive. Plus the amount of money to have a really good transition done would crush me. Lol.

So I just consider myself a CD. Because there is no real way with what I want out of life to go for it. That's even if it's truly what I would want in the end.

[LACD]

Years ago when I was younger I wanted so bad to transition. This was before the internet and all the information we have now. Back then we were thought of as grotesque creatures of misfits that could be bullied and even worse with no consenquence. I have been married to the same wonderful woman for over 38 years and she knows about my dressing. I haven't t thought about transitioning for years now. I have accepted that I am a man with womanly or female traits. I love to wear my womens clothes. I have never been outside or have told anybody but my Dear Wife. I am acceoting of myself as I am. Oh I do wish I could change some things, but I will be able to dress more as the years go by. I know this is rambling but I think it just boils down to is that there is no one single label for us. We are all the same but different. I've had my say, love to all.

[Cynthia Anne]

I would transition IN a second if I could! My age and health plus billfold make it impossible! If the knowledge and computers were here 40 years ago I would be a women today! Nothing in my life has ever damped the desire to be female!

[juno]

My thinking is that having both male and female mental characteristics is quite common, and that is the typical crossdresser.

A transsexual is a person that is essentially all one mental gender, that differs from their physical gender. In this case, a person may not want to transition even if they can afford it, because there are risks with surgeries or because their current body is a long ways from being female. So, a pre-op transsexual might go with the term transdresser if they intend to never become a post-op transsexual.

I think that being female would be great, but not very practical, partly because I am 6'3" with a 13W women's shoe size. Of course, that is part of the reason I put off serious crossdressing, so I can't say that my opinion won't change.

[sissystephanie]

We all, both males and females, have some characteristics of both sexes. That is human nature, and we can't do much about it. I am a crossdresser, because I like to wear feminine clothing! I have no desire at all to become a woman and nowadays don't even try to look like a woman, I just dress like one! Those that want to transition are doing their thing, at least I hope they are! I would hope they are not being pushed into it!

I was born a male, fathered 2 children and although I do wear very feminine clothing I am still very much a man!! I do plan on dying a man!!

[Speck]

I Male has been there because of my genetic predisposition to producing testosterone, female, because of my brains gender variant. Even after transition I shall remain having those two ingredients.

I tried to say this very thing in another post but since I'm a GG some CDs thought I was simply being nasty. I'm glad you've been able to make the point and no one has jumped all over for it.

Speck

[sometimes_miss]

Thing we do in daily life, drive, drink, eat, sneeze, scratch, do not involve gender nor sexuality. In fact taking in an average day, we don't even notice our gender until some gorgeous, high heeled, silhouette passes in front of our eyes or our buddies get us involved in the sports euphoria.

Yes and no; Yes, the vast majority of what we do does not differentiate whether we are male or female. No, every day when I first get dressed, I am painfully aware of the feeling that I am putting on the wrong clothes as I don my male attire.

Is it then, when for most, crossdressing represents a heightened sense of sensuality their perception of transition would then put them on the spot to experience and prolong such heightened state for ever,

For some it will be the opposite; When dressed in female attire, I quickly become oblivious to what I am wearing. Female stuff feels normal. Male stuff does not.

I think that the missing link is the lack of understanding what transition means and realistic expectations of what really changes. Not so long ago I have realized that in fact I am comprised of two identities, that of male and that of female

I'm not sure this is the case, despite all of those who believe they have separate girl selves from their boy selves, and even choose a female name and try to change their vocal patterns and body mechanics when in 'girl' mode. True multiple personality disorder is extremely rare. More likely we just suppress one set of behaviors or the other, depending on which we want to present to ourselves and the outside world. The sum of it all is who we really are; we just aren't usually comfortable expressing both male and female, because society tells us not to.