Are you one of nature’s mistakes?

[Frédérique]

“I know a lot of people who say their object is to take their place in society. Don’t ever do that. Stay right where you are, and wait for society to form itself around you.” (Quentin Crisp)

Apparently we crossdressers come under the heading “nature’s mistakes.” Well, some people think that way (and feel that way). Recently I was watching a film on TV, a retrospective look at the depiction of homosexuality throughout film history, and the abovementioned phrase was included within a trailer for one of the films – catchy, isn’t it? Of course, all things being equal in Hollywood, any mention or visualization of homosexuality will automatically include drag, transvestism, and their more innocent cousin, namely crossdressing. If you extend this perverted logic to its illogical conclusion, crossdressers are also nature’s mistakes, existing under the broad umbrella of perversion, placed there by society...

Needless to say, ongoing depictions of crossdressing in films or TV shape public perception. With a few notable exceptions, crossdressing is largely included for laughs, and, if it isn’t, the audience may begin to get very uncomfortable with what is going on, all in the name of entertainment. Of course, you can turn away, or switch channels, or close your eyes, thus maintaining your idea of what a mistake is, but why not keep an open mind about things?

I must point out that the semi-documentary film I watched included nearly ALL forms of crossdressing – there was MtF, FtM, full-blown drag, and crossdressing as a means to an end, to name a few, but I only wish to dwell on the subject of MtF crossdressing being seen purely as a “mistake.” Is this fair? I mean, on this site we discuss this “convenient” association with male homosexuality all the time, since we are caught in its gravitational field. When I say “caught,” I mean we are associated with homosexuals, for better or worse, because of our penchant for female clothing, presentation and comportment – the world at large has no patience for detail, or subtlety, nor does it wish to hear our cries in the wilderness. Out of sight (I can hear them say), and out of mind – it’s not worth the effort to take a closer look at the differences between groups, just sweep us ALL under the rug as a group of nature’s mistakes...

One of the things that struck me in this collection of movie clips was the undeclared idea that transvestism (or crossdressing) implies homosexuality, or bisexuality, simply by being there, as if a certain visual image does not require any explanation. Years ago, the word homosexual wasn’t even voiced aloud in films – the unfortunate “victim” of his or her alternative desires wasn’t even allowed to say “I’m gay,” while our hero (or heroine’s) miserable existence at the fringe of society played across the silver screen for all to see, mainly as a warning. In many cases, crossdressing acted as an unsubtle visual code, used to denote underlying homosexual proclivities in one or more of the characters. Not only that, but the choice of clothing, conscious or not, screamed “exclusion” in no uncertain terms, and these unfortunate personages never had a good day regardless of the plot...

So, we are nature’s mistakes, something that was not supposed to happen, according, I assume, to the fictitious plan for humanity that somebody made up, i.e. someone who doesn’t like “alternative” types. Isn’t that silly? A mistake is either doing something in a wrong way, or taking one thing for another (see above). A mistake is also a drawback, a sin, a weakness, a shortcoming, and a deficiency. Put all that together and it adds up to disappointment for whoever or whatever comes in contact with a crossdresser. BTW, a synonym for disappointment is drag, so we have once again come full circle, or perhaps we just aren’t getting anywhere. Personally, I believe that crossdressing is the antithesis of a mistake, since it creates comfort, happiness, and pleasure, but society apparently doesn’t want to see that side of the issue. Is it wrong to have fun, be inquisitive about things, explore one’s sexuality, enjoy tactile pleasures, be compassionate and loving, or all of the above? I’ll tell you, I don’t feel like a mistake, not one little bit. Is it a mistake to enjoy life? Needless to say, calling homosexuality a “mistake” is absolutely ridiculous, just like one group of people expressing their purported superiority over another group is ridiculous, wrong, hateful, distasteful, and, of course, a hideous mistake...

How do you feel about being called one of “nature’s mistakes?”

