Lifestyle or Hobby?

[Rebecca Jayne]

I am a cross dresser and proud of it!
For me cross dressing is a life style, a choice, a way of life.
For me playing with trains, growing roses, those are hobbies.

Every now and then, "Hobby" pops up
I have seen this mentioned more than once in responses in the forum. I suppose it all depends on individual comfort zones etc. but when I see it I have to pause and ? the validity of the posted response.

Does anyone else feel like this?

[Megan70]

An urge, obsession, a part of my life. Not a hobby or lifestyle.

[StaceyJane]

I agree with you. I have grow to accept crossdressing as part of who I am. It's certainatly all of who I am but an important part.
I do understand if someone says it's a hobby. If you crossdress just for fun I guess it is a hobby.

[NV Susan]

Hi Rebecca;
For me it would also be a lifestyle. Like you, I think of hobbies as scrap booking, train sets, etc.........OMG would shopping be a hoddy???:daydreaming:

[docrobbysherry]

An urge, obsession, a part of my life. Not a hobby or lifestyle.

And if, or when, it STOPS being a FUN obsession, I'll STOP CDing!:brolleyes:

[CherylFlint]

Just a part of me. A fun part, I might add.

[Tina B.]

I am a cross dresser and proud of it!
For me cross dressing is a life style, a choice, a way of life.
Every now and then, "Hobby" pops up
I suppose it all depends on individual comfort zones etc. but when I see it I have to pause and ? the validity of the posted response.
Does anyone else feel like this?

I have always felt this way, I consider a hobby as something fun, but something I could walk away from, and not look back. That does not fit the description of the way I feel about dressing. Don't get me wrong, I think it's fun, but I can't walk away from it. I never gave up a hobby that left me so depressed to the point of immobility, but not dressing does that to me.
Tina

[Amanda Shaft]

I'm not with you really: For me its more than both of those options! If I couldn't do it I'd wither, I'd cease to be who I am. It's more fundamental than a simple endulgence or choice.
Amanda x

[Karren H]

Or a Sport? To me its a lifestyle that mimics both a hobby and a sport... Like a Spobby or a Hort? But then again I think hockey is a lifestyle too!!

Call it what you like... I'm not into putting labels on it.... Ok maybe I'd just call it FUN!!

[Sara82]

For me its a way of expressing my feelings on the inside. Just as I play music as an emotional outlet, I wear clothing of the opposite gender for the same reasons. I can't really call that a hobby, but rather self-expression.

[Laura_Stephens]

For me, the words "lifestyle" or "hobby" intone a choice of some sort. It is not a choice for me, it is who I am.

[Janine cd]

I agree that crossdressing is a life style for most of us. You can't walk away from it anytime you went. I know from the experiences I've had during my 50-plus years of living this way that stopping is not an option for me.

[JoAnne Wheeler]

I am 100% totally in agreement with you, Rebecca Jayne. That is exactly the way I feel. This is not a hobby. This is real life.

JoAnne Wheeler

[RachR]

Or a Sport? To me its a lifestyle that mimics both a hobby and a sport... Like a Spobby or a Hort? But then again I think hockey is a lifestyle too!!

Call it what you like... I'm not into putting labels on it.... Ok maybe I'd just call it FUN!!

I was going to post something about the definition of "hobby" but Karren's post more than sums up what I feel about it. For me it's both...and more.

-Rachael

[Wen4cd]

I guess it's a hobby in the way that some people's hobby is to go to church on Sundays.

[Karren H]

I agree that crossdressing is a life style for most of us. You can't walk away from it anytime you went. I know from the experiences I've had during my 50-plus years of living this way that stopping is not an option for me.

You should try to quit ice hockey!! Lol.

["Mary"]

A creative, self expressive HOBBY for me.

[Ashley_in_Texas]

Neither. It's just one of the many things I enjoy doing.

[Barbara Jo]

I find that I often have little in common with those who call their CDing a "hobby" etc.

Building model aircrraf or knitting is a hobby. To me, my GD/TGism is part of who/what I am and is basiic as me being human.
Would one call eating or breathing a hobby?

[Sarah Doepner]

It's not a hobby although there are some similarities in the desire to gain more knowledge and higher levels of skill. But my basement has remnants of hobbies and my crossdressing hasn't gone there. In fact, I can do a hobby while crossdressed, but it's not necessary. It's not a lifestyle either, possibly because a lifestyle can change and may be like choosing to live in the suburbs rather than in town or going to a blues club instead of the opera. No, it's more deeply seated than that, a much deeper part of my life. It's something I wake up with every day and it's still there when I nod off at night, with me all the time. Sometimes it's buried a little deeper than others, but it hasn't gone away in a long time now.

