Why Women Don't Crossdress (IMHO)

[Sarasometimes]

In my corner of the world, when women dresses in a menswear suit and full makeup or throws on her boyfriend's shirt over jeeans and skips the makeup she is readily accepted and even complemented on her choices. Later that night she can put on an LBD and heels and get a similar response. When she gets home she can change into women's panties that are dead ringers for a guys tighty whities and all is good with the world.
As a hetero crossdresser I have no interest in changing gender or living 24/7 all I want is the ability to express my feminine side in dress in NE USA without being looked down upon as wmoen in my region can currently do.
Since this isn't an option I choose to present as a woman and go where the greatest tolerance is found (ie a salon or store where simply being a customer gets me acceptance to my face).
So I have concluded, just recently that if i was met with the same acceptance as GG's get when they cross gender lines, I would simply do the same. I would just, one day wear a skirt and v neck with mascara and lipgloss and that night put on my men's jeans and a tee shirt and chapstick. Oh to dream!

[Melissa73]

oh i agree! i wish like you, i could just throw on a skirt and run to the store or something. Or just shop! I dont wanna change who i am. I am a guy... a guy who loves skirts and dresses and panties and bras. u ever need a friend, im here......

hugs michelle

[linda allen]

Just be glad you don't live in the jungles of Africa or South America where people run around almost naked. How would you crossdress in a culture where women are normally seen topless?

[Kate Simmons]

The answer is simple Hon. Women are not considered CDers when they wear guy stuff because they are women. They do CD when getting dolled up to the "nines", however as that is not their normal everyday thing. Even Cassandra Peterson said once that when she is Elvira, she considers herself to be "in drag". Kind of a "sticky wicket" really.

[Karren H]

...........want is the ability to express my feminine side in dress in NE USA without being looked down upon as women in my region can currently do.

In the northeast...... Women are being looked down upon or they are looking down on you?

[Sarasometimes]

In the northeast...... Women are being looked down upon or they are looking down on you?

In the NE a guy simply wearing a skirt but otherwise looking like a guy is looked down upon. No women aren't looked down upon in the NE.

[Alice Torn]

Kate, Brilliant. I never considered that, it is like or is crosssdressing, when women dress to the nines! It is so rare, that i suppose that would be true of most of them!

[Alicew]

Ill throw my tuppence into the ring too then .women dont CD because they dont need to they wear whatever they want to wear with no other pre concieved reason than comfort simple as.
Men on the other hand crossdress for an infinite number of reasons usually unknown to themselves why they do it themselves,happiness ,piece of mind ,the thrill of it but i doubt its just for comfort other wise we too would just wear our own clothes too.

As to actually wearing the clothes a few more generations down the line clothes will most likely be unisex or so radically different that the current glamour clothes dissapear alltogether,i see it even now teenage boys growing up look just like the teenage girls the gender divide is slowly crumbling ,prehaps natural evolution or just the number of hormones we flood the planets water sources with taking their toll.

As to the ridicule of wearing the other clothes in public untill its the societal norm or we all fall out the closset you just have to deal with it or live in the closet im afraid, people just dont understand the why of our need to do it and probably never will,after coming out to my mom she still says the most awfull things to me about my feelings just by simply not understanding it even after explaining it many many times over,its just not something muggles have to EVER consider or think about in their normal lives.

[kellycan27]

Just be glad you don't live in the jungles of Africa or South America where people run around almost naked. How would you crossdress in a culture where women are normally seen topless?

When in Rome? .....

[Kate Simmons]

Just bear in mind also that other than some sense of "societal propriety" for the genders, the clothing we wear is really moot and should be according to personal choice rather than custom.

[Alicew]

Just bear in mind also that other than some sense of "societal propriety" for the genders, the clothing we wear is really moot and should be according to personal choice rather than custom.

Except women who as a default see crossdressing as a sexual fetish activity.

[5150 Girl]

We live in a male dominated society. (for now anyway and it's getting better) When a woman does somthing manly, we see her as just trying to compete. however on the other side of the coin, there is this gender privlage thing. Men are expected to be men, brave and strong! No sissy stuff!!!!
One day however, as more of us becoe brave enough to come out, and break the steriotypical gender roles, we will become more acepted. Not to sound like a broken record, but THE MORE COMMON PLACE WE MAKE OURSEVLVES, THE MORE COMMON PLACE WE'LL BECOME!!!
I've used this analogy before,,, I live in a backwater community. Back in the late 70's there were very few people of color in town, and the one's that were here mostly kept to themselvs. I remember the first time I say a balck man. I was almost in tears with fear. (I was little more than a toddler) But, as time went on, and more blacks came to our comunity, and started to ventre out of "the 8th ward" as we called it, I got used to seeing them, and today it's no big deal at all.

