Completing the image, for what?

[Kate Simmons]

I've noticed a lot of folks on here put a lot of emphasis on what I call "total passing", in other words go to the extreme to pull off the illusion of being a woman. Besides the clothes, wigs, makeup and going out en femme, there are those who just "have to" be able to walk and talk like a woman and they feel they have not completed the illusion until they do this and "pull it off". While I can again understand the desire to emulate a woman, I'm wondering why some have this driving need to go that far. Is it just the idea of being able to "pull it off" and fool people, self satisfaction or what? My purpose for going out dressed was just to have fun being myself. Anything like this would have just put undue burdens on me and would have lessened the enjoyment of feeling free and just being myself.

What I found out was that when I was just being myself, everything else seemed to come naturally and I never had to think about what I was doing. We tend to subconsciously "pick up" on movements and mannersims anyway and I found it was best to just go with the flow rather than trying to force anything as that seemed unnatural and others seemed to pick up on that right away.

I guess what I'm really saying is I've found it's better to work on confidence in being yourself than any of this other stuff. It really doesn't matter in the long run if people know you are a CD, a guy in a dress or whatever. What they do appreciate is someone who has self assurance and while these type of "enhancements" are okay, they are not really necessary and were just plain too much work for me.:)

[Sara Jessica]

I'm wondering why some have this driving need to go that far.

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I'm not out there trying to fool anyone. I expect to be read at least some of the time. Accepting that reality makes everything else so much easier. And keep this in mind, when we are perceived in a public setting, no one knows our respective wiring, TS vs CD vs whatever. So for me, being one who gravitates towards the TS side of things, the complete package (look, hair, makeup, mannerisms, voice, walk, etc) is simply being who I truly am, nothing more and nothing less. Pulling this off in such a way that I blend into the background is not something I call passing, it's simply getting about in such a manner so as not to put too bright of a spotlight on me. And the confidence element you mention helps no matter what your approach is.

[victoriamwilliams1]

I can agree with you, for me at first I did not have the voice other look, however as time has marched on I all of the sudden when dressed not only accept myself as a woman I have also been accepted as woman.

I looked at some video of my walk recently after being dressed for about 7+ hours I noticed after that length of time dressed my walk had changed. I think what most of us want is acceptance and no hassles while out in public. Again when I first was out in public I had not confidence, bad make up, bad hair and looking back I did look like a dude in a dress. Now after years of practice I feel even at my height:) I feel now the public sees me as a woman and with that it has built up my confidence and I feel comfortable in myself.

I do not know how a woman feels and I am working on a blog about this topic to be out soon so I will leave it at that:)

However great thought:)

[jasmine57]

I stirve for the complete package because that's the way I am. I do the same in male mode. I'm not trying to fool anyone but I like to strive for the best image I can portay, male or female.

[Sarah...]

What I found out was that when I was just being myself, everything else seemed to come naturally and I never had to think about what I was doing.

I agree with this point of view. My wig is the only "enhancement" I use now, because I love having a bob and my own hair looks terrible in a bob. It looks terrible whichever style I've tried actually!

So I don't use padding or forms and I speak as I've always spoken. I don't walk any differently but, as you know, wearing heels changes how you look even if you don't consciously change your gait. Being confident as a woman seems to have worked for me and people see that and relate to me in accordance with my preferred gender. As usual, that's just me - we're all different :)

Sarah...

[joann07]

I stirve for the complete package because that's the way I am. I do the same in male mode. I'm not trying to fool anyone but I like to strive for the best image I can portay, male or female.

I am the same way.
If we want to be accepted in society, we should show that in how we represent ourselves.

When I dress up in femme, I pay lots of attention to detail and dress appropriately to the nines, because I don't want to be perceived as just a man in a dress, some drag queen, or some trashy transvestite which the general public is used to seeing because of how we are typically portrayed in the news, TV, movies, etc, etc.
I want to make a good representation because not only am I representing myself when I'm out in public, but I am also representing all my crossdressing and transgendered sisters.
If I can set an example, hopefully others will follow.


