Self expression......

[Julie York]

This is a Julie York not being funny thread...

Does anyone else feel like me? It seems really stupid and sort of embarrassing really.....that I should even feel this way..., but I am a creative person and I don't have ANY way of really expressing myself visually. I'm not Johnathan Ross, I'm not some peacock type of guy. And...well I suppose it is my age or lack of courage or something. But I REALLY envy women who can paint their nails one day and then another colour the next and wear earrings or put their hair up or down or whatever. They can express their moods, their joy, their frumpiness, their sexiness and all with just little simple things I am not supposed to do.

It makes me sad.

[urban gypsy]

from a young age men are conditioned to not show feelings and not to expess themselves, but then look at it from another view as cross dressers we have already broken the mould.

[Joanne08]

Yeah Julie, I feel the same way sometimes. The same old friggin' shoes every day, at least if not the same pair the same style, and I sure can't put my hair up or choose between wearing a skirt or pants. How about just feeling sexy with a different style and color bra and panties under your clothes? (Alright, I can do that now!) It is sad. But I love dressing femininely despite what society says. I too feel envy towards women because of clothing and what it communicates and how it makes you feel.

Love, Jo

[Wendy me]

ok now i use to fell like that working as a steel worker and uion rep... all a while hidding this girl that was liveing in me...just the only thing i could do is drag her out of the closet every now and then it realy was depressing for me pink nails on i steel worker??? hair up in a poney tail with pink bands ?? being silly and haveing fun ?? gawd it was depressing ... then one day i woke rather wendy woke up we still could not pull off the nails but i stopped worrying abought everyone and started to take life and people a lot less serious (spelling) then i would joke and try to push the evenlope ...people asked me are you nutts ?? i would just say yes i am thankyou for asking...
then one day i had enough i called in to work retired ....and let wendy come out to play .... see we spend our lives doing what outhers want us to do and being what we think we have to be ...we do so fail to be who we are and step out even for a short while and do just one thing for our selfes.....

o something every day that eather pleases you or do some thing silly that makes you laugh.... step out side your day to day life and have a little fun....

[Lauren_T]

By God, that's it, Wendy!

Many, many pipple would be so much happier if they would just stop taking life so damned seriously! I mean! Nary a one of us is gonna get out of it alive - so lighten up and enjoy it! You're not getting a second chance, you know!

[jo_ann]

I used to be creative, then the man beat me down... now I'm a corporate zombie.. I remember I used to buy light colored converse canvas shoes and decorate them... also used to decorate the back of my jean jacket but I got teased because I mostly drew video games so everyone thought I was a dork.

[MonaSmith]

So, honey, do it, try it, paint you nails, wear jewellery or clothes to express your moods. The only thing stopping you, is you.

I do all these things, some days I am all boy, mostly when I am depressed, but it is my choice to be that way, usually I am boy/girl, and wear women's jewellery, make up and whatever else I feel comfortable in.

You don't have to do it all at once, I'm not, you can take it at a comfortable pace. The thing is, other people just aren't that interested, they rarely give a damn, and the feeling of confidence that you get, from even the smallest 'victory', is well worth any grief that you might get (which, in my experience so far, is none).

So paint your toenails, wear your panties, whatever, and stop worrying about what MIGHT happen and make what you WANT happen instead.

xx

[DragonLotus]

Yeah, Julie, I say go for it, too. Whatever makes you happy.

But am I seeing two different problems here?

1. That you need an outlet for your creative energy
2. That "women can wear what they want but I can't"

I would imagine #2 is a big dilemma for a lot fo CD's, but I would not begin to know how you feel. *hugs*

On #1, however......perhaps you could take up sewing on a more serious level? expressing oneself through clothing you've made is one of the greatest feelings EVER (spoken from experience). You are creative......what creative aptitudes would you say you have? There are many creative endeavors that are not visual, but so many that are! Photography, painting, sculpture, woodwork, cooking....I just love to work with my hands, period. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment. Then there's the non-visual stuff...writing, music, etc.

