For adding some interesting scietific documentation to a important thread. Others r listing lots of varied opinions, but with no studies to support them!
I'm still considering whether or not I'm ACTUALLY a CD.
Also, if every guy who dresses like a woman at Halloween, becomes fascinated with CDing?
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
Just being me. Billie Jean
100% agree with Satrana. See my thread on "female strawberries" for more of the same.Originally Posted by Satrana
I've always been fascinated by this basic question: Why?
I know it doesn't change anything but it's my nature to want to *know* and understand.
But it's pretty clear there are as many reasons for crossdressing as there are crossdressers. And I'm talking about men that enjoy dressing as women but are otherwise comfortable with their male self.
It seems all little boys have a healthy fascination with ultra-feminine (and thus, somewhat taboo) garments. There isn't much interesting about women's slacks at that age, but a bra or pair of stockings, that's another matter.
And for some reason, there is something that clicks with CDers where it's more that just representative of women and silkiness... It's more about the taboo of little boys being drawn to these things.
Why does this 'click' happen? I can only answer for myself and even then I think there were many factors involved:
1) I had four sisters, 2 younger and 2 older and was surrounded by girly things.
2) From an early age, I was told by both my mother and father that many of these things were off-limits to boys. This was done in a pretty extreme way.
3) I was a sensitive and not overly masculine boy. I was good at sports and had lots of friends but I also felt like I was somewhat of a disappointment to my parents, who both clearly favored boys (it's why they kept having kids).
4) I had a hormonal imbalance in early puberty that caused a bit of gynecomastia. It eventually correct itself but I had more female hormones than typical at least for a period of my life.
5) My mother was very un-feminine. Pretty 'butch' and was best described as a grown-up tomboy.
Any one of these things could have caused the trigger that took a natural boyhood interest in women's lingerie to an absolute obsession about all things feminine.
If anyone is aware of clinic studies on this subject -- or would just like to share their own theories -- I'd love to hear more.
I like my alien abduction theory as good as anyone elses... lol Because, IMHO, it really doesnt matter.... if ya knew why it wouldn't change a thing... so why spend the time searching... There's way too many dresses to try on and so little time!!!
I understand this is the view of many and I respect that.if ya knew why it wouldn't change a thing
But for some of us, knowing would be it's own reward.
In fact, most knowledge doesn't change anything but that doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile.
What's interesting reading through this thread is that everyone has so many different and valid reasons for what we do and I just think that sure, we can justify it through science or spirituality or what ever works for us. At the end of the day, we just have to accept that there is something in us that says that wearing the clothing of the opposite sex seems right for whatever reason and the act of doing it satisfies a need we have to be more like women or to be different from who we are...or to be more like ourselves then we can covered in body hair and wearing a pair of boxers, straight cut jeans and polo shirt.
I have always wondered what would happen if society became gender neutral and male and female dress were no longer different (and I really think once clothing manufacturers realize the profit potential in selling men on the idea of wearing the same variety of clothing and make-up and shoes, it will somehow become more okay for men to wear whatever and the lines will subtly become blurred and then, ultimately disappear). This extends to undergarments and, perhaps implants (if men want to have breasts to look better in the fashions of the time, then anything goes, yes?).
How would y'all react to such a society? Would it be a relief or would there be something missing if you were no longer trying to "pass" as something other than yourself?
For me, on one hand, I would have the relief of being able to to wear a cute skirt to work with no worries. On the other hand, I think there is something in the taboo of it all that I enjoy and if that were gone, I would probably search out other taboos to break.
Sounds like a quest..... good luck!!!!
yes, but only in one very small area which can only be seen by dissecting the brain post mortem.
I remember reading a study where a vast majority of straight crossdressers surveyed were either the first born or had distant or absent fathers. As I belong to both these groups I think that the statistic may have something to do with how I came to crossdress. I imagine that this has to do with the somewhat close relationship I had with my mother since my father died when I was 5. I would assume that even though I lead a healthy happy life as a boy, the homelife with mom somehow reinforced a more feminine mindset, you know? I looked to her when it came to how to think and act. This along with always hearing how she always wanted a girl I think encouraged me to explore my feminine side.
I think that there are so many different reasons and forms of cross dressing and that for every theory that has been thought of, you can think of a theory why that theory would not work.
So the only theory that i can come up with, which will have theories against itis that we have the willingness to explore are feeling and thoughts in away that maybe none Cds do.