Hugs!

[Nicole Erin]

More passable and better you look, the more serious people will take you.

[Sara Jessica]

I am the same way.
If we want to be accepted in society, we should show that in how we represent ourselves.

When I dress up in femme, I pay lots of attention to detail and dress appropriately to the nines, because I don't want to be perceived as just a man in a dress, some drag queen, or some trashy transvestite which the general public is used to seeing because of how we are typically portrayed in the news, TV, movies, etc, etc.
I want to make a good representation because not only am I representing myself when I'm out in public, but I am also representing all my crossdressing and transgendered sisters.
If I can set an example, hopefully others will follow.

Hugs!

Very well said Joann.

There's been a lot of talk about activism. My method of activism is to represent well when out and about. I hope that the confidence in how I carry myself as well as my attention to detail, even when casual, sends a positive message to those who see me.

As I've said before, I may get read but I hope that those who do will think "I see her for what she is, and she pulls it off pretty well" (emphasis on pronouns of course :) ).

[Karren H]

I'm uber adicted to makeup and fashion and I just like to look pretty... Natural or not... It just what makes me happy!!

[Patricia1]

My dressing has to do about how I feel about myself. My inner life is feminine. When I dress I want both inner & outer to meld, so I work as hard as I can to get the inner & outer me's on the same page. Besides I love the work, it's a labor of love. In short, I want to be seen for who I truly am.

[Kate Simmons]

I do appreciate all of the responses and they are understood. As always, however, I fail to see what is really accomplished(for ourselves or the community) if we "pass" to the point of people not knowing who we really are, other than possibly self satisfaction. I, personally, usually let people know who I was and that it was about a form of self expression.:)

[Nattastic]

I think thats a great way to present yourself. Thing is, nobody ever tells you what the "rules" of crossdressing are. You sort of have to just fumble with it all and make it work for you. In my own fumbling I have tried to present as feminine as possible - but then when I abandoned the absolute feminine approach - I enjoyed myself more now that I think about it. Trying with all your might not to be read is not much fun in my opinion - you are constantly second guessing things and feeling inadequate more or less... not alot of fun. When you let go more and just sort of lend a slight polish to your regular self, it allows the feminine self to develop in a better way.

Great post - nice insight!
Thanks

[charlie]

Hello Arianna!
As usual I'm happy reading about your own self assurance and how when doing things you are just you. For me the makeup, heels, nylons wig, change of voice and different walking is just part of the fun. Charlie is all of that.....and Charlie is me!

[kellycan27]

I don't know that I would call it an attempt to fool anyone, but more to get the most personal satisfaction from the crossdressing experience. What better way to express one's feninine side that to try and look and act as female as possible? ....isn't that kind of the point? Maybe not for everyboy, but more than a few I am sure. A lot of in this forum express the desire to be able to pass,even though they have no real desire to actually be a woman. Maybe just part of the fantasy... part of the allure. I think another reason might be that there are those who don't often get the opportunity to dress,so that when they do get the chance they try and make the most of it. People dress for many different reasons.... Different strokes.. and all that.
You do it your way.. others do it in their own way.

[Celeste]

I see most cd's as very creative,so it seems a challenge to that very creativity to capture a passable look or persona.Personally I find it awesome and inspiring to see someone giving it their all.Self satisfaction- gratification would be the other side of the coin,and that alone makes it worth while for me to put forth the extra effort.I never really feel passable ,only like I'm grasping at it.

[Carly D.]

In fact I could pass.. I've said this before but I'll say it again.. it's gotta be dark.. there's gotta be a lot of blind people around.. it's gotta be dark.. it's gotta be dark.. you've gotta be stupid.. I'm not a girl.. I barely pass as a guy.. never mind this makes no sense..

[curse within]

Great Question although I could never mimic a females voice , hell I look like a tall ugly wanna be female body builder in a dress as it is. But if I was to pursue it I would have to agree with the other comments.

