To the GG's; what's your overall opinion?

[Brittany CD]

Obviously since this is a crossdressing forum, there is going to be a more positive view of men dressing up as women. Regardless, I'm hoping to get some views of the subject from some of the GG's on the forum, as some women on here are not here to just offer support but have questions or are confused about the topic of crossdressing because a friend, relative, or husband crossdresses.

I've heard some women in my lifetime say negative things about crossdressing and men who do it. I've heard people say it's derogatory, it objectifies women, it mocks women, and that's it's just plan sexist for men like myself to put on a dress and wig. I don't speak for everyone, but I personally have always loved women's clothing and I've always been a wig enthusiast, so that is part of the reason why I become a girl. I would be interested in knowing how you view crossdressing in a way that is different than some of these other claims I've heard

[Flent]

I think it's interesting. I don't blame men for wanting to wear women's clothes; women get most of the best clothes these days. I think it would be fun to be with someone I could shop at the same stores with. When I first came here, I just thought, "guys in skirts and makeup, count me in!"

But then I started to read more of people's stories and they're really fascinating. I've been interested in reading about self-discovery and the way it transforms relationships. Sometimes I ask myself the questions mentioned in threads, and they are things I have never thought of in my whole life. For example, do I dress for myself or for other people? If someone looks sexy, but their motivation for looking that way strikes me as sexist, how does that change my reactions? Is there anything in my wardrobe at all that can give me the feelings that some crossdressers talk about when wearing women's clothes? I think about fashion a lot but I don't think about the sensuality and ritual of putting on my clothes. So hearing anyone talk about these kinds of things, let alone a bunch of men, is eye-opening. It's held my attention somehow.

[Babeba]

I thInk overall awareness of transgender issues has really increased, and I've had the discussion with many parents (I work with kids) about crossing gender lines with children, whenever there is a news article about transgender kids that hits the media. I think most moms would be very supportive of a child who knew they were in the wrong shaped body, or wanted to play with 'abnormal' gendered toys. Adult crossdressing, though, I think depends on more factors for acceptance. The big two are attitude and honesty.

I say honesty because no one I know wants to be intentionally deceived. Yes, there is the safety aspect of hiding and people can understand that, but there is a point of relationships and friendship which should transcend that where we feel insulted or betrayed for not being told. That is one thing to sour the opinion against crossdressing.

The attitude part is probably the part most relevant to how GGs as a whole think about crossdressing as a whole. Germaine Greer, who was a big second wave feminist, kind of put 'why' down best, even though I mostly don't agree with her so I am going to paraphrase here... If a man has a really negative or shallow view of women, truly believes all the 1950's stereotypes about a woman's place being in the home, and thinks of a woman's role as lesser than a man's... Then wants to 'be a woman?' What the heck does that say about him and his self esteem (and his touch with reality????)

For a gg like me, who has a lovely and wonderful, open, honest, kind, smart, sexy SO who has a similar taste in clothing to me.... Crossdressing is not only no big deal but really fun to do together!

[Shananigans]

My view: wear whatever you want to wear.

I only really get mad when people are hypocritical. In other words, the classic post every few weeks of, "WHHHHHHY do GGs wear jeans and no makeup?....WHHHHHY don't GGs wear prom dresses to Walmart?....Insert more broad generalizations/agitations with the female gender." I see it as kind of hypocritical because it's usually the same people who are mad because they feel like they are going to be judged for wearing what they want to wear...and, then, they cope with their problems by judging what other people are wearing (lol).

However, I don't see ALL crossdressers as hypocritical...even though these posts come up on a fairly regular basis. My SO and I get a good laugh sometimes about the posts, and I see my SO as pretty level-headed....so, I have a pretty good opinion just based on being around her.

I also get a little tickled by people who cope with wanting to dress in the female gender by saying things like, "If my wife were to dress more feminine, I wouldn't need to crossdress." As if they are filling some kind of void/coping by projecting blame.

But, again, even though these posts are pretty common, I see it as an exception and not a rule.

I personally could care less what you wear....I wear what I want to wear, so I tend to have the opinion that other people should be able to wear what they want to wear. But, I can also see how a few CDs can take it to the next level and neglect families, get in financial ruin, be adulterous etc. (You know, like every other person has the potential to do in a relationship). So, I could see how some SOs would be really annoyed by CDing and have an overall negative opinion. I tend to see these manifestations of relationship trouble as separate from CDing, though related. For example, someone has a high-sex drive and cheats...the cheating is separate from the high-sex drive, but it is related. A CD might spend himself into financial ruin, but it's not inherently connected to CDing...it is, however, related for this individual.

Anyway, I think some of the things that I listed in this post are what might give "crossdressers a bad name." But, if you spend enough time on here, you realize that not everyone is like this. It tends to be a very loud minority. But, a GG with a CDing SO that acts sh*tty all of the time and knows no other CDs might have a very negative view of CDing as a whole. Or, a GG that came on here and saw a parade of posts with similar subjects that I mentioned, might leave the forum with an eyeroll and a bad taste in her mouth on the subject of CDing.

[DianeSusanne]

I've heard some women in my lifetime say negative things about crossdressing and men who do it. I've heard people say it's derogatory, it objectifies women, it mocks women, and that's it's just plan sexist for men like myself to put on a dress and wig.

Derogatory? Sexist? Objectifying and mocking women?

What planet did I land on?

I don't find any of those qualities in a MtF crossdresser. Nor do I find it in FtM crossdressing (if anyone was asking).

Like Shenanigans, I do find occasionally find some behavior sadly laughable. It's history, repeated. I find some actions incomprehensible. Pantyhose? I can't stand them -- on me that is so I don't understand why anyone would want to wear them. I want to say 'wear what you want'. However, I don't have a great deal of experience (i.e. read that as 'almost none') with a crossdresser so I would probably stare. Then I'd probably smile and consider if the clothing / makeup is appropriate to the sitation (i.e. NOT a prom dress in Walgreens) and flattering.

And that's about it.

EDIT: Stare - as in to look at for a long time; NOT as in to look at belligerantly or angrily.