I'd like to ask some questions to you all in regards to your crossdressing. I'll ask the question and provide my own answer (which will be in italics) after the question itself.

Ok, here goes

1) What is your earliest memory and/or experience of crossdressing?

My earliest memory was when I was around 5 years old. It was also my first experience of crossdressing. A moment in which my sister and two cousins dressed me up. Internally I was loving it, couldn't understand why I loved it, but despite being of such a young age, where everything is so much more black and white and non-analytical, I pretended to hate what they were doing to me - I was acting externally at complete opposition to how it made me feel internally.

2) How often do you dress?

For me, it comes and goes in waves. I can go several months or even years without having any desire to dress. Then I can have intense periods (again lasting several months or years) where I dress every day.

3) How big a part of your life do you regard your crossdressing to be?

For me, it's a part of who I am, but it doesn't define my whole being. It is always something that at least simmers at the back of my mind, and is something that can come to the fore of my mind at any one moment. Such as seeing a girl wearing an item of clothing on the street, or reading a magazine, watching tv, or waking up in the morning recalling a dream. Stimuli that remind me of who I am, yet never feeling that it encapsulates who I am in a complete sense.

4) How many people have you told?

I've told 4 partners. 3 of whom were girls, one of whom - my current partner, who is a man. Every single one of them has reacted differently, but only one rejected it. Other than partners, the majority of my friends, and several members of my family know. My father isn't one of them.

5) What is most important to you - risking losing a partner by telling them, or by keeping your crossdressing a secret so as not to risk losing them?

I am fortunate in this regard. I told my (now) husband about my cding the first time we met. So it was before an emotional, loving bond had been formed. Meaning that rejection (had it happened) wouldn't have been painful on either side. In the past however, I have waited till the relationship has long been established, so the fear inside of me by telling them has been great. Much more to lose in such situation. But to answer the question as I sit here now - I do believe that openness, right from the very start, is the best policy.

6) What is your style of crossdressing? Do you dress in such a way that is younger than your years (which could perhaps be construed as making up for lost time), or do you dress as you feel a woman who is a similar age to you would dress?

I've never been into the more fetishistic style of dressing. When I was younger, I did wear more provocative outfits - provocative in the sense of mini skirts, tighter fitting clothing - but now that I've turned 40 (42 to be exact), my style has changed - not only in terms of the clothes I wear, but also in respect of how I wish to present myself. By that, I mean that I rarely dress up completely - wig, make-up, clothes, etc. Now my "style" is more akin to mixing and matching both masculine and feminine clothes, rarely wearing make-up, not hiding that I am a man even when I wear feminine garments.

7) Do you go out in public?

Yes I do. But as indicated in my answer to the previous question, I do so now mixing and matching. So it's obvious to members of the public that I am a man who is wearing feminine clothes/accessories. This can range from shoes with male trousers, to a woman's coat over masculine clothes, to accessories such as jewelry while wearing masculine attire, or by wearing all women's clothes, but with no make-up, wig, forms, etc.