[Kimberlyfaye]

I would agree with Kate. I would add from my point of view, clothing doesn't make the person. Sure it looks nice but inside we're more than just what we're wearing. One day maybe everyone will be able to wear whatever they want and there wont be any more gender defined clothing. Women have been fighting for equal rights for years and it seems now they have caught up in some ways and overtaken us in others. This post for example. Women can wear anything they like from male or female ranges and she is totally accepted. I've noticed too that some of those barriers have started to fall. It might take a few more years or even a lot more. But one day a dress will be unisex.

I'll join the fight girls. I know some of you are in the closet and happy to be there but those who aren't, I'm with you. We need to stand up and be accepted for who we are not what we wear.

Here's to the future

[Wildaboutheels]

NO ONE can read minds. So claiming to know what "society" thinks and/or will "accept" is foolish. Claiming it over and over still won't make it true. No matter how many people here claim it. There are way too many people here who have been going out for years wearing an article or two or three of obviously women's clothing items making no attempt to pass themselves off as women who have NEVER had a problem.

Crossdressing is a "turn on" in many various ways for most men, obviously mentally as well as physically unless one were to believe that most participants at this Forum are lying. Mostly because men are VISUAL creatures. Women for the most part, ARE NOT VISUAL CREATURES which is why so few crossdress.

I'd be willing to bet that blind male CDers are about as common as purple kangaroos.

[Lady Catherine]

I would love to be able to put on a skirt and some nice boots with a t-shirt and go out without having to put up with all the bullshit. I also like to dress all the way on occation. Really wish we could us be us without prejudice. Maybe my grandkids will be able to. Peace all.

[kellycan27]

Because they don't wish to appear to be men?

[Marlana]

I agree that it would be nice if we as cd's could go out and not be frowned upon by the general public. Times are changing, but until we actually go out in mass quantities, people will always be frowning on us. It's a status thing ya know. It sucks. I would love to be able to throw on a skirt and go to work, but I would be laughed out of the place and my boss would tell me to go home and change.

[Daisy41]

Women don't cross dress because... oh wait, we have a whole FtM section these forums. In all fairness, I think women don't cross dress simply because they don't want to. A lot of "male" clothing they can get away with doesn't give them the appearance of a male body. Where as a lot us will cd to present the illusion of being female. Obviously, not all of us are trying to pass and simply want to wear what we want to wear, but I think we might be kidding ourselves to think that a woman wearing a guy's button up shirt has the same affect of a guy wearing a blouse.

[Moxie]

Even if we women couldn't wear what we wanted, I very much doubt that crossdressing would exist like it does with men. Look back a few decades and compare!

We don't covet the outward appearance of men like you do women. Instead, we envy your power or status and work to have this for ourselves. Many women DO have this, and they did it without growing moustaches and packing their pantsuits.

If you want the public to see this as a clothing choice then dress without the props! Otherwise, embrace the confusion because even after reading many pages of this forum, I still find this one of the strangest human traits I've encountered, and I've since realized so do many of you.

If we can't understand it, how will Joe Public??

[mistunderstood]

Want to know why we FTM's can dress how we want? WE TRY TO BLEND IN. We do not try to out dress other men around us. We do not try to dress in a style from the past. We study what other guys wear. we are realistic about what works to make us appear male.
Yes we can wear men's clothes and no one cares but in the trans community and lesbian community we are sell outs and not wanted so life is not all roses for us either.

[Jamie001]

Because they don't wish to appear to be men?

Kelly,

I believe that you are partially correct, however there is another issues that need to be pointed-out. Assume that a man decides to wear a skirt to work while appearing as a man. No fake boobs or other accoutrements that crossdressers normally add to appear as a woman. So essentially, we have a man in a dress. It is almost certain that he will be disciplined and sent home from work for improper attire. On the other hand, if a woman were to wear a man's suit and tie to work, I can guarantee you that she would not be disciplined and sent home. She may even be complimented on her alternative fashion choice. I believe that this is the double-standard that is reality today.

but I think we might be kidding ourselves to think that a woman wearing a guy's button up shirt has the same affect of a guy wearing a blouse.