[sissystephanie]

I don't feel that I am one of "nature's mistakes!" I am Me, a person like everyone else on this forum. Yes, I was born a man and still am a man!! I do like to wear feminine clothing, and that "might" make me a little different than other men! But it does not, in my own opinion, make me a mistake of nature!! If people don't like what I wear, they don't have to look at me!! And if they do look, than just admire my pretty clothes!!

[Lexi X]

Are brown eyes a mistake or are blue? Which is the mistake... left or right handed? We're all individuals. We all fit in in our own way.

[kimdl93]

Maybe there is in fact an evolutionary advantage to having people like us in the population. (recognizing that is a pretty broad spectrum in itself) There are lots of examples among other species where the reproductive success of the species depends on cooperation between the actual parents and other related members of a group. Wolves for example. The alpha's reproduce, but the pups are protected, nurtured and taught by non-reproducing members - relatively submissive females AND MALES.

In human societies, often the eldest son inherited the property or leadership stature. And as research has recently shown, younger brothers are more likely to have feminine traits ...the more older siblings the more likely the younger ones are to exhibit feminine traits. How does that help - perhaps, just guessing, that more feminine younger brothers are less likely to usurp and more likely to support their elder brother, again leading to a higher possibility of reproductive success. (We'll discount the example of inbreeding among royal families which messes up the whole reproductive order!)

[Babette]

Well now, isn't that perspective just grand? A mistake indeed! I don't get too wrapped up in Hollywood's or any other media's interpretation of most things. Unfortunately, there are a lot tabloid mentalities out there that will.

Make no mistake about it; I am no mistake.

Babette

[Roberta Marie]

At the 2009 Transgender Day of Rememberance Observance in Cleveland, there were many speakers, including politicians, clergy members, and community leaders. The speaker, though, that sticks in my mind was a young transman who said something to the effect,

I am not a man that was born into the wrong body. I was born with the body that God intended me to be born in, so that I could take the journey through life that God intended me to take, so that I could become the man that God intended me to become.


Although I don’t identify as a transsexual, what this young person struck home for me. I am not a mistake. I firmly believe that I was created transgendered so that I could take the journey that God intended me to take, so that I could become the person that God intended me to become.

[Phyliss]

A "mistake" .... hardly, I am NOT a "mistake" ... I am me.

There's an old and somewhat trite statement that aptly applies here.

"GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES" ... if you have any sort of belief system it applies.

[JohnH]

In Native American culture there were the two-spirit persons who were valued as shamans. I feel that I am one of those two-spirit persons, and I believe that CandiFLA of YouTube thinks of herself/himself as having both a feminine aspect and a masculine aspect. She still like to talk as a man in addition to talking like a woman, and she is interested in men's items such as power tools and hot cars - even to the point of rebuilding a full-size Chevrolet Impala and tweaking it up for real tire burning performance. This is after she has had breast augmentation surgery.

If I transition I will maintain my masculine way of talking in addition to speaking in a feminine way and retain my bass singing range.

Johanna

[renee k]

Well now, isn't that perspective just grand? A mistake indeed! I don't get too wrapped up in Hollywood's or any other media's interpretation of most things. Unfortunately, there are a lot tabloid mentalities out there that will.

Make no mistake about it; I am no mistake.

Babette

I totally agree with Babette's take on this, Iam who Iam and that's no mistake. It's once again someone's attempt to put everyone in a box. Neat and orderly. How grand, too bad life is not that way.

Renee

[LilSissyStevie]

Maybe but you play the hand you're dealt.

[Misty G]

NO MISTAKE . . . I am just me. . . An I too will make my journey the way it comes......

[meri]

We exist, therefore, not a mistake, period.

I am exactly where I am supposed to be, right now, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I know this because that is what I am doing.

This is a journey, a visit if you will. I am here in an "encounter suit" on planet Earth. My encounter suit happens to be gender (hmm, better check again -- male). Hmm, that's interesting, but it will do. It's a fine body, works quite well. Doesn't particularly line up with my internal thoughts about myself, but hey, this is a binary world we live in. M is not bad, I can work with this and I will.