And seeing that there seams to be more joining the ever increasing band of Cds it might mean that they are learning from us. OK there is a theory against that as well ..
joanne
Oh i hate these threads that keep you thinking lol,
just had a thought, if you say it is in are jeans to want to dress as women, are ancestors did not wear clothes and when they did it was mainly for necessity, then for a fashion statement, so clothes are a human invention not a biological one , and if you say it is in are jeans to want to dress like a woman then i am getting worried as the last time i stood in the shopping center and watched the females walk by , 8 out of every 10 had jeans or trousers (pants) on.
Last edited by Joanne f; 06-01-2008 at 07:00 AM.
Also, that many of us were first or only sons (I was the only boy with four sisters).I remember reading a study where a vast majority of straight crossdressers surveyed were either the first born or had distant or absent fathers.
The common thread being there was no older male sibling in the family, and that certainly makes a lot of sense if you think about it. This obviously wouldn't be the only influencing factor but had their been an older brother, I think many of us might not have headed down the CD path.
I started dressing up because I liked the look and feel of the clothing. This progressed to me liking the feeling of being feminine, and looking like a female. I still enjoy all of that now, much as I did back then.
It's not rocket science. It seems that for every phenomenon, researchers need to find some universal causal agent. Perhaps that's in our nature as human beings. But as it pertains to me, crossdressing is not that complicated.
People dress everything up. They dress up their homes, their vehicles, even their golf bags. Likewise, we dress women and men up as well. There are lots of women who enjoy being women. Well...there are also a lot of men who enjoy being women. I'm one of them. Simple.
Any money found in the laundry is MINE!
"This is no social crisis....this is me having fun!"
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I guess the reason I do it is because Syndi is the one who doesn't have all the problems I have and when I become her I leave everything else behind for a moment.
Some of us had an older brother. some did not. Some had a strong father figure, some did not. Some had a nurturing mother, some did not. Just as with sexuality, there's no correlation. You might as well sit & ponder the causes of someone loving broccoli.
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I don't rely on any theory as to why I crossdress. All I know is that I love doing it and I don't ever intend to stop. Luv andJill
Luv and
Straight, into Fantasy Land
As for why we crossdress it could be something as complicated as estrogen versus testostrone levels or as simple as thinking women are treated more kindly. I have no surefire awnser and don't even think there is any one awnser. I have a pretty good idea about myself and though it was said that knowledge doesn't change anything I have to agree and disagree. Knowledge does not change our situations but it can change how we feel, how we react, how we accept ourselves, and how we view the world. The knowledge changes not the world but changes us.
If the knowledge helps you to understand and love yourself more then I must say seek it with all your heart all your life and all your love.
Be yourself society doesn't know that there is no such thing as being normal.
If you can't find the silver lining make your own.
Certainly didn't mean to offend anyone by attempting to throw a big blanket over everyone in the community. I fully realize that the reasons we all do this are as complex as any human trait.
I'm just a very naturally curious person and have noticed some things that are much more common among CDers than in the general populations. And even then, it's hard to determine cause and effect.
I think many in the community get a little defensive on this subject because of similar attempts to understand the roots of homosexuality and how all of that implies it's some sort of disease that needs to be researched. And also because the outside world tends to lump us all into categories that don't really apply.
Still, with the huge penetration of the Internet where lots of us can now interact openly -- thousands and thousands of us from all over the world -- well, that presents an opportunity to learn about all types of things that you would never be able to figure out on your own.
I also think by sharing my own background and experiences as a younger person that others may be enlightened as well.
How about... Men's clothes are just very very very boring.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Bernadina,
I agree very much! No male clothing looks good to me, it just "is". Feminine clothing, OTOH, looks and feels goods. But it's more than that, or I wouldn't add breast forms and makeup and jewelry. So I guess in my mind, looking feminine is nice (even though I only look part feminine).
Writing this made me realize that I've never cared for jewelry when I was dressed in drab. No bracelets, gold chains, extra rings, etc. Just never seemed right on a man. But, as a girl, I love it!
However, if you look at half the women in Walmart, their clothing is boring too. They are dressing like men, LOL.
Interesting discussion.
Patti
My explanation is quite simple. We're born that way. At least I feel I was. Perhaps there is no explanation of why that happened. My favorite color is blue. Why? The only answer I have is that I was born that way. Certainly no one else and no scientist or psychologist can tell me why blue is my favorite color. It's just the way it is.
Can I change my favorite color from blue to brown just because someone says I should? No. I'll still like blue best no matter how much I try to like brown. I believe that's why people can't give up being a CD no matter how much someone tells them to. They can't because they were born that way and it's an innate part of them.
Simplistic maybe, and not as dramatic as estrogen wash in the womb, but I believe it. This is also why I've never really questioned the fact that I am a CD. It's simply a part of me.
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