I'm just babbling now...but I do hope you run into your muse very soon!

[DonnaT]

This is a Julie York not being funny thread...

Does anyone else feel like me? I REALLY envy women who can paint their nails one day and then another colour the next and wear earrings or put their hair up or down or whatever. They can express their moods, their joy, their frumpiness, their sexiness and all with just little simple things I am not supposed to do.

It makes me sad.

I don't know what you've been reading on the forum, but from what I read, most of us feel the same way, Julie.

I'm constantly telling my wife how lucky women are to have all those choices.

[Lauren_T]

This is a Julie York not being funny thread...

Right, then. This is a Lauren T not being funny reply...

...
Does anyone else feel like me? It seems really stupid and sort of embarrassing really.....that I should even feel this way..., but I am a creative person and I don't have ANY way of really expressing myself visually. I'm not Johnathan Ross, I'm not some peacock type of guy. And...well I suppose it is my age or lack of courage or something. But I REALLY envy women who can paint their nails one day and then another colour the next and wear earrings or put their hair up or down or whatever. They can express their moods, their joy, their frumpiness, their sexiness and all with just little simple things I am not supposed to do.

It makes me sad.

"supposed to"?? Julie, you should know the drill by now, and far better than most! That "supposed to" bit is about nothing but disapproval - and who're the disapproving ones? A bunch of Bible-thumping, toffee-nosed gits with nothing better to do than look down their noses at anyone who dares do other than what they do. Since when do you need their approval? Piss on the lot of 'em!
Then we've got the others, the ones who don't disapprove, such as most of us here, f'rinstance - and theirs are the opinions that should matter, ain't that so?

Being sad over what some sorry lot of insignificant cretins think of your harmless doings doesn't make much sense, now does it?

Now, Miss, if you'll just put down the Chardonnay and step away from the sideboard please...

[JoannaDees]

I would agree with Mona. You can do these things. I have and with varying degrees of success. The measure of success for me is how I feel about it. Some days it's good and this is me, others it is what are they all thinking. Ups and downs.

[Sharon]

And I'll jump in with the rest of the chorus and say the same thing -- do your nails, play with your hair, find that outfit that makes you feel sexy and wear it when you most need to perk yourself up. You may not be able to do this twenty-four hours a day, but even a few hours at night can be a real emotional boost.
You can keep your toes painted and wear pretty undergarments no matter what you're otherwise wearing. Or if that's impossible, just daydream about what you would be wearing when you are finally able to.

Simple is as simple does.

[Marla GG]

This is a Julie York not being funny thread...

Does anyone else feel like me? It seems really stupid and sort of embarrassing really.....that I should even feel this way..., but I am a creative person and I don't have ANY way of really expressing myself visually. I'm not Johnathan Ross, I'm not some peacock type of guy. And...well I suppose it is my age or lack of courage or something. But I REALLY envy women who can paint their nails one day and then another colour the next and wear earrings or put their hair up or down or whatever. They can express their moods, their joy, their frumpiness, their sexiness and all with just little simple things I am not supposed to do.

It makes me sad.

Oh, go on then. Express your frumpiness. And we want pictures!

You know, I've never thought of painting my nails or styling my hair or wearing earrings as a particularly creative endeavor or really even as a way of expressing my moods. But I suppose it could be.

Yes, it is sad that you don't feel you can be more creative with your public persona, but you could probably get away with a lot more than you think. Would your satisfaction in doing this come from having other people see and acknowledge your "artistic statement," as it were? Perhaps you can find joy in doing it just for yourself, in the privacy of your home.

It seems to me that no matter how many different colors I paint my nails, or how many ways I choose to wear my hair, you will still have done far more interesting things with your appearance than I ever will. To transform yourself from male to female through the medium of clothing and makeup has got to be the ultimate in radical self-fashioning.

[Natalie x]

Does anyone else feel like me?

Yes