[angpai30]

I would call mine more of a hobby because I dress for the look and feeling, but I only do it so often like building a model train or car. I would not call my dressing a lifestyle because I wouldn't want to do it every day because I love being male and I want to remain my gender. Since I want nothing to do with actually being female except for dressing like one; then for me it is a hobby to dress and look female without having to be female.

Hannah~~

[NathalieX66]

A creative, self expressive HOBBY for me.

Ditto.

[carrie-ann]

Call it what ever you like too it's all good. It's me It's who I am. Its my deep inside feelings of my soul and passion. I turned back once from this I'll never do it agian.

[Jaclyn NM]

No crossdressing is not a hobby for me, it's a part of me, who I am, and I simply love it!

[Cathytg]

I agree with you, Rebecca. It is no hobby for me. I, too have noticed the use of the word "hobby" and it gets my attention.

Lifestyle is an interesting word for cross dressing. I have never really thought about it that way. When you say lifestyle you are putting dressing in a broader context of your entire daily life. It takes dressing out of the realm of an event and puts it into the same level of existence as working, socializing or recreating. All these are part of who I am and I like to think of dressing in just that way. So, thank you for using that word; I like it.

[karenoor]

agree with most of the ladies here, it's a very important part of me - definitely not a hobby

[Frédérique]

Lifestyle or Hobby?


If you go to Hobby Lobby you won’t find anything to help you with your crossdressing (unless you want to give yourself a princess party), so it’s not a hobby. For me it’s a lifestyle, but I’m not the kind to sail down the parade route and let everyone gawk at the new girl – it’s my life and it’s my style, but I keep it to myself, a secret lifestyle if you will…:itb:

[trannie T]

Collecting bras is a hobby. Wearing a bra is a lifestyle.

[NicoleScott]

I think it's both lifestyle and hobby for me. I can sew and am pretty good with craft type things, and I enjoy some time and attention (as one would with any hobby) applied to my lifestyle. Hem skirts, make lace headbands and chokers for my maid's outfit, things like that.
Hobby lobby has many things I have used in my lifestyle...er, hobby. Sewing materials and notions, jewelry-making components, fabric glue, etc.
There's a compelling urge to crossdress, but also a fun side to it as well.

[monika]

Definitely a hobby for me.
But it is a hobby I will never give up, too much fun:)

[sherri52]

Crossdressing is a hobby that I have incorporated in my lifestyle daily.

[sometimes_miss]

I think the 'hobby' idea came up as a way for some guy to explain to his wife how harmless his crossdressing was, basically because actually admitting to female desires would scare his mate to leaving him. But I think for most of us, it's an inaccurate term.
It's not a lifestyle for everyone either. I think that there's just something that makes us self identify as female to one degree or another. Some might just want to put on one earring; others, live every waking hour as a female. It's a huge variation, and if you plotted it out, I think you'd find the old familiar bell curve.

[BLUE ORCHID]

_____________________________________
I don't know about anybody else but for me.
_____________________________________
It's what I do----------------It's who I am.
_____________________________________
.
Hobbies
Trains
Photography
Woodworking
Metal working
Internet
.
.................................................. ..............thanks.......ORCHID

[MissyW]

To Me its just part of life. It's definitely not a hobby to me.

[Vi]

I would say mine is a part of me that i really love. Couldn't claim it as a lifestyle choice, I enjoy being male to much. But also enjoy expressing my girly side quite often.

[Melanie R]

Crossdressing for most is the external manifestation of the internal feminine needs and persona. You are born with this need to express your femininity. It is not a lifestyle choice. Many fundamental religious groups tell us that crossdressing is a lifestyle choice that you can give up if you want. You certainly choose the extent and how far you go with your crossdressing. Some spend their lives satisfied dressing only in a pair of panties while others advance to dressing enfemme 24/7

[Jenniferpl]

The fact I have to wear the clothes and makeup makes it a lifestyle On the other hand, shopping for the clothes is a hobby for me.

[Samantha Kelsey]

Hi Rebecca,

I totally agree with you. It is my lifestyle too. Singing is my hobby which I do a couple of times a week. Crossdressing it ALWAYS. In fact I now consider that I'm crossdressed when I'm in drab (very rarely!).
Sam.

.

[Samantha43]

The definition of hobby: An occupation, activity or interest, as stamp collecting or gardening, engaged in primarily for pleasure; a pastime. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

It's simply a hobby for me. One that I really enjoy. One that I'll never be able to stop doing.

[mary1192]

CD is a part of my life, but it is also hobby for me.
I want to be a woman, but I can not do it because of many reasons as you know.
So this is an only way to express myself and release my stress.