The important part to me is even though the body is "M", it doesn't mean that "I" am "M". Doesn't mean I am "F" either, frankly, I find myself somewhere in between. In a binary world, "M" is as good as "F", though, at this point in my life, "F" might be more fun.

[Stephanie Anne]

If by mistake do you mean a physical disorder at birth that made my gender and appearance differ? How about having an intolerance of the hormones my body naturally produced and not learning they were the cause of health problems until I started transition? How's that for a mistake?

How about that I liked boys but felt guilty so I tried to please people by being a good little hetero guy. How about that one?

So yeah, nature kind of scrambled my life up. Thankfully I figured enough of it out to get on track. Thankfully we have this wonderful thing called free will where I can make the choice to correct these little mistakes of nature instead of trying to run against the wind.

[Charleen]

Nope, no mistake. The one's who think different are mistaken.

[ChanDelle]

Yep, I don't think "nature" makes mistakes. It just makes things. Some work well and and some not so well. I love my perspective of what I call a gender blend. I think we understand so much more of life because we participate to one degree or another in other spheres of life experiences. It's just life at work. To call a creation a "mistake" is really taking a narrow view of things. I will agree that some creations seem odd or unusual, but only someone with 100% knowing can say "That's a mistake." I've never met anyone yet with 100% knowing, but a few who think they do!

ChanDelle

[Karren H]

Goiven how life was formed from a primorial ozze.. I'd say life and himans are all natures mistakes!! Lol. So sure!!! Natures mistakes sounds way better than pervert!! :).

[OccasionalSkirt]

I do see a double standard forming. Our society would seem to believe that it's OK for men to like pornography and strippers, but crossdressing is wrong? Last I checked, I didn't promote violence against women, slavery, or the drug trade when I ordered a dress and heels online.

[Kathi Lake]

They can call me whatever the heck they like! Mistake. Aberration. Fairy. Whatever. But you know what? I still catch them looking at me as I walk on by.

:)

Kathi

[jessica renee]

I do not consider myself a mistake. As a matter of fact I am of the opinion that if everyone were the same, life would be very boring.

And I happen to like myself just the way I am.

[Christy_M]

I will never know the answer to this. I have an opinion, much like everyone else's about being me and all part of nature's or "God's" plan. It doesn't change people's views but someday, maybe future TG folks will live in a society where we embrace and even leverage each other's differences for the overall good of society.

BTW - I never made a mistake in my life...I thought I did once but I was wrong. ;)

[Kate Lynn]

not really,I'm a man who prefers to wear womens clothes,men who don't dress the way I dress are natures mistakes. :D

[Tranny Tee]

I do not look upon myself as a mistake of nature. Rather I am proof that nature has a sense of humor.

[suchacutie]

If there is a mistake, it is that some of our species are closed minded, unable to understand diversity in it's fullest sense, non-empathetic to difference, and unwilling to even listen to a different point of view. Now there is a mistake!

just my 2 cents.

tina

[busker]

A "mistake" .... hardly, I am NOT a "mistake" ... I am me.

There's an old and somewhat trite statement that aptly applies here.

"GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES" ... if you have any sort of belief system it applies.
If you or anyone else actually believes this "trite" statement, don't ever go to a children's hospital. You won't ever believe in a diety again!

[juno]

That is a strange and provocative question. You could claim that outliers are mistakes, but there is also often selective pressure to maintain diversity, because diversity can be a good thing. It is beneficial to the population as a whole.

You could also say that human life as a whole is a major mistake of nature. Humans are very destructive.

[rhonda]

I'm not a mistake ,God doesn't make mistakes he just gets blame for them

[KimberlyR]

Everything in life is on a continuum. We are all somewhere between male and female, gay and straight, tall and short, autistic, ADD, etc. How we express ourselves is simply an indicator of where we may be on any particular scale. I think the reason some people are uncomfortable with cross dressing is that they have feelings themselves but don’t feel comfortable expressing them. So, they lash out in an attempt to subdue their feelings or hide them in humor. We are who we are, and I’m happy with me. I just wish the world could be more accepting of everyone’s self.