[windycissy]

As some of the other girls have already said, for me I am not trying to make a statement, I strive to pass as a woman because it allows me to escape the bounds of masculinity and become a woman, at least in my own mind and the minds of others, for a little while...in the early days of this forum, there was a wonderful gal named AvaMouse who dubbed what we do "performance art" which puts it better than I ever could!

[gillian1968]

This is a timely topic, I've been thinking about my own tendencies these days.

I agree that I dress as best I can to pass. I try not to overdo anything (although hiding my beard shadow ends up taking too much foundation). I want to look good just for the personal satisfaction of looking good. I spend more time than my SO, but not a lot more time - I think I just haven't practiced enough :)

The only thing I'd add though is that I have this gut feeling that the more normal I look as a woman, the less chance I'm going to be harassed or confronted in public. It would just be such a bummer for me. I know it's going to happen one day, and I'll probably feel differently after it does, but for now this is how I feel.

-Gillian

[dilane]

I've noticed a lot of folks on here put a lot of emphasis on what I call "total passing", in other words go to the extreme to pull off the illusion of being a woman. Besides the clothes, wigs, makeup and going out en femme, there are those who just "have to" be able to walk and talk like a woman and they feel they have not completed the illusion until they do this and "pull it off". While I can again understand the desire to emulate a woman, I'm wondering why some have this driving need to go that far. Is it just the idea of being able to "pull it off" and fool people, self satisfaction or what?

I feel it's more enjoyable not to be giggled at and pointed to and whispered about wherever I go. Therefore, I do my best to blend in as a woman, not as something exotic or different. Furthermore, I feel I am female inside, so it's satisfying and feels right not to walk the macho walk and talk the macho talk -- although I learned to do it in my early teens to fit in.


My purpose for going out dressed was just to have fun being myself. Anything like this would have just put undue burdens on me and would have lessened the enjoyment of feeling free and just being myself.

What I found out was that when I was just being myself, everything else seemed to come naturally and I never had to think about what I was doing. We tend to subconsciously "pick up" on movements and mannersims anyway and I found it was best to just go with the flow rather than trying to force anything as that seemed unnatural and others seemed to pick up on that right away.

I tend to think that we gravitate to what works for us best. If it's fairly easy to blend in due to body type or being lucky enough to have a femme facial structure, that's what we do. If you can "pass" in a straight situation, the feeling is intoxicating. If we're not so perfectly blessed, then we do what we can to be able to express ourselves and enjoy the experience.


I guess what I'm really saying is I've found it's better to work on confidence in being yourself than any of this other stuff. It really doesn't matter in the long run if people know you are a CD, a guy in a dress or whatever. What they do appreciate is someone who has self assurance and while these type of "enhancements" are okay, they are not really necessary and were just plain too much work for me.:)

We do what works best for us. If it feels like "too much work", it ain't natural...

[Diane Smith]

I'm kind of an artist/craftsman in much of what I do, and I appreciate the aesthetic and technical challenge of putting together a nice-looking package (especially given the limited raw material I have to work with). Whether it is convincingly natural to the extent that I can "pass" is less important to me than being "pretty" or even "striking" even if I'm read as a result. Whether I'm initially pegged as female or not (and I must be, at least some of the time, given the "ma'ams" I hear), my look is just a little too flamboyant to not attract attention, so eventually I will be clocked by almost everybody. That's OK with me, as I'd rather they appreciate the "craft" that goes into my appearance than the attempt to blend in.

- Diane

[vivianann]

Arianna I agree with you 100%, I know I do not pass however the confidence that I present when I am enfemme goes along way to gaining acceptance everywhere I go. I have come to realize that passing 100% is not the way to go for me. when I go out enfemme I wear clothes that is age appropriate, and ocaision appropriate so I do not stand out like a sore thumb, I dress nice, wear light makeup, and normal looking hair, because I do no want to look like a drag queen, One of the most compliments I get is my self confidence, Even though I get read by some peaple they are very accepting because peaple can tell that I am being myself, and I am not trying to hide from them. As you have said I am being free to be myself no matter what.:D

[Deb The Brunette]

I want to make a good representation because not only am I representing myself when I'm out in public, but I am also representing all my crossdressing and transgendered sisters.
If I can set an example, hopefully others will follow.


