Are you CD or Transgender or both?

[ReineD]

This is all just a matter of how closely you want to zoom in on the spectrum. From a macro perspective, one could say we all belong to a single world population. Zoom in just a little and one could now begin to divide the singular into many starting with say sex, woman or man. Zoom in just a bit more and one could further divide those categories into sub categories of straight, gay or lesbian, and bi-sexual. Zoom in just a bit more and one can see each of these groups could be bifurcated into transgender or not transgender (I don't know if this is a specific word for this, lol). Fast forward and turn on the electron microscope, and one can now see we are all unique individuals, each a sub category of only 1... In the end you end up with two end points (1 world population and the individual, approx. 1/7,000,000,000). I'm not convinced selecting an arbitrary frame of reference (i.e. how much you choose to zoom in on the scale) has any bearing on who you really are and only serves to segregate society, which is never a healthy thing. Call me whatever you want, but I'll be always be me regardless.

Brilliant! But, I think in terms of communicating who we are to one another within this community, it's OK to use an fstop somewhere in the middle of f/2.8 and f/32, and add further details as required.

[SAMANN]

I can't answer this question as I don't know what I am CD, TG, TV, or TS. I know that I was born with a penis choices made for me at a young age made that dysfunctional organ function. My mind on the other hand has leaned towards the feminine. All my life I have struggled with this question now I have come to understand that in my heart I am a woman but my body is that of a middle aged man who when dressed looks a lot like Phyllis diller on a bad hair day. I hope as I explore this question and my self more with my counselor that I will be able to define myself and my place in the world be that as a CD, TS, TV, or TG or whatever label helps me to define me.wear.

[mariehart]

It seems to me at it's simplest. We all crossdress. Born male, whether we like it or not. We wear female clothes. We crossdress. Another word for that is transvestite. Both are interchangeable although transvestite has in some quarters become associated with fethism.

So we are all crossdressers.

But the motivations are quite different. Therein lies the discussion and arguments.

At one extreme, we have the man who enjoys wearing underwear and lingerie. At the other the almost ascetic person who while she dresses female. It's far from flashy and often drab.

In between lies everyone else. But there is a clear line I think between those who have no doubt in their mind that they are in fact men dressing as women and those like me who feel that most of the time they are in fact women dressing and acting as men except when they're wearing female clothes. But there is a huge middle ground and the people in it often move back and forth.

But in the wearing of clothes, there are no real rules. I can and do like to wear lingerie. Just like a GG. Although I no longer own any. I also like to make up and dress up and totter around in ridiculous high heels. In reality when I do dress female these days. It's often in casual clothes just like GGs. Drab and non-descript.

That's my way. Everyone has their own style and preference.

People love to categorise and label. It helps simplify things sometimes. But it flies in the face of reality. Everyone is different. The only thing many of us have in common is the the simple fact that we wear female clothing sometimes or all the time. That's it really.

[ReineD]

Ok, go ahead and explain that. Explain the scenario where someone is not transgendered and not a fetishistic crossdresser, but still a crossdresser.

And, don't forget that people can have sexual pleasure without displaying a physical reaction.

I'd really like to hear this.

Sorry, I don't understand your question or your position. Other than transitioning transsexuals who will eventually change their names and gender markers legally and live stealth as women (with HRT and surgeries), I am saying that some people dress for fetish, some dress for identity reasons, and some dress for both. Some are part-time presenting as feminine men, some are part-time presenting as women, and some are full time or near full time presenting as either feminine men or women. And some just wear the clothes in their own homes, with and without sexual arousal. And I've seen any one of these people call themselves crossdresser, transvestite, transgender, middlepather, inbetweener, dualgender, bigender, transgenderist, femulator, genderqueer, or even TS for that matter, since everyone has different definitions for all of these words and also depending on what part of the world they're from.

So what is it that you would like me to explain?

[Lorileah]

Ok, go ahead and explain that. Explain the scenario where someone is not transgendered and not a fetishistic crossdresser, but still a crossdresser.

Reine, This is just another "I have to argue because I can" things. Nowhere did Reine ever say that any of the above were not transgendered so that makes the question moot. What she said was that in certain areas of the world you can be either a crossdresser or a transvestite, it is all on what the definition in that area is. In the US transvestite is usually associated with sexual play. The whole can you have sexual pleasure without physical reaction is again moot. Nowhere did Reine say you have to have a physical reaction or orgasm. The point of the post was that when we define certain actions i e "fetish crossdressing" it is about the sexual pleasure, that the purpose of that article is to gain sexual satisfaction. It has no other value to the person wearing it.
No you don't have to have orgasm, but you do wear the clothing to gain the sexual thrill alone. You can be a crossdresser (and in fact most who identify as a crossdressers are this way) not gain a noticeable sexual thrill any longer from it. Don't read things into posts that are not there.

In fact if you read all of Reine's posts you will see she includes the fetishists in the TG umbrella

[pacificblue]

Biologically male, emotionally and psychologically female. For various reasons, not able to alter outward appearance using anything but crossdressing. Transsexual but indentified as just about anything and everything else before I came to accept myself. Much happier now.

[Sophie_C]

Sorry, I don't understand your question or your position. Other than transitioning transsexuals who will eventually change their names and gender markers legally and live stealth as women (with HRT and surgeries), I am saying that some people dress for fetish, some dress for identity reasons, and some dress for both. Some are part-time presenting as feminine men, some are part-time presenting as women, and some are full time or near full time presenting as either feminine men or women. And some just wear the clothes in their own homes, with and without sexual arousal. And I've seen any one of these people call themselves crossdresser, transvestite, transgender, middlepather, inbetweener, dualgender, bigender, transgenderist, femulator, genderqueer, or even TS for that matter, since everyone has different definitions for all of these words and also depending on what part of the world they're from.