[Nick2Nikki]

...God doesn't make mistakes...

What about the appendix?

[Christy_M]

What about the appendix?

...and the tonsils or even the gall bladder. If we don't need 'em, why are they there?

[Kate Simmons]

We are exactly who we are supposed to be Freddy, "Nature" notwithstanding.:)

[KrystalA]

Mistake? Not at all. I feel I've been blessed with the ability to enjoy life from both ends of the male/female spectrum, and in my mind, that's a good thing. Having to keep it a secret from most everyone? Well, that's society's mistake, not mine.

[erickka]

We're all God's children, and He doesn't make MISTAKES.

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

Am I one of "Nature's Mistakes?" I dunno, but one thing I know for sure is that if I AM, it's got NOTHING to do with CDing...

[Angelofsomekind]

I'd say natures Triumph, not mistake.

[Jennie1975]

IMHO there are two camps in this "GREAT" world we live in Trans people and NonTrans people. For me I fall in the Trans camp and I for one am damn proud!
The only "mistake" nature made was giving humans intelligence, because with intelligence comes ignorance.
Jennifer

[Celeste]

No,I wouldn't consider our existence a mistake at all.In the natural world everything has evolved for a purpose.Maybe we've just not realized yet that we're all apart of that.Now if we could be as accepting and receptive to our fellow human beings as we are towards nature?We could learn a lot.

[GingerLeigh]

Nature's mistake? No, not anymore. Not that long ago I subscribed to that belief, and the only real mistake was the one that made me think I was one. I tried so hard to be seen as "normal", quietly hating my other side for not fitting in. Pathetic.

I think you're Crisp quote said it all. "...wait for society to form around you..." We'll be waiting a long time though.

Am I normal? Define normal please. I don't think there is any human being out there that can honestly define "normal" or to say that someone can be considered a mistake. Nobody is born without some kind of deviation from the norm. We're all conformists to some degree and everyone struggles to fit in and be accepted.

It's a world of fake people making fake rules for an ignorant society, condemning the real people for trying to bring real life to light. We are what we are, or "I yam what I yam!"

Ginger

[Emily Ann Brown]

MISTAKE?????

NO!!!

My God does make mistakes. He just hasn't saw fit yet to tell me what my purpose was.

Em

[gwenbeth]

Im not a mistake.

But even with out the crossdressing i would be nowhere near mainstream. Im a left-handed, linux-using, c-programming, rc-airplane-building, epee-fencing wierdo. They don't sell any of that at the mall (but they do sell dresses and high heels.....)

[DameErrant]

One of Nature's Mistakes? I prefer to think of myself as one of Nature's Grand Experiments, and a rather successful one too.

And God does not make mistakes, we just don't always see the point of what He does. People who insist that he does not make mistakes, (from their point of view,) are just too insecure to enjoy the Freedom he desires for His children. So they attempt to deny it to us, and even to Him!

I saw an article on the Grace and Lace Newsletter, a Christian CD/TS site, (yes, that's what I said,) which stated that rather than necessarally being either a bessing or a curse, being TG is an assignment God gives us, so we can grow into our true selves and into a deeper relationship with him.

Here is a link to the site; http://members.cox.net/gnlnews/index1.html Pleasant browing.

(Mods, please delete if this breaks any rules.)

[Babette]

Goiven how life was formed from a primorial ozze...

Me thinks Karren has been secretly wearing her jeans too tight and it has affected her keystrokes. I've never heard of "primorial ozze" but it sounds something like primordial ooze. I thought that is what coal miners mucked around in.:tongueout

Babette

[NicoleScott]

Oooh, Frederique, you sure stirred it up. Looks like a few people got a little touchy about being called a mistake.
But to the extent that as a male I was not expected to like to wear femme things, but do, OK it's a mistake.
Mistakes don't always have to be bad. Some great inventions & useful products started out as mistakes.
Heck, if it weren't for a few mistakes in the DNA replication every generation, I'd still be that perfect little critter in the primordial ooze.