Hugs!


Now that indeed is probably one of the most important comments I've read on here and has always been one of my strongest contentions, we are not only representing ourself ......but each other



.

[Carly D.]

I think for the outward appearance that I want to look at least fairly close to female when presenting my pictures on various sites such as here and myspace and the list goes on.. there are those here, and I can't remember who right off hand, that is dressed up full but is in male mode and I applaud him... big standing ovation for the bravery... he isn't wearing makeup and just looks like the guy next door in a dress and heels.. I would love to be able to just wear without trying to look female.. I barely look female when I am trying my hardest to look female.. and yes a make over would be great but truth be told I only really want to be accepted as me wearing what I want to wear..

[Kimberly Marie Kelly]

as we represent many others. If we just look like men in dresses we give CD's TS etc a bad rap. :battingeyelashes:

[Deborah Jane]

I just try to be the best that i can, as i do with everything in my life.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

Besides the clothes, wigs, makeup and going out en femme, there are those who just "have to" be able to walk and talk like a woman and they feel they have not completed the illusion until they do this and "pull it off".

Yep - that's what I like to do. It's important to me. I'm sorry if you have a problem with that. I understand is it not important to you. I don't have a problem with where you sit in your cding. I hope you don't have a problem with what my personal interest is. :)


...they are not really necessary and were just plain too much work for me.:)

Great - it's too much work for you. You've settled into what your personal style and interest in cding is. Some crossdressers have different goals than yours. Does that bother you?

Some crossdressers do not even try to look feminine. Not even a smidgen. They simply look like men in a dress. That's not my style at all, yet I don't have a problem with how they choose to be.

And of course, some men don't crossdress at all. They prefer to present themselves as men. And having said that - there are a variety of styles and levels of "manliness" that they present themselves in. Do you think that because one man chooses to look a certain way that requires very little effort, that other men should should not put more effort into their own look? Maybe it only applies to crossdressing in your mind?

I take my crossdressing very seriously. It's fun. I enjoy it. It's not only who I am, it's something I really love to explore. I love women. I REALLY love women... perhaps just a bit too much. It was never enough for me to admire a beautiful woman. I have to OWN that look. I have to BECOME that look. That's what I want. That's what I'll do... at least as best I can given what I have to work with. There is an art to it and I ENJOY that art.

I really don't care if anyone thinks I go too far or don't go far enough. This is me and I love what I do. I want to look as girly and feminine as I can. I want to pass and make no apologies for it. If I can fool someone - great! Maybe they'll leave me alone because they see a woman and not a guy in a dress. Regardless, I want to pass because that's how I want to look. Whether or not it is necessary does not matter. It simply IS what I want. :)

[SuzanneS]

I take my crossdressing very seriously. It's fun. I enjoy it. It's not only who I am, it's something I really love to explore. I love women. I REALLY love women... perhaps just a bit too much. It was never enough for me to admire a beautiful woman. I have to OWN that look. I have to BECOME that look. That's what I want. That's what I'll do... at least as best I can given what I have to work with. There is an art to it and I ENJOY that art.

I really don't care if anyone thinks I go too far or don't go far enough. This is me and I love what I do. I want to look as girly and feminine as I can. I want to pass and make no apologies for it. If I can fool someone - great! Maybe they'll leave me alone because they see a woman and not a guy in a dress. Regardless, I want to pass because that's how I want to look. Whether or not it is necessary does not matter. It simply IS what I want. :)
Gabrielle,
Those last two paragraphs say almost everything I want to say about my CD'ing. I have a hard time conveying what I want to actually say sometimes, but what you said really hit home for me. I need you around if I ever decide to tell anyone about my hobby!:hugs:

Suzanne

[Deedee Dupree]

Arianna, you frequently talk about artistic expression, so I will put it in those terms using very few words.

