Why do you crossdress?

[Natalie79]

So I'm curious, I've been studying human sexuality a lot lately as it deeply interests me. Society has deemed females to be symbols of sexuality. So much so that even in certain studies straight females became aroused by images of naked women, but not of naked men. Simply because seeing a naked women triggered "sex" in their subconscious.

If the tables were turned or at least equal and male sexuality was given as much stress in society as female sexually, would you be less likely to cross dress?

As an example, if there were Victoria Secret style stores for men at most malls, if it were socially acceptable for men to wear makeup and shave certain parts of their body, and be open sexually as women are, would you find yourself less inclined to cross dress?

I guess what I'm asking is, is cross dressing born out of a desire for certain men to want to feel like a sexual/attractive person or am I pegging it completely wrong?

[MsJanessa]

I like the attention

[Ásfríðr]

well as you say, its in the female psyche to be sexy and pretty. if it was socially normal for men to exhibit those behaviors then it wouldn't be cross dressing i spose, it'd be an acceptable aesthetic and (to risk a more controversial idea lol) i think more men would choose it over 'ruggedness' so to speak. but aside from that, the motivation for a lot of crossdressing is body dismorphia and G.I.D, those sorts of causes. i guess if society didn't have these possibly arbitrary gender specific aesthetic requirements then the argument would no longer matter because both men and women would be able to choose freely. of course that isn't the case and really talking about it like that is kind of irrelevent, its like looking at politics without history. as it is, there is a basic femininity and a basic masculinity, and tv/tgs simply identify with the opposite gender bias to the one they are born into. sorta thang, xx

[sybercom11]

I do it because it always felt like the natural thing to do. I have always felt girlie inside. I guess I was never quite a candidate for a sex change, but I have need to be as womanly as possible otherwise.

[Natalia]

When was the last time you found anything in satin or velour in the men's section at Bloomingdales?

[Suzy Harrison]

It's not just the clothes.... I just feel female and want to present that way in every aspect

[sybercom11]

When was the last time you found anything in satin or velour in the men's section at Bloomingdales?

That is so true! I wear clothes from the juniors section at Kohl's because I think they are the neatest clothes you can possible wear!

[michelle64]

i took psychology in college and the same type of topics were standard course fare..personally for me i know i have michelle within and have no qualms with letting michelle be michelle at times..its fun and i truly enjoy every aspect of my female side..furthermore i am completely at peace with who i am..i will not change my sex (male) nor am i going to ignore who i am..i am at peace with who i am and am very happy...even if i wanted to stop i could not and why should i try to supress who i am?..that would just lead to misery...and for the record..im 100% hetero..

[brittany]

i just enjoy my female side. I have always felt more natural when i am i dressed female however i still enjoy my male side. I guess its just great being able to express both sides!

[DeeDeeB]

There's a feminine side to me who expresses herself in a number of ways, clothing being one of them. That side doesn't get out much, but most of the rest is a part of me every day. If men were openly accepted in what is currently considered female attire, I'm pretty sure I'd still prefer the dress.

Dee

[yms]

The clothes fit me better.

But I think you're over-simplifying. Do gay men regard women as symbols of sexuality? What I mean is, look at who's been making these rules for hundreds of years now. It's a bit one-sided and biased. What do you think psychology classes and text books would look like today if Freud had been a woman?

Also, in this "publish or perish" climate, with pressure on researchers in all fields to produce findings that can be used to create new products and make money, many scientific findings (like the one you mention) have to be taken with a grain of salt.

I mean, is red wine good for you or bad for you? I guess it depends on what scientific report you last read. What about red meat? Same thing.


But your question - if it were commonplace for all men to wear makeup, would crossdressing still exist - is a great question. I think it may be one for the philosophers and not the the psychologists. Perhaps if Freud had been a woman, men would be wearing makeup as part of the cultural "norm."

[Karren H]

Plain and simply... Because I'm driven to.... And I can....

[georgeous]

i think i like to dress up because it brings out my feminine side and makes me feel sexy. if it were ok for men to dress up all the time i think i probably would. if there were a victorias secret for men i think my wife would have to take away the credit cards!!!!!