[Laura_Stephens]

I'm just one of nature's variants.

[carhill2mn]

There are so many replies to this post that I debated about posting a reply. Obviously, based upon this and previous posts, you spend a lot of time "thinklng".

A long time ago I came to the conclusion that I was not a "mistake"; I was just different from many people, ie. unique. It is amazing and a bit disheartening that so many people feel this way about people who are not just like they are.

[seanmuscle]

Maybe there is in fact an evolutionary advantage to having people like us in the population. (recognizing that is a pretty broad spectrum in itself) There are lots of examples among other species where the reproductive success of the species depends on cooperation between the actual parents and other related members of a group. Wolves for example. The alpha's reproduce, but the pups are protected, nurtured and taught by non-reproducing members - relatively submissive females AND MALES.

In human societies, often the eldest son inherited the property or leadership stature. And as research has recently shown, younger brothers are more likely to have feminine traits ...the more older siblings the more likely the younger ones are to exhibit feminine traits. How does that help - perhaps, just guessing, that more feminine younger brothers are less likely to usurp and more likely to support their elder brother, again leading to a higher possibility of reproductive success. (We'll discount the example of inbreeding among royal families which messes up the whole reproductive order!)

Agree. That is why many women often date submissive feminine men to raise the kids but secretly sleep with the dominant alpha male.

[Melinda Lou]

I'd say I'm an outlier or a variant (to use a couple of terms mentioned above), but hardly a mistake. As a kid I assumed I had to be the only boy anywhere who really liked to wear girls' clothes, and dealing with that was often difficult, with some feelings that I had to be a mistake of some sort--as I've grown older and communication has become easier, I realize that I may be at a different place on the gender spectrum from most males, but I'm hardly unique and definitely not a mistake.

I also tested well to one end of the bell curve on intelligence tests (the high end) throughout my childhood, but was never asked to think of that as a mistake--I was told I had a gift. Why can't this be another gift?

[Cassandra Lynn]

Yeah, this one took off straight in the direction of God, creation, religion and so on. I thought the OP was more a commentary on the type of bullsh!t Hollywood likes to spew, but oh well.
Perhaps we should take our dear Lord out of this picture here. And i think everyone should think about what Busker said about going to a childrens ward.
If you can still say there are no mistakes then............wow, Bless you.
I liked Stephanie Anne's reply too.

At any rate, i'll go 50/50 on this one, but i would say that some of you need to relax a little.

Cassie

[Kitty Sue]

Well at least I am not a Twinky, now those are mistakes. Oh, but I do love them so.

[Jorja]

Mistake? Me? Hardly! I just did girl the hard way. Anyone can be born a girl.

[Frédérique]

We're all God's children, and He doesn't make MISTAKES.

Under the circumstances we find ourselves in, shouldn’t it be SHE? :thinking:

Years ago someone said that if homosexuality is wrong, that implies that God made a mistake, and how can that happen? That kind of logic usually stops homophobic rantings for a few moments, until hatred steps around the barricade and carries on as if nothing was heard. I’m not a religious person, but it seems to me that its people that decide who or what is a “mistake” according to their own twisted notion of what correct behavior is, or should be...
:hmph:


I'd say natures Triumph, not mistake.

I like that one! :)


Oooh, Frederique, you sure stirred it up. Looks like a few people got a little touchy about being called a mistake.

Oooh, Nicole, you should be stirred up, but don’t shoot the messenger – I only report why I hear and see. Imagine someone calling someone’s lifestyle a mistake! It’s a travesty, pure and simple...
:sad:

[Debglam]

I saw something recently that suggested that there is an evolutionary reason that some people get migraines. The theory is that our cave people ancestors needed people that were hypersensitive to stimuli to act as a warning system to impending danger, changes in the weather, etc. Assuming there is something to this, wouldn't it be interesting if there was some similar reason for crossdressing? Thoughts?