What am I?
Modern Improvisational Transgenderist

Why?
Because I like to manipulate/play with the details, varriations on a theme if you will. Because it's enjoyable to do the best job possible.

When I write a new composition, sometimes only a fully orchestrated score will do, wouldn't be nearly as vibrant or colourful played on piano, but if I did, it would be no less authentic.

dd

[linnea]

I'm uber adicted to makeup and fashion and I just like to look pretty... Natural or not... It just what makes me happy!!

Me too.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

Gabrielle,
Those last two paragraphs say almost everything I want to say about my CD'ing. I have a hard time conveying what I want to actually say sometimes, but what you said really hit home for me. I need you around if I ever decide to tell anyone about my hobby!:hugs:

Suzanne

Thanks, Suzanne. :)

I'm easy to find. But you really don't need me. Just be true to yourself and make sure if/when you tell someone, that you're truly ready for it. Be proud of who you are and you'll be fine. Doubt who you are in the slightest, and you may have some difficulties should people try to "correct" you.

In the meantime, have fun with who you are. We've all got this gift. Enjoy it - whatever your particular style. :)

[NicoleScott]

We all ought to know by now that we all are driven to dress in different ways and for different reasons. Some can put on a dress and flats and "be themselves". That's fine with me if that does it for you. But that doesn't do it for me. I go all out to become someone else.

[suchacutie]

Let's face it, we don't do this for other people. There is no way we would go through all this if we weren't in it up to our eyebrows (and nice eyebrows they are!). Some of us here make no attempt to appear fully feminine, but attempt to blur the genders. I'm not one of them.

I've discovered I have a feminine part of me that deserves as much attention to detail as does my male self. When Tina walks out of the bedroom she deserves to look as feminine and fully transformed from my male self as possible. That's who she is. It is then that she is most comfortable with herself, most self-assured, and most enthralled with life. Is it possible for her to "fool" everyone? That really doesn't matter, but it may be a good metric for if someone does not see her as feminine, she will wonder why not. Was it something she could have done? If not, so be it! But if it is, then she'll want to incorporate that experience as part of her learning process. Is it any different from GGs as they grow through adolescence?

My wife thinks that is exactly where Tina is right now in her development. She sees Tina struggling with the same things she did as she was growing up, and we measure Tina's progress in some respect to the age at which my wife experienced one issue or the other. It's simply the personal struggle to be the best that we can be. She deserves nothing less.

us

[Taylermade]

I just believe a lot of it has to do with one's personality and their view on things. For me, and I am sure for others, I go all out on anything that I set my eyes on. So naturally, in relation to this, I am going to go all out to be as passable as I can be. I believe there are some who do indeed want to look their best. And when you also take that motivation along with the desire to excel at anything, then one can get very powerful results achieved.

I hope this make sense.

[AmandaM]

I do it to feel as much like a woman as possible. I find that when I get as close to perfection as possible, that I actually feel as though I am the real me. If that feeling would stay, I would announce my transsexualism, but it is a fleeting feeling.

I don't give a rat's you-know-what about activism or people's perception of me. I'm just being me.

[docrobbysherry]

ME! :eek:

Because it's ALL an illusion anyway! Smoke and mirrors! A FANTASY come true? Becoming a female? Yeah, RITE!:doh:

If ONLY I CAN FOOL MYSELF!:brolleyes:

[Kate Simmons]

Well, the questions and most of the issues in my OP have been addressed. Sorry I made some folks uncomfortable but sometimes I have to play "Devil's advocate". I just wanted to see mostly what level of commitment some have and what they are trying to accomplish by going "full bore" feminine( but not pursuing SRS). I do find it kind of odd, however, that some who are the most outspoken about this, are,in reality, the least visible out there. It is not my purpose to criticize others , simply get them to think about things. I do no less with myself. Sometimes what we do seems perfectly rational to us but not to others, especially mainstream society. Despite our fanciful imaginings, it's not all roses and lollipops out there ya know.