[sybercom11]

i think i like to dress up because it brings out my feminine side and makes me feel sexy. if it were ok for men to dress up all the time i think i probably would. if there were a victorias secret for men i think my wife would have to take away the credit cards!!!!!

There is something to be said about having a feminine side. I have been complimented on that many times over the years.

Being caring and gentle are good things to be. I have also been complimented on how much of active role I have taken in the kids' lives. (Yes, I volunteer with the "other moms" at school and I am the only one not a real girl 99 percent of the time)

[Carol A]

At 14 I was busted by my mother and as we all know the talk came,WHY.
Well the truth is I was and ugly boy and got teased and cry saying I wish I was a girl and could look pretty.

I have dressed since that day and will never go back, I love being me.

[christinac]

For me it isn't a sex issue at all. I've always felt like a woman caught in a man's body and spent years trying to hide it and get it out of my mind with no success at all. I've always been female in most of my likes and dislikes and I have always had gained more and been closer to female rather than male friends (I'm talking friends! Not acquaintances). I'm sick of hiding and always having to live life something I am not.

[Deborah Jane]

Because i love being a girl whenever i can...It makes me feel happy and complete!!
I hate seeing myself as a guy, so i rarely look at my guy reflection in the mirror, whereas when i,m girly i love seeing my reflection!!

[Tomara]

I crossdress because I enjoy the feminine part of my personality ,and I enjoy the way all of female clothes make me feel . I just the girl in me I guess ! Tomara

[Shelly Preston]

I think you may have this completely wrong

I started dressing as a young age and still have no idea what has taken me down this path

This was before I realised women were portrayed in such a sexual way

Not quite sure what that does to your theory ?

[Claire3]

Im totally driven to it,i love it,it makes me feel complete and i couldnt live without it.

[Lisa Rose]

As an example, if there were Victoria Secret style stores for men at most malls, if it were socially acceptable for men to wear makeup and shave certain parts of their body, and be open sexually as women are, would you find yourself less inclined to cross dress?


If this were true I think Victory Principle would be the richist women in the world. On the other hand, if this were true, there would be no definitive difference betweens men's and women's clothes, therefore, the term 'crossdresser' wouldn't exist. So, crossdressing wouldn't exist because no one would know what the term meant.

[Deborah Jane]

I disagree...I would still want to wear breast forms, a wig and makeup, also i would still tuck!!
I just think i prefer myself as a girl...It makes me happy

[MJ]

i truly believe i should have been born a woman and therefore dress as one

[cdjenny20]

I was just talking about this with the lady who was doing my nails the other day. I honestly have no idea why I crossdress and really don't care. When I was younger, I thought a lot more about it. I was about 5 or 6 years old when I first thought about wanting to wear one of my sisters outfits. I don't know why I wanted to wear her outfit, but I knew I did.

I've come to accept the fact that it makes me happy, helps to relax me, and I'm not hurting anybody. In fact if I don't get to dress up for a while, my wife will take the kids out of the house for a day and tell me to dress up and enjoy myself since I can get cranky if I go to long without it. Since I grew up before the internet, I went through phases of wondering whether I was gay and stuff like that. I've learned that I'm happy being a 100% heterosexual guy who happens to admire women and have a strong feminine side as well.

This is one of those issues that I don't think scientists will ever determine a 100% definitive answer for.

[Shannen]

Wow!

I think you have hit on one of the reasons... There was also a thread recently about how gender is learned... I don't think you can make that blanket statement.

Hormones... Pure and simple. Does Testosterone rule or not? That is the major reason for "masculinity" as far as I see.

Is feminity all about adornment and sex? ... no

How about lead/follow (dom/sub?) I know those roles are not 100% male/fem... but generally in a hetero relationship that is how it works out.

Being pretty is one thing... being told you are pretty and treated like your prettiness is a delicate thing to be appreciated... that's another thing. (and one thing that I think is usually sought after but not attained by cd's in a hetero relationship)

so in your scenario, all those pretty men would need someone in their life telling them how nice they looked, and perhaps treating them in ways that makes them feel that way.