For you late bloomers, what precipitated your cross dressing!

[Emogene]

I was talking to a councilor who indicated that some people develop an alternative personality shortly after some type of serious mental trauma as a means of allowing self to deal with the hurt; ie Emogene.

In my instance I dealt with a suicidal armed son a thousand miles away over the telephone, keeping him distracted while the local police moved in on his location. Being in the trade and knowing how angry and dangerous my son was (he is very good with a automatic pistol and given to violence when drunk) I had to caution the officers to be careful not wanting an officer to take a hit and not go home at the end of the day.

Anyway, within a few days my dormant cross dressing showed up with a vengance. Hadn't had any urge to dress for decades.

Anyone else have a trauma just prior to CD suddenly taking a big place in their lives? Just curious!

[docrobbysherry]

I don't identify, "an alternate personality", with CDing. I began dressing out of the blue after age 50. And, there was nothing dormant in me before that! I was waiting for a "fem side" to make her appearance. But, after 15+ years, I've given up on that!

I have no idea why I began dressing. But, it certainly wasn't trauma induced.

Maybe this is the question u meant to ask, Emogene?
"Did some sort of crises in your life precipitate your urge to dress?"

[JohnH]

I guess I was thrown for loop when my first wife left me and a short while I got dismissed from a job and remained unemployed for years. I had plenty of time to reflect on my situation. However, I got married to a wonderful wife. I started wearing dresses quite a lot of time and my wife suggested I go on M2F HRT. That was really a great idea and it has made me feel much better about myself.

As one can see I do not have an alternate personality - I continue to use my given masculine name ever though my body is becoming more feminine as time goes on.

John

[SharonDD]

I CD when ever I can and go out discreetly but when my world is upside down for some reason I know i dress more because it lets me feel I am in control again and then I work the problem. Helps me more than you know.

[I Am Paula]

The trauma of birth gaveway to a lifetime of chasing femininity.

[NathalieX66]

The stock market crash of fall '08 changed everything for me. '
Everything was uncertain.

I turned from a deeply closeted crossdresser into an out & about transgender person, and life went on. I have long hair and wear dresses in public.....So far so good.

[Rachelakld]

I was 5 and wanted to ride my sisters bike, only sissies or girls rode girls bikes in those days and I figured a girl riding the bike would be OK.
I think I allowed my girl side personality to fully develop in my 30's & 40's as a conscious decision because it was easier than keeping her in a cage

[TeresaCD]

Unless you call turning 40 a trauma, no not really.
The desires have been there almost as long as I can remember, sometimes stronger than other times.
Recently, stopped fighting, and started to accept myself, so here we are.

[Emogene]

Thanks ladies, very helpful! Just trying to understand myself!

[AllieSF]

I am like Sherry, well not like but similar! I went from zero to 100 in late 2006 to my first time out in 2007 and I haven't looked back since. I had never even knew what crossdressing was before then even though I had dressed completely with the help of my Ex and some co-worker's wives to spend a night at a costume party totally en femme. I had a great time but never returned to that moment until almost 25 years later. Why? Probably a combination of things including maybe something deep down in my DNA. But the main thing for me was having my prostate removed due to cancer and losing my more important manly function. Was that the cause or just another side affect from the surgery? I don't know nor care. I am much happier that way.

[Vickie_CDTV]

I have read similar, indicating some who never dressed before have suddenly picked it up after great emotional trauma. Some also claim this can happen after serious head trauma (such as after a car accident.)

[Lynn Marie]

There was no traumatic event for me, maybe just the gradual realization of being profoundly bored and unhappy in my marriage is what triggered my latent CDing. Quitting smoking a few years later just exacerbated my marriage problem. I could no longer take comfort in nicotine. What I could do, was to enjoy the erotic comfort of the women's lingerie I'd first fallen in love with as a youth. Sears and Penny's catalogs were my kid porn and my first love.

[Karren H]

My dormant crossdressing came back right after I began treatment for a couple brain tumors... ok one brain tumor and one pituitary adenoma... prolactinoma... besides the shock of being told you have brain tumors.... the prolactinoma was chemically blocking my urge to crossdress... for over a decade.. now I can increase my crossdressing by upping my medication....

[Tina B.]

My big brother called me a sissy a lot when I was a little kid, does that count?

[TxCassie]

I don't think it was any dramatic event or trauma in my case. While I had fooled around with individual items of clothing when young, I never really 'dressed" until I was about 47. I did have fantasies, and would play around using bath towels as skirts, etc... but dressing, not until a few years ago. But once I allowed myself to actually purchase some basic items, and buying my first skirt really did I feel the flood gates opened up. After that, I just began dressing as if it was the most natural behavior, but always knowing that society in general does not share my perspective. I have a ways to go, but I am awaiting the delivery of my first wig, via ebay, and for the first time, be able to dress completely. I have purchased a make up kit and am practicing. So soon, hopefully, Cassie will be able to presented completely "En Femme". So, I would say, Cassie is here to stay.