[PretzelGirl]

Arianna - To continue the thought, why do you chose to have a name as your "handle" here? Could it be coming from the same path that has taken others to the point where they try these other things? Or I could see it just being for convenience.

But my point is that depending on your thought process (and only you know that), your selection of a name can be an additional step beyond "just" dressing.

[Kate Simmons]

The name is partly for convenience and party reflects who I am at this time. All of the other effects, makeup, dressing, wigs, etc. are merely affectations that imperfectly reflect the feelings deep inside. Until we address those feelings we are merely spinning our wheels and can wind up on the CD roller coaster for years without a clue as to why. I suppose by honing the "feminine skills" we can become better at it but it serves no useful purpose other than fun. If that is our goal, fine. If we are looking for something deeper, it requires some effort, however.

[tricia_uktv]

Arianna, sorry, missed this post earlier, but you and everyone here know what I feel. Its pretty much impossible to pass anyway so all you can be is the best you can. No point in worrying about anything else,

Hugs

[Teri Jean]

Arianna,
I have to admit, our presentation may be the last thing we should be concerned about and more our comfort in being a CDer. But being anal retentive (can I say that?) I have this need to perfect and present as best that I can. Like said before, we are representing others and if I do a fair job and be confident as well, then we all look better in societies mind set.

Does that answer your question? Huggs Keli

[AliceJaneInNewcastle]

I really don't care if anyone thinks I go too far or don't go far enough. This is me and I love what I do. I want to look as girly and feminine as I can. I want to pass and make no apologies for it. If I can fool someone - great! Maybe they'll leave me alone because they see a woman and not a guy in a dress. Regardless, I want to pass because that's how I want to look. Whether or not it is necessary does not matter. It simply IS what I want. :)
I agree with that, but from experience, aiming to pass that well also makes going out easier. You know that you look good, so you are more confident. Because you're more confident, people see you as a confident woman, not a nervous CD.

It is about being myself. I can completely express my female persona. A can stop thinking about being a CD and simply be that female. When I didn't have that level of presentation, I was always pre-occupied with getting everything right. Now, when I'm in girl mode, I am the female me and people treat me as that woman.

[TxKimberly]

The tough part here is going to be for me to make any of this sound coherent.
Yes, I do definitely go for the "total passing", and I do it for many reasons.
If you can pull it off, passing does make your life easier. No worries about being harassed or ridiculed if no one realizes you are not a woman.
I know many of us here dislike labels and boxes - sorry about that but you have to use labels to get your meaning across. I believe I fall quite a bit more into the TS box than the CD box, so for me it's not just about fooling people, it's about feeling "right", being the person I've always felt I was and always wanted to be. I will never transition or go full time, because I have a wife and children and have promised my wife for more than 21 years that I would not do that to her.
So, for me, the desire to pass is more complicated than a mere desire to "fool" people.
OK, having commented on why I would prefer to pass, I will also have to agree with much of what you said. As much as I wish I passed all of the time, I don't. Every single person I talk to face to face knows full well exactly what I am, and they STILL treat me very well. I've never been mistreated - I've always been treated with respect and decency.

[Jonianne]

.......As much as I wish I passed all of the time, I don't. Every single person I talk to face to face knows full well exactly what I am, and they STILL treat me very well. I've never been mistreated - I've always been treated with respect and decency.

Kim, people are comfortable with you because you are a decent, honorable and sensitive person that is full of class. I bet in real life, you have a such a contagious smile that people unconsiously set aside their predijuses, not even paying attention to what you are wearing, except to notice how much effort you put in to look terrific.

