[SIZE="2"]This is a great idea – when someone is wondering what the heck is going on with all of your M to F crossdressing, gesturing, emulating, thinking and feeling, just tell them it’s perfectly normal and you’re only going through a phase. Surely that will put them at ease, right?Originally Posted by Jenniferx
What could be more natural? The Moon has phases, based on how it appears from your vantage point on Earth, doesn’t it? That’s because a phase is a distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time. If some MtF crossdressers begin their adventure in secret, gradually appear more and more as time goes on, and then, influenced by societal pressures, purge and withdraw, only to re-appear at a later date, isn’t this phase-related activity? BTW, did you know that “phaseless” means without variety and monotonous? Pity the phaseless creatures, my friends...
A phase is a point in an individual’s life during which he or she will express himself or herself in a manner that is difficult for others to control, let alone comprehend. Parents often use this term to describe unexpected patterns of behavior in their children, and, I assume, a spouse or SO may hope you’re only going through a phase when you crossdress. Nobody expects crossdressing, do they? No doubt about it, I’m passing through a phase, but it encompasses my entire life – what you see is what you get, because this is the view I want you to see. Phases need not be temporary, you know, nor do they necessarily have a shelf life...
A phase is any of the ways in which something may be observed, considered, or presented. You are who you are, no matter what way your appearance manifests itself – you are showing one of many different and varying appearances of the same subject, i.e. your “self.” Your life is a series of stages or phases, a cycle of changes that is key to your development as a human being. If you see MtF crossdressing in this context, how can it be non-understandable or unfathomable? The Moon exhibits variation in levels of illumination, and so do you. I suppose others, the outsiders, want you to present only one “face” to the world at all times – anything else is too much bother to take in!
Monotony seems to be a desired goal for most people, otherwise variation would be welcomed as the natural occurrence it is. Family, friends, spouses, SO’s and co-workers all hope we’re going through a phase of some sort – anything else would be evidence of mental disturbance, which is a roundabout way of saying that monotonous individuals do not wish to be disturbed. I’ll tell you, when you’re a boy, there is precious little leeway in the way of “phases.” You’re required to act, think, and comport yourself in a certain way from day one, and there will be no questions about it. It takes effort to detach oneself from this dogmatic masculinity, and it may very well lead to MtF crossdressing at some point, but it’s merely a cyclical change with development in mind. Can you dig it?
To “phase” also means to plan, introduce, or carry out something in stages – to “phase out” is to withdraw. I think this accurately describes the “career” of the MtF crossdresser – he (now she) wear’s women’s clothing, likes what she sees and enjoys how she feels, so she wants to do it all the time from now on. She introduces herself in a tentative manner, not wanting to destroy her precious and fragile new self, so there is a phased, hopefully positive incorporation. If she meets with resistance from the phaseless creatures that surround her, she may phase out to put everyone at ease – except herself, that is. This is depressing, but she just wants to feel good about her “self,” and not cause any mental apprehension. It’s hard to do things that are completely natural in a world where conformity rules, but that’s how it is…
I keep thinking how certain animals go through phases, meaning characteristic variations in regards to color, plumage, or fur according to season or age (to name a few examples). Humans understand such changes, but clothing is something that sets humans apart from animals – our phases are largely internal, and they may manifest themselves via clothing, but willful disregard for one’s birth gender is too hard to swallow for some people. As a MtF crossdresser, I show a different form of myself, with appropriate plumage, exhibiting absence of monotony or expressing fear of sameness. I’m on a mission of self-discovery, and it’s not a phase, unless LIVING itself can be termed a phase…
If crossdressing is somehow a “phase,” are you waxing or waning? Me? NOT applicable… [/SIZE]