[Donna Marie]

Interesting question. I had retired and my wife and I were moving from Texas to North Carolina when she announced she wanted a separation. We went ahead with the move and the separation with me winding up in a rented trailer. Lovely! So I spent that Christmas in Florida with my elder female cousin. At a Sam's Club we saw a sweet young "thang" prancing along gracefully in 4" black patent heels and a short skirt. When i got home to Trailerville, I researched high heels and found a site that sold 'em for men. First time I knew about that, so I had to try them. Up to that point I had no idea of cross dressing. But the heels led me to quickly embrace my feminine self. Seeing my new self in the mirror all made up and fully dressed and with a wig was an amazing revelation. I was 63 at the time.

[Frédérique]

For you late bloomers, what precipitated your cross dressing!

I finally had enough spare money to buy some nice things (and the courage to go get them), a place to safely stash my stuff, and the overriding inclination to experiment. My sister wasn’t around, my one surviving parent wasn’t interested in what I was doing, and I could literally do whatever I wanted to do. In this environment, nourished by my own imagination, crossdressing really began to BLOOM!!!

[Beverley Sims]

Idid go in fits and bursts for a while but I think it was the lack of opportunity and other interests that created any hiatus for me.

[Barbara Ella]

I retired on 2006, and the CD but hit in Sep of 2011. First time, out of the blue, and I have only gotten deeper and deeper into the feminine side that lay dormant (well, semi...) for the first 65 years. Looking back and analyzing myself I can readily see the feminine tendencies now, that i ignored and/or repressed back then. So don't think there was one traumatic event, but maybe just life building up. and overwhelming the internal resistances.

Barbara

[Cheryl T]

It's never been 'dormant' or latent for me.
I began when I was about 7 and it always just felt natural. I of course hid in the closet for decades, not wanting anyone to know for fear of all that society can throw at us. Then my wife discovered my secret and we talked, but the time wasn't right and back in the closet I went. Then about 10 years ago I just couldn't take being in there alone anymore and told her that I had never stopped and don't intend to ever stop. We talked and talked again and she was understanding and loving and she allowed me to begin to express myself.
Now I can be me and the limits I have are simply to keep close friends and family unaware. Other than that we go out all the time and I dress whenever I please (every day now) and it's lifted all the guilt and fear I had for so many years. So I suppose in some sense I am a late bloomer who just started very young.

[carhill2mn]

Thanks for asking this question. I, too, have often wondered why someone would start "dressing" later in life.

As for me, I was about 8 years old when I first tried on one of my mother's silk blouses. It fit me like a dress and I was hooked for life! Why? I don't really know. I only know I felt something special and still continue to feel that way more than 65 years later!

[ChrisP]

There is a no scientific evidence that people develop a second or multiple personality to trauma.

The cases of "multiple personality disorder" in the literature are all anecdotal, and there is serious debate in the neuroscience/psychological research community about how real the phenomenon is (as opposed to a person claiming to have multiple personality disorder).
Look, we don't know all the reasons people crossdress, which is not to say that we shouldn't study it (we should).
But take with a grain of salt any reason given you about why this occurs.
It's present in all cultures that we have studied, and it's reported historically since there has been written history.
It's interesting, it's intriguing, and, it's incompletely understood.

Chris

[heatherdress]

My wife insisted that I buy a pair of high heels for myself. She was shoe shopping and asked me why I liked a pair of heels she was trying on. She then asked me if I would like a pair of my own. I thought about it for a while and then admitted yes. She made me buy a pair of heels that I found attractive - black stiletto high heels. Then I got home and wore them. She saw my pleasure and suggested boy shorts, then a bra, then make up.

[Emogene]

Again, thank you everyone for sharing!

Me, I am very happy and content, with my life which is much improved by CB.

Oh, just an aside, my wife re-did my toe nail polish this evening. I now have the cutest lady bug's on each toe.

[Loveday]

My dressing seem to start I think right after my father died. Everything was normal and he just stood up in front of me and said " I'll be going up now " ( meaning he was going uptown to get something to eat ). Next his whole body went tense and he very slowly sank to the floor and died. Afterwards I kept seeing it happen over and over like 10 or more times a day as if I where there and it was happening again, I thought maybe PTSD was occuring. About 6 months later I began crossdressing and have never figured out why. So your advisor may have it figured right for me. This is the best reason for me that I have seen so far.