[Tora]

I am with Nicloe, we do this for a lot of different reasons. I would like to pass, even with 6'1" in stockings and 240 lbs. The idea of being able to go to a mall or out to dinner is a short vacation. To expect a decent response from the public, we must do our best to present the image. A dress shop manager does not need the additional stress of having a crummy looking transvestite disrupting the class she is trying to present to her clients. Same for a resturant. If you want to do your thing in private, have it your way.

[Prissy Linda]

Arianna, I also have noticed you have SEVERAL threads referring to the subject of why some of us want to present ourselves as female or as close as possible. You say you have to play the "Devil's advocate" to get us thinking, I just think it's you attempting to get everyone else to agree with your idea of crossdressing so you'll keep posting the same thing until you have everyone justifying themselves to you. Calling someone "fruity" or pansy" because they feel the need to express their femininity to a different degree than you do is very judgemental and hypocritical for someone who has a female name and wears a dress and wig. JMHO...

[Jolene]

I've noticed a lot of folks on here put a lot of emphasis on what I call "total passing", in other words go to the extreme to pull off the illusion of being a woman. Besides the clothes, wigs, makeup and going out en femme, there are those who just "have to" be able to walk and talk like a woman and they feel they have not completed the illusion until they do this and "pull it off". While I can again understand the desire to emulate a woman, I'm wondering why some have this driving need to go that far. Is it just the idea of being able to "pull it off" and fool people, self satisfaction or what? My purpose for going out dressed was just to have fun being myself. Anything like this would have just put undue burdens on me and would have lessened the enjoyment of feeling free and just being myself.

What I found out was that when I was just being myself, everything else seemed to come naturally and I never had to think about what I was doing. We tend to subconsciously "pick up" on movements and mannersims anyway and I found it was best to just go with the flow rather than trying to force anything as that seemed unnatural and others seemed to pick up on that right away.

I guess what I'm really saying is I've found it's better to work on confidence in being yourself than any of this other stuff. It really doesn't matter in the long run if people know you are a CD, a guy in a dress or whatever. What they do appreciate is someone who has self assurance and while these type of "enhancements" are okay, they are not really necessary and were just plain too much work for me.:)

This is a thoughtful post and it says alot of things I agree with. To pass as a total woman I think is impossible except for a very few. The curves a women has, her nice walk which is natural to her, just the way she moves. For those who go out and are able to pass or blend in, keep the fire burning for the rest of us. I am with you in spirit. I could never pass but it is not a big thing for me.

[Bridget Fitzgerald]

Myself, if some want 'total passing' or whatever as their goal, then I hope they reach it. It isn't required that they justify it to me, nor is it required that I bring them to my way of thinking to justify my viewpoint.

[Kate Simmons]

I never said anyone had to justify themselves to me or vice versa, I was just throwing out ideas. Sorry that some had to take that personally. Easier not to think about it I guess, so dress up, go out and enjoy your fantasy. What do I know anyway? I'm only someone with an "advanced form of narcissism" who is much too dangerous to listen to because someone might actually get in touch with the feelings and see the fantasy for what it really is. Enjoy.:)

[curse within]

I understood your point but I never seen the part before it was edited. Some of us tend to be in denial where others are realist combine both extremes and heads knock.

We all have our visions some reachable , or some that only dreams can fullfill. We pretend it so often that we loose touch with reality and truley live out the fantacy. There is recourse for any action we take the question is are you ready to pay the price for either fame or shame happiness or lonleyness?..

Only the dreamer can capture what they desire .. Dreams can come true also.

[Miranda09]

I just believe a lot of it has to do with one's personality and their view on things. For me, and I am sure for others, I go all out on anything that I set my eyes on. So naturally, in relation to this, I am going to go all out to be as passable as I can be. I believe there are some who do indeed want to look their best. And when you also take that motivation along with the desire to excel at anything, then one can get very powerful results achieved.

I hope this make sense.

I agree with you Taylor. For me, part of the CD experience is to see just how good I can look, and I'm shooting for the best I can be. That's part of the fun, in addition of course to wearing the clothes...:D