So what is it that you would like me to explain?

Ok, it was just how you worded it before then. To me, it made it sound like it was something other than a mix. I do agree then, and that's sort of where I put the "confusion" in.

[VikkiDave]

I am certainly a crossdresser. I consider myself to be outwardly expressing the feminine part of my soul, the part I have named "Amy," while I'm dressed, so I will also accept the "transgender" descriptor.

I like the Native American term, too..."two-spirited." That seems to describe what I feel.

- Amy

I agree, ever since I heard of the native american 'two soul' (Winkte) classification I have thought that they were right, and were very enlightened in this respect

[Ressie]

So we are all crossdressers.

But the motivations are quite different. Therein lies the discussion and arguments.

At one extreme, we have the man who enjoys wearing underwear and lingerie. At the other the almost ascetic person who while she dresses female. It's far from flashy and often drab.

Are the conventional definitions of transvestite and transexual still valid? There are members here that have been unsure which of those two categories they fit into, including myself sometimes. But crossdressing and being born in the wrong body are two completely different things right?

[Tiffany Grace]

Great question, and in the quest of self discovery sometimes we change. These days I avoid labels and just embrace me. I know identifying with others is a good thing, community, commonalities etc. but there is no group that will ever define me since I am an individual. I don't believe CDers are necessarily transgender.

But most transgendered definitely wear dresses

[Janelle_C]

I am under that transgender umbrella. What I'm trying to figure out is how far down that scale I need to be to feel happy about who I am.

[Allison Chaynes]

Not worried too much about the label but I feel I'm both a guy and a girl. So yes, CD and TG to a degree.

[Ninotchka]

Definitely a crossdresser. I am a happy great grandfather who has secretly, and openly dressed in what are commonly called women's garments.
I am a man caught up in the pretty, tactile voluptuosness of satin, lace, taffeta, chiffon, etc. I have fun with wigs, lipstick,earrings and beads. I am the soul of equanimity because I can live in such things. My most burning question is "Where can a CD find an accepting rest home in old age?"

[Marleena]

Are the conventional definitions of transvestite and transexual still valid? There are members here that have been unsure which of those two categories they fit into, including myself sometimes. But crossdressing and being born in the wrong body are two completely different things right?

Yes I think both are still valid Dee but at totally different ends of the gender spectrum with transvestite now more commonly called crossdresser.

[Rianna Humble]

Are the conventional definitions of transvestite and transexual still valid? There are members here that have been unsure which of those two categories they fit into, including myself sometimes. But crossdressing and being born in the wrong body are two completely different things right?

The definition of transvestite seems to differ with where on the globe you are at the time but most on this site seem to prefer the anglicized version - cross-dresser

As far as I am aware the most significant changes in the definition of transsexual are that it is no longer classified as a mental disease or defect and that it is now widely accepted that you are born transsexual.

If your deepest sense of gender identity is completely opposite to your natal sex, it is likely that you are transsexual. How badly you are affected by Gender Dysphoria will likely determine whether you need to transition or not.

[sexymarkwatson]

im CD at the moment

[Leila Be]

I feel I was born into the right body with the ability to experience feminine sensuality. This includes cd-ing and enjoying the fantasy that I can also also a beautiful woman who gets pleasure from both worlds.

[mariehart]

Are the conventional definitions of transvestite and transexual still valid? There are members here that have been unsure which of those two categories they fit into, including myself sometimes. But crossdressing and being born in the wrong body are two completely different things right?

I can only answer for myself and ultimately that's all we can do. To me crossdressing is merely the description of what we do. As for being born in the wrong body, perhaps I am. All I know is that everything that I am is at odds with the body I inhabit.

Clearly others are clear with their identity as male but they crossdress for whatever reason. Me I identify as female and 'crossdress' accordingly.

But I do feel I can relate to anyone whatever the motivation for crossdressing. I do not exclude anyone. But that's just me.

[Joanne f]

As Mariehart as said, you can only answer for yourself and the more I think about it the more confusing it gets as I am inclined to answer the question as at now in time but when I look back I thought different things , first of all I did not really think about it as I just did it , then I went through a period of thinking that I am just a man in a skirt, then that went on to be ," I must be a cross dresser", now I look at things differently in that I am a transgendered person of some sort , so is what I am that has changed or is it that through this site and the internet that I have gained the knowledge to understand myself or is it that any one of you will change as to what you think you are over time which is making it a " as of now question" I wonder if you younger ones will give the same answer in ten years time .

( I would like to make it clear that if any wife's/so read this that it is about how I have changed and that does not mean that your husband/so will do the same as we are all different)

( OH I do not like the word Transvestite for two reasons , go on the internet (OK you are already on it silly me ) and look for a Transvestite site and you will no doubt come up with many seedy sites not that I am a prude as it is all part of life and I am very open minded which you have to be if you want p[people to accept you for what you are , and the other thing is that over here if some village idiot drives by and shouts out of the window it is going to be "hey tranny" as that one word mounts up to their basic knowledge of the TG world and all it's complex ways and I expect that they think it is very macho to shout out of their car window so I think that tranny has become very much of an abuse or derogatory thing over here .

[kimdl93]

I take the broader view of what TG means. It encompasses a range of behaviors....so yes I am transgendered because I am a CDr. My motivations may differ from fetish dressers, for example, but I see all as being under the TG umbrella.