Why, please explain? I don't understand.

[Eryn]

Want to know why we FTM's can dress how we want? WE TRY TO BLEND IN.

In fairness, quite a few MtFs do exactly the same thing but of course we don't stand out either. I don't consider myself a sell-out at all. I'm doing exactly what I want to do and if someone else doesn't like it that is their problem, not mine. They are free to do whatever they want too!

This topic gets rehashed frequently. There is certainly an interesting asymmetry in the MTF versus FTM demographics but nobody I've seen has really presented a definitive and plausable explanation for the lopsided numbers.

[Kate T]

If you want the public to see this as a clothing choice then dress without the props! Otherwise, embrace the confusion because even after reading many pages of this forum, I still find this one of the strangest human traits I've encountered, and I've since realized so do many of you.

If we can't understand it, how will Joe Public??

Doormat is correct, for a majority it is not about "clothing choice" and "skirts are comfortable" blah blah but expressing a gender. That is why so many CD's dress with the props, even when not going out in public. It is more about self image than anything else in my opinion.

I believe that you are partially correct, however there is another issues that need to be pointed-out. Assume that a man decides to wear a skirt to work while appearing as a man. No fake boobs or other accoutrements that crossdressers normally add to appear as a woman. So essentially, we have a man in a dress. It is almost certain that he will be disciplined and sent home from work for improper attire. On the other hand, if a woman were to wear a man's suit and tie to work, I can guarantee you that she would not be disciplined and sent home. She may even be complimented on her alternative fashion choice. I believe that this is the double-standard that is reality today.

********. Sorry. Women probably actually have MORE pressure on them to dress in a particular way or particular attire for work. I would be willing to bet money that if a woman turned up for work to an office job or say sales assistant without makeup and wearing mens shorts, unshaven legs and a mens shirt that they would be asked to see the manager for a discussion at their coffee break.

[ReineD]

The answer is simple Hon. Women are not considered CDers when they wear guy stuff because they are women. They do CD when getting dolled up to the "nines", however as that is not their normal everyday thing.

AAAGGGRRRR! WE'RE NOT WEARING GUY STUFF!!! And the rest of your statement is so entrenched in CD mindspeak that it blows my mind.

I hope you were kidding, ... but I wonder if your joke hides your true opinion?

I've come to the conclusion that those of you who keep insisting that women wear men's clothes when they wear pant suits have absolutely no eye for detail, and frankly, I wonder how effective you are at presenting as women with such a pronounced lack of discernment.

Look at what this suit does for this woman's body. It is actually cut to accommodate her Breasts, Waist, and Hips! lol Use the roll-over zoom and also look at her figure from the back:

http://www.dillards.com/product/Taha...zi_black_white

Now look at the shape of this man's suit, and look at him from behind too. This suit is not cut to accommodate a woman's body. Can you all not see the difference?

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/m...%26slotId%3D10

And the other huge difference is that the average woman who wears the pant suit above will not even think about wearing the suit that is cut for a man's body, plus the man's shirt, tie, men's socks and shoes (unless he is FtM), packing, binding, wearing shoulder pads sufficient to have a man's shoulders, pumping iron to get his biceps, getting a man's haircut, a man's watch, a man's wedding band, and finding ways to appear as if there is beard growth.

CDers, on the other hand, wear wigs, makeup, bras, forms, hip pads, waist cinchers, women's shoes, hose, perfume, jewelry, and purses.

It's OK, you're all allowed to do this, but please stop saying that women are wearing men's things.

[Eryn]

While mentioning that women's items are cut to fit their bodies I am sometimes rather surprised to find that a lot of women's clothes seem to be cut to fit my "mannish" figure. My figure, such that it is, seems to be closer to those department store mannequins than the mannequins are to normally proportioned GGs.

I was out looking for a holiday dress and found one that looked great on me. I'm 6'2", 170, size 12, have a modest 38B bustline, and not much of a defined waist. I don't wear hip padding, but the dress fit like it was tailored and I don't see how a woman with larger hips could have fit into it. I seem to run into a lot of clothes cut this way and can see why some GGs lament that good-fitting clothes are difficult for them to find.