Do you feel female

[deebra]

1 When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, wheather it's closeted in your home or going out in public?

2 When dressed (if possible) would you like to go public with a well built female body under your female clothing and leave all your male parts at home; or would you like to keep those parts and be a MtF crossdresser. Would you get the same pleasure of being female and just wearing normal female clothes which would become just normal and miss the exhilaration of successfully pulling off and passing as a MtF CD in public?

My answer to this is when dressed and out and about I like to think of myself as female and walk and carry myself as one.

Even though I get pleasure out of going out, blending and passing and not being made and successfully returning home as a CD I would like to try the peace of mind of being female. This includes filling out female clothes as only a nicely propotioned female body can do, shopping for lingerie and outfits and trying them on, setting with your legs crossed while wearing a dress, showing a respectable amount of clevage, etc. Would this feel so good and right you wouldn't want to return to being a male CD?

How do you feel about being a woman or enjoy being mostly male and part time CD?

[Beverley Sims]

Deebra,
"My answer to this is when dressed and out and about I like to think of myself as female and walk and carry myself as one."

You have answered this quite well yourself.
I really can not envision how a female would feel.
I use my imagination and submerge myself in a world of wigs, dresses and lingerie to give me a semblance of being a woman.
I can pass as a woman if I really try and when I was younger this was easy. :)

[Georgina]

I feel different than usual but I don't feel female.( How would I know?). I do not wish to be or feel female.

[Karren H]

I seriously don't know how a female is supposed to feel... inside....

[StephanieCD21]

Even as I sit at work in drab I still feel feminine. But never actually female. For me, I almost always feel both sides. As the day wears on, I find that different situations and feelings cause me to gravitate more to one side or the other. I have found this to be true when Enfemme as well. I would most definitely like to spend at least one day as GG to have that first hand experience. I would return to being a male CD. Otherwise my hockey gear might not fit. :)

[suