Female Alter-Egos

[pacificblue]

I think I need some perspective on this because I see it a lot in the forums and I've never really understood it. Please note before I start that I mean no offense and that I'm not trying to be snarky or mean or passive aggressive but I truly want to understand this because I think things like this are fascinating.

I'm trying to understand the feminine persona that many CD'ers seem to adopt when they dress. It's almost as though the dressing transforms them in a very literal sense. They are no longer "Bob". They are now "Bobette". They adopt entirely different mannerisms and sometimes personality and tastes. However, they do not phrase this as Bob acting like a female. They phrase it as Bobette acting like herself. Bobette is held to be an entirely different being than Bob, living inside the same person.

Now from one point of view I can understand this. It may just be the name they choose for their feminine side or it may simply be a psychological mechanism to provide some escapism from the trapping of male social pressures. I suppose the reasons for creating an entirely different female self is just as varied as the reasons for crossdressing itself.

Still I have an issue understanding this. I cannot feel comfortable creating a different female persona for myself. When I dress I am simply turning the outside of my body to reflect my inner self. I guess this means I am always in my female persona as it were. When socializing with men it is uncomfortable but even then I do not see it as someone different than myself doing the talking. I see myself using male gestures and cues in order to make socializing a little more relaxed.

So my questions is: if you do have a female persona for yourself, how did this come about? Is it truly like dealing with two separate people in the same body? Was it a natural thing or did you carefully construct and then become this persona? Is it just a name for yourself while dressed or something deeper? Do you literally see someone different than your male self when you dress? Has your two personas ever spoken to each other of their own accord? I have too many questions to type out so any information you can shed on your "alternate self" would be enlightening. If you are TS and adopt or construct a different identity than your inner gender, I would like to hear so too.

I hope I phrased this well enough to be understood. :straightface:

[becky77]

I don't adopt a different persona, I am me all the time. But I sometimes say things like, when I am Becky, because that simplifies things meaning when I am dressed up, makeup, wig etc. So when I am Becky I feel much happier in myself, I feel more confident because I now look how it feels right and I am more relaxed, all of that means that my personality inevitably changes a bit because I can relax and be myself, I don't have to hide my feminine traits etc. In some ways it's more that I put on a persona when I am in Bob mode not the other way around.

Hope that helps :)

[ColleenA]

To respond to specific things you said:

This is NOT what I experience: "It's almost as though the dressing transforms them in a very literal sense. They are no longer "Bob". They are now "Bobette". They adopt entirely different mannerisms and sometimes personality and tastes. ... Bobette is held to be an entirely different being than Bob, living inside the same person."

This is a lot closer to what it is for me: "... it may simply be a simple psychological mechanism to provide some escapism from the trapping of male social pressures."

This also fits: "Is it just a name for yourself while dressed?" Colleen is me, just softer and gentler. I suppose I also play act with some of the mannerisms - things I could never get away with in normal life, but which I accent as a way to enhance feeling feminine.

Thus, this is not possible."Has your two personas ever spoken to each other of their own accord?"

[~Joanne~]

I don't transform into a second person. I am me whether I am wearing a dress or a pair of sweats. Yes, the outward appearance has changed and maybe my walk has change to accommodate the heels but over all I am still me. When I went out back on the 30th of October, I never once tried to disguise my voice. I spoke as I always do. I may from time to time refer to "Joanne" when talking to my SO but that just simplifies things as Becky stated.

[bridget thronton]

I am the same person regardless of my attire

[Kate Simmons]

Doing this is a creative outlet for many of us. We are only limited by our own imagination in any case.:)

[AllyCDTV]

Crossdressing for me is much like playing make-believe when I was a kid. I guess it's called role playing now. I would often pretend to be Superman or train engineer (something I sometimes still play today with my model railroad) or some other character. Now I pretend to be Ally, a very naughty vixen. For the couple hours a week I dress, it is an entertainment and an escape. There is nothing deep about it. I do not become Ally; I simply play Ally. Ally is not a part of my personality when I am not dressed. I developed Ally because I got turned on by what I saw in the mirror and wanted to continue on with it to a limited degree. Because Ally is only an ephemeral construct that does not exist outside of my crossdressing, I have never carried on a conversation with her. When I play Ally, I am living for the moment and my male persona is irrelevant.

[Ariamythe]

PacificBlue, I have been trying to understand this very thing myself recently. In fact, there's a thread about it around here somewhere that I started. I think it can be chalked up to CDing being a spectrum. Some want that alter-ego; some are their alter-ego; some play-act; some live the life.

[Ms. Laura]

My point of view is that I have 1 personality. The name is only a reference. In my case it is what my Mother was going to name me had I been born a girl. (actually Lauren, but my cousin is named Lauren and that felt creepy) Anyway, I feel like dressing brings focus to my more feminine personality traits, like a lens.

It's just that the Yin within my Yang is much larger than what is normally depicted.

[AllieSF]

I have responded to threads like this many times before. To me, I am always me. When dressed as a woman I am still me but want and enjoy taking on the female mannerisms and role that my image projects at that moment. I have a femme name and it fits who I am when dressed. When not dressed my male name fits just as well.

[Foxglove]

To me, I am always me.

Me, too. When I'm out as "Annabelle" it allows me to feel things that I always had to repress before. I don't become a new person. I simply become more fully myself. And it feels great.

[Lorileah]

We all play roles in daily life. Is it that we are two or three different people inside? Not really. However when we are presenting in certain forms we can relax and be different. We react to what is going on around us in different ways. And how we react is different too. Thus I am more open and friendly and I have fun. All the things that I didn't do before. Not two different persons but two different persona. More comfortable with who I am maybe? That translates into appearing as a different personality to those who know me both ways.

[Michaelasfun]

Me, too. When I'm out as "Annabelle" it allows me to feel things that I always had to repress before. I don't become a new person. I simply become more fully myself. And it feels great.

Me too. I feel like I can be myself. And be happy.

[JadeEmber]

Honestly, I don't even think spectrum is a good metaphor, since it suggests there are two goal posts and everyone is a linear combination in between. There's a rather wild diversity of why people choose to cross-dress, and there's an equally wild diversity in terms of how they express it. One could probably make a good list based on all the threads here.

It's interesting, though, there are more responses here about not keeping a separate persona, just using a name by convention on the forums, than I would have thought. Not a scientific poll obviously :).

Personally, I do not have a separate alter ego, nor do I think I act or move differently, really, especially since I don't wear constrained clothes that might force it (in particular, I never wear heels). Is it possible that my core personality has shifted over the years by accepting this form of expression? Probably. However, that's also true of other things I've done, whether work-related, artistic, or otherwise. Some of those changes haven't been true to my nature, I think; in particular, the things that one has to do to succeed in corporate environments, and others are.

Maybe for some people it's a firewall to prevent feminine aspects from leaking over? Or maybe it's just a strict way to designate that _this_ is fun time. I imagine it depends on who it is.

[Angela Campbell]

I wear a female name the same way I wear a wig and makeup. It helps to complete the package. It just wouldn't do to attempt to appear as a woman in all ways and be called Bob. I am the same no matter how I dress, although due to the fear of society I am a little more shy. It could be for others that it is just a great way to "be" something different for a time. I do not do that but I can understand it.

[Jodi]

I use the term "alter ego" when referring to me going out. There is no change in me. I'm just wearing different clothing. I guess it is just a way to tell someone that I went out as Jodi.

Jodi

[Leah Lynn]

When I dress... That's when I get home from work, take a shower and wash the male off. I spend more time en femme, because that's where I'm comfortable. I feel like I'm playing "Dude" by day, and and being myself at night.

[carhill2mn]

When I present as a man I put forth a personality, actions, etc. that are consistent with what people who know me as a man expect. When I am presenting as a woman I project a personality, actions, etc. that would be consistent with my idea of a lady.

[Audreyanne]

Crossdressing for me is much like playing make-believe when I was a kid. I guess it's called role playing now. I would often pretend to be Superman or train engineer (something I sometimes still play today with my model railroad) or some other character. Now I pretend to be Ally, a very naughty vixen. For the couple hours a week I dress, it is an entertainment and an escape. There is nothing deep about it. I do not become Ally; I simply play Ally. Ally is not a part of my personality when I am not dressed. I developed Ally because I got turned on by what I saw in the mirror and wanted to continue on with it to a limited degree. Because Ally is only an ephemeral construct that does not exist outside of my crossdressing, I have never carried on a conversation with her. When I play Ally, I am living for the moment and my male persona is irrelevant.

This is pretty close to my view. As entertainment or as an escape, I have developed female characters who I play when I am dressed. They are not me but rather something that I have created just as if they were characters in a story that I wrote.

[Jenniferathome]

I cannot feel comfortable creating a different female persona for myself. When I dress I am simply turning the outside of my body to reflect my inner self.

Not in my case. I would describe it as releasing a feminine part of me for a time. But the inner mess always a dude.


So my questions is: if you do have a female persona for yourself, how did this come about? Is it truly like dealing with two separate people in the same body?

There is only me,the guy. Sometimes that guy looks like a woman and enjoys that feeling. It is empowering and stress releiving at the same time. When I go into girl mode, I never forget that I am a guy. There is no inner woman getting out.

[AimeeG]

I'm the same person no matter how I'm dressed. I do have a different name, but mostly for,PC reasons for those who,get confused, and I will still answer to both for my close friends if they forget. I do have a given name that is sometimes confused as masculine and feminine, especially on the phone (wish I had this voice live). I treat the people who work for me the same which may be a reason why I work with women better than men. Unfortunately, I have to lose the cloths and polish, and hair for where I work, at least right now. For a very long time I have shown feminine traits as in crossing my legs, putting my hair behind my ear even though don't have any (sucks), shaving all over, shopping...

I work in a male dominated homo-phobic scared of anything "abnormal" work place where I have to "dress" the part, but it pays well.

[Ariamythe]

LOL! Reading this thread, and the wildly diverging answers to the OP in it, makes me think that getting a group of CDers to agree on something about CDing would be like herding cats.

[AmyGaleRT]

I think you're right, Ariamythe. There are many diverse ways that we enjoy dressing.

For my part, I feel that I am expressing the feminine part of my soul when I dress. This part of me, I have given the name "Amy." When the way I walk, sit, speak, etc., changes when I am presenting as Amy, it feels right to do things this way. I often feel a warm glow in this mode, like an aura of femininity has surrounded me. But I'm not a candidate for transitioning and living full-time; the male part of me is also valid, and is too important and useful to just let go. So I be a guy when I must, and Amy when I can.

- Amy

[Jocelyn Quivers]

Without trying to sound too crazy I will try and explain.

The female persona was always there, let's just say the male persona spent the better part of life trying to destory and get rid of it. As a result the "persona" just developed on her own and basically forced her way out whether the male side approved or not.

I've always described the relationship as being a combative at each other throats passionate love passionate hate brother/sister relationship.

The name Jocelyn Quivers is my very essence (girl side). Both the first and last name have a very sentimental meaning and it's the name I will keep forever. I also need my male side, and my male side needs me. Neither can survive without the other. It would be like that Star Trek episode where Captain Kirk is split into 2 different beings or persona's from a transporter malufunction.

Yes a far younger, prettier, and basically happier person (I actually smile,:) something my male side never does at all) . To give a short essay on my "alternate persona", there are a lot of traits and habitsI inherited from my male side. Even when in complete girl mode the male traits emerge and are prominent.

Examples if there is a dress I want to fit into it's my male sides work ethic and drive which helps me to exercise and diet to achieving that size. I'm also as disorganized and cluttered as my male personaThere are some differences from my male persona and the normal self arguments are over weightlifting building bulk and muscle vs. cardio toning having very little bulk. Eating junk food vs. hardly eating anything at at all or vegetables if anylthing. Spending descretionary income on video games electronics vs. clothes, shoes, cosmetics.

Also my male persona is more business like, emotionless almost robotic like where the girl persona is very very emotional and hotheaded. Which has not been good when that part has burst out while in male mode. In summary let's just say it's 2 different spirits forced to live together in the same body with the male spirit being the more developed of the 2.

I hope this was not too confusing of an explanation because I actually am a little confused now after writing it!:bonk:

[Tracii G]

I often wonder why people feel the need to over complicate things?

[julia marie]

Yes, there is a broad range of opinions and approaches here. That's fine, as long as they are respected by all. I'll put myself in the group that feels that we are releasing a feminine side. For me, I love the look and feel of the clothes, but if I'm going out (and sometimes when I'm dressed at home) I want the wig, makeup, appropriate shoes, mannerisms -- and with practice voice -- that draw me closer to feeling like a woman. It just feels right because I know that feminine side is within me.

[kimdl93]

Everyone approaches this in their own way. Some of us, like myself, are essentially the same regardless of how we're dressed. And I'm sure that aspects of myself as a transgendered person are present at all times. I don't attempt to hide that, but I think context governs the way behaviors are interpreted. So, in guy mode, some feminine behaviors may not seem quite so.

Others do feel that they have to present an entirely different persona. That doesn't mean they are crazy, its just that they want to emphasize significant differences between their male self and their female persona.

[Maria S]

Maria has always been a 3rd person in our house. Me, my wife and Maria. When I first lived with my wife Maria time was a treat and more thought went into it to make her as perfect as possible. Now days I dress a lot, I'm just me and what I do comes natural. For convienence my wife and I still refer to "Maria" to distinguish me from her.

Maria

[Stephanie47]

These threads seem to come up regularly. Maybe someday in the future there will be scientific tests done on the brain to determine if there is an actually change in the brain when presenting as the opposite sex. I've pondered for many years "Why am I a cross dresser?" I've read threads where female members of the family or playmates have dressed little boys. I view that as some outside influence in releasing the inner female. I figure some little boys would revolt at the thought of wearing their cousins' dresses. Other little boys would not think it was a big deal. Why? What makes the different attitudes? Historically little boys were dressed in what is considered to be feminine attire until four or five. They did not all turn into cross dressers.

Now, I'm sure the vast majority of cross dressers are similar to me. I am the second boy born. I do have a sister who was born when I was eleven, so there was no female playmate influence. I have only male cousins. I was not forced to wear female clothing as punishment. I routinely got in trouble at school doing little boy things such as shooting paper clips, throwing paper airplanes...). I played sports continuously' basketball, football, baseball, roller hockey, all street games of the inner city. I excelled in school. I did my military obligations.

So, why do I cross dress? I know what I get out of it. It is a stress reliever. Do I become a different person? No. Stephanie has always been there. I feel my male inner self lets her express herself. I, the male, feel extremely relaxed when she is out asserting herself.

When I am fully dressed, as today, I do not even think of the attire I have on. It is natural that Stephanie is en femme. If she were out and asserting herself in male attire, I guess she would be a FTM cross dresser. No?

Do I take on a female persona. No, not really. How do you come to the conclusion the inner woman is "taking on" a female persona, when she is a female?

Just as any GG exploring herself image and growing from a child to a woman, Stephanie has learned the social graces associated with being a woman. I smooth the skirt of my dress when I sit down. I push away the stray hair from my face. I straighten my hosiery. Isn't this a natural for a woman?

Basically, I feel each person is born with some degree of the opposite gender within them. I feel it is genetics. The suppression of this part of our natural being is what causes the great angst in cross dressers. It also causes angst in those around us.

Most cross dressers take a long time, if ever, to come to terms about expressing their feminine side, because society has determined how a man and a woman should act and present themselves. A women's non acceptance or acceptance is also determined by accepting societal dictates or rejecting them because they are not afraid of letting their inner self enjoy the inner self of their partner.

So, does my male self adopt a female persona? No, Stephanie is acting as she should.

[Beverley Sims]

No alter egos here I just fit into the situation of my surroundings.

[Kate Simmons]

To add to my previous comment on this, sometimes I feel like I have an Alter-Ego. Due to circumstances I sometimes have to take my stuff to the club and change in the unisex rest room. Enter an old geezer, exit a beautiful gal in 20 minutes or less. Works for me.:heehee::)

[GinaD]

I am not an expert, but I do believe Gina is an alter ego. I seem to operate in a totally different world as a male, with male mannerisms and focus. I don't think at all like a female. As Gina, I am totally someone else. I go into a feminine mode and think of girly things and enjoy feminine mannerisms and activities. I enjoy trying to be as much as a woman as possible. Does any of this make any sense? I don't know. But truthfully, I don't care. I enjoy both personas as they come.

[Deedee Skyblue]

I don't claim to be an expert on this subject either, but I have several friends who have medical diagnoses of 'Dissociative Identity Disorder' (what used to be classified as Multiple Personality Disorder) and I interact with several different 'alters' on a regular basis. I believe that the difference between my Deedee 'identity' and an alter is that I don't think of myself as a different person between Deedee and my boy identity.

An alter is self aware and believes that she is in fact a separate person from any other alters - and each of the other alters feels the same way. Generally, that separate personhood is indicated by a separate name. Alters are interesting - some are very similar to each other, and some are vastly different - the voice, accent, vocabulary, maturity level, gestures, and even gender are different, they even carry themselves in such a way that they are visually recognizable as different from others - and some are so similar that the only way to tell them apart is by asking their names. Some alters are aware of others, and share memories; others are not aware, and their memories remain separate.

To me, I am a single person playing multiple roles, while someone with alters is several personae, each of whom believes she is a separate person, sharing the same body. Again, I'm not a psychiatrist or a therapist, but this is the working definition I use to understand my friends and myself.

In any case, what I've learned from my DID friends, and what I try to apply here, and am trying to apply to the rest of my life, is that whether the you I am addressing right now is a role or an alter, I want to interact with you as you find appropriate.

Deedee

[LaraPeterson]

if you do have a female persona for yourself, how did this come about? Is it truly like dealing with two separate people in the same body? Was it a natural thing or did you carefully construct and then become this persona? Is it just a name for yourself while dressed or something deeper? Do you literally see someone different than your male self when you dress? Has your two personas ever spoken to each other of their own accord?

YES. . .I still believe we are all a little crazy. Even all those "normal" people out there in the world talk to themselves sometimes, or so I've heard. The split or dual personality issue addresses quite a bit of what I've read over the years that causes the shrinks to think we're off balance or off our rockers. I had a TG friend diagnosed as bipolar when all she was dealing with was dual personalities. DP is not that unusual. Obviously, not everyone is wired that way, but for those of us who are, and I am, we're not trying to create anything; we're just communicating what we already are.

The closer I get to a complete transition, the more pronounced the difference gets. Hopefully, one of these days I can lay down the male and be completely female, at least in my mind. BTW, of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

[KimberlyJean]

I have 3 very distinct personalities, work me, home me, and Kimberly. They have grown and become more defined over the years. In my 20's it would have been safe to say I was always just me. Now there are large differences in the seperate personas. I don't know if this is bad or unstable or just the way my brain copes with it. Like Deedee said though I am always self aware as me, I don't have any of them taking over. Of course a little PTSD probably doesn't help anything.

[JohnH]

I have only one personality with masculine and feminine attributes. So I use my real masculine name as my username on this forum. Most of the time in public I wear masculine clothing with a femme hair cut and lipstick, I have real breasts and wear underwire bras but speak with a deep masculine voice.

John

[Deedee Skyblue]

BTW, this is somewhat off-topic, but having multiple personalities does not imply 'insanity'. It is usually a defensive response to almost overwhelming circumstances and instead of being insane, it is actually an astounding example of how adaptable human beings are, how great is our ability to survive.

As to being crazy, I agree - we are all a little crazy. Crazy meaning 'willing to do things that are outside the accepted norms'.

Deedee

Deedee

[CynthiaD]

I only have one persona, and that's female. When I was born, my parents mistakenly gave me a male name, and dressed me in male clothing. That's hardly surprising, since I had all the external characteristics of a male. I tried really hard to live up to my parents image of me, and the world's image of me, but it didn't change anything. Dressing as a woman doesn't change anything either. It merely affirms the truth.

My female name is my real name. My female clothing is my real clothing. I prefer to be called ma'am, and I prefer to be referred to using female pronouns. Because it's the truth. I must play the male role much of the time, because the world expects it of me. But I'm not two people. I'm one person doing what she has to do to survive.

[Robyn2006]

I'm really such a girl, ask anyone. Of course, they haven't a clue that I do in fact privately become as feminine as possible nearly every weekend (as I am now, with my red nails dancing across the keyboard and all else in place, thank you very much). Most just think I'm a bit off… not even gay, really, though I have all the stereotype attributes, I suppose. I keep everything quite neat, hate sports, and love musicals. And though I deal with scores of people every work day, I'm a bit of a loner. Most people don't really know what to think of me. However, I do. I've come to just think of myself as having a feminine spirt and just need to deal with the cards dealt. When I'm able at the week's end to become Robyn (hate really to say that, hate that somehow a name is a presumptive game changer), I'm just finally able to have the outside match my soul. All becomes as it should have been, if God was on His game. I have no female alter-ego that I become, I just finally am able to relax… like coming home after a long and trying trip. I'm always me, just now looking a bit more like myself.
:doll:

[Robbin_Sinclair]

Thanks for this post. This hits home. Using the questions in the last paragraph, here is what I am thinking:

1. if you do have a female persona for yourself, how did this come about?

I’ve always like the sound of the name. I grew up with Robins I my hometown. Robbin is something that I came up with earlier in 2012 and signed into this site for first time. When I decided to actually join in November, the site reminded me of this identity. It was almost like being told that this is my name, like it or not. The Sinclair that I chose earlier in the year reminded me of the old fuel company logo. Dino was a happy creature and a lovely shade of green.

2. Is it truly like dealing with two separate people in the same body?

At least two. Are they male or female? Both. Male. Female. I always put “other” on surveys…unless it gets me in trouble. I always have two voices telling each other what to do. Does Robbin tell her keeper what to do or the other way around? They work together. They’re a really good team.

3 Is it just a name for yourself while dressed or something deeper?

Deeper. I am Robbin. I am that boy, too. They are inseparable. They live together.

4. Do you literally see someone different than your male self when you dress?

Yes. When I am Robbin, I am off on a flowing zone, calm, usually...almost like meditation, something that I never did well as a boy. When I am drab, as my male self, I always try to inject Robbin in him. I think some people are starting to notice, especially women. They seem a bit startled when I say something not in my typical overcompensating male identity.

5. Has your two personas ever spoken to each other of their own accord?

All the time. I have always had two people talking. Until I started CD in sincerity, they did not have an identity. They do now. For me, the fact that I identified both of my selves in my life is huge.

Thanks again for the post.

[Samantha_Smile]

I dont think my 'alter-ego' is drastically different from my male life.
Dave and Samantha share a brain after all. And to be honest, I prefer to be called Dave when Im dressed, but Ive been told its weird to refer to my face as Dave when Im all prettied up, so 'Samantha' cushions the blow for people.
Dave and 'Samantha' are 'both' very nerdy, they 'both' love rock music, they 'both' play COD Black Ops 2, but Samantha isnt as good as Dave, not because she's a girl, and 'girl gamers suck', but her finger nails get trapped down the sides of the WASD keys.

Dave will look online for dresses for the same amount of time as Samantha. Dave will talk to his CD friends on Skype for the same length of time as Samantha will.
Samantha will look at Dave's facebook and reply to his friends for him. Samantha will sit and talk to Dave's girlfriend like theyre best pals.

For me the difference is just cosmetic, and perhaps a more relaxed wrist when smoking a cig.... and properly crossed legs, and repetitive use of mirrors.




...Almost forgot, the use of a straw in drinks - Dave hates lipstick marks :P

[noeleena]

Hi,

Being a bit different should lend it self to being both & being able to operate in both personas or have an alter ego.

Well it did not work that way not in my case, even though theres a some what part of my self haveing some maleness about myself it did not make me male, being intersex does change some things im just a woman who's different .

i think as a female allways have done more in common with my women friends than ever with male yes i learned under men just i never related to or with men,

For myself being female is from birth just because a part of you is male & its not that much, does not change you,

So im just a female / woman & have been so no changes there,

...noeleena...

[ReineD]

I think that the tendency to have separate "femme" and "guy" personas, vs. being integrated, is a function of age or perhaps the milieu in which a crossdresser was raised.

Younger crossdressers have not grown up during an age where to have been a homosexual, or even worse a man who wore dresses, would have resulted in severe negative repercussions. In those days, gender and sexual variance was considered a sick perversion and a moral sin, not to mention the lack of information for people who must have felt very isolated. And this was not too long ago. So I think that older CDers (and perhaps younger CDers raised in ultra-conservative areas) had to erect some pretty thick walls to not have anyone guess the internal feminine desires or tendencies. The repression must have been huge and I think these are the members who tend to have the distinct personalities. Keeping things separate would have been the only way a crossdresser would have given himself permission to indulge.

Also, I've noticed that many/some CDers have rigid definitions of male and female gender roles and I've wondered if, as men who were desperate to not have anyone guess who or what was inside, they did not allow themselves any flexibility in terms of indulging in what might have been considered the more feminine things that non-crossdressers indulge in, such as cooking, dressing well, or having preferences for how a room looks, etc. This is why I think there are differences in preferences between guy and girl modes for some people.

I also think that the more a CDer is out to a wife, to gender groups, or he goes out frequently in the mainstream, the more he reintegrates himself to the point where there is very little difference between male and female modes.

And last, when some CDers feel they are calmer, or happier, or more bubbly, or more relaxed, or more outgoing, etc, in femme mode vs. guy mode, this is a function of all the pleasure chemicals (dopamine and endorphins) released when they engage in the pleasant activity of CDing, which is bound to improve mood and outlook.

[Ally 2112]

No matter how im dressed im still me but i do have more female mannerisms when im dressed up i do this on purpose because it feels right and more natural to me .