Mary
:)

[Valeries_Online]

Definately, for me, what started out as a "hobby" became a lifestyle.

[Rianna Humble]

You should try to quit ice hockey!! Lol.

Given how bad I am at any sport, that would be easy for me. But stop being me? Not possible.

[charlie]

for me a lifestyle would be dressing everyday. So I guess it is an obsession. It is something that I do every few weeks as a release. A hobby may have a obsession to it as well. So perhaps they are similar.

[Illusions Of Amy]

At this moment in time it's neither for me, since I'm still in the "plotting" experimental stages of figuring out what I'm gonna do with this whole CD thing. I would go closer to calling it a hobby right now, though, since I don't see myself becoming obsessed enough with it to call it a lifestyle, like I am with my music fandom. My urge in wanting to let my inner girl take over me emotionally is a lot stronger than it is physically... for CDing, if I just get to do it as a fun thing occasionally, I'd like to think I'll feel happy and balanced enough on both sides. Of course, I'm also an all or nothing person, so you never know... :daydreaming:

[Veronica75]

I think this is another one of those questions where the best anyone can do is speak for themselves. And the two things I find most interesting in these kinds of threads are: 1) The wide variety of responses. 2) The propensity for people to project their particular beliefs as the "norm" for most crossdressers.

Whatever the motivation (and there are many here), crossdressing is an activity. The question isn't really what crossdressing is, hobby or lifestyle, but how do you relate to crossdressing, as a hobby or a lifestyle?

Look at golf. Is that a hobby or a lifestyle? Well there are guys who love golf but only go out a couple times a year, or once a month. There are guys who go out once a week. There are guys who get three or four golf magazines a month and have offices full of golf art and gofl every day. For some of them it's a hobby, and for others it's a lifestyle, for others something between. But whatever their attitude toward the game (or their skill level), they're all trying to shoot a low score.

In the same spirit, however you perceive your crossdressing, may you always look your best!

[Jodi M]

I am two. I am masculine and feminine.I have been that way all my life.From my earliest recolection. Crossdressing is an expression of the femine part of my being.

[Granny Gray]

Melanie said it very well above. Interestingly, when on the rare occasions I don my "uglies", then I feel cross dressed. When I dress in my normal skirt and blouse, I feel "NORMAL" and that's roughly 99% of the time. Like Fritz Perles said in the opening of his poem: The Gestalt Prayer: "I am I, and You are You, I do my thing and you do your thing.' Wearing feminine clothing is my "thing". No excuses. No hobby. No life style. My REALITY by being ME. Granny

[Rebecca Jayne]

I want to personally thank all of you wonderful Ladies on this forum for contributing to this thread.

I figured the answer was b & w, for that is how cross dressing is for me.

Everyone has a valid and beautiful opinion and they are all valid and correct.

I love you all so much its time for a big hug AWWWWW

But I still want to hear from more of you this is just plain Midwestern fun.

I would like to hear from the newbies roaming around out there, I bet we have had 40 new member join in the last few days, it never rains, but pours.

Love RJ doing this with a fresh coat of polish on!

[AllieSummers]

I think it is different for everyone. If you asked me a year ago I might have agreed that it was a hobby. Now that I have a chance to express my feminine side more I'm finding that it is who I am...not a hobby that pops up every once in a while.

I don't plan to transition fully but I find myself slipping more and more to the transsexual side vs. the cross dresser side.

I think for a lot of people it is a fetish, some a hobby, some a way of life.

I guess the best way to define yourself is to ask a simple question of yourself...

If I had plenty of money, time and it wouldn't hurt anyone I know and love what would I do right now?

For me I think I would give in to my female side a lot more, maybe almost all the time.

You just have to be comfortable with who you are and enjoy it to the fullest. That is all the advice I can give to someone.

If it is a hobby for you, then so be it. Enjoy your hobby. If it is more then enjoy that too.

Kisses,

Allie

[Aska]

Slowly it is becoming more than just what would seem to be a hobby, as i am wearing more and more female undergarments every day. Helps to have a supportive wife.

[Alicia Grey]

A pirate friend of mine used to say
argh matey -- it be an obsession, albeit a magnificent one

[cd_jamie]

to me CD is a self expression even if noone else ever see's you. a hobby is something you do for fun like models,trains, etc....
life style has to do with how you live... its like my job I am a truck driver and most if not all will tell you trucking is a lifestyle more than a job.

so with me feeling its a self expression its a part of who you are and not a hobby or a lifestyle.

[abigailf]

Not a hobby. My inner girl is here all the time even though I don't dress like a girl all the time. Dressing is my way of swapping my inner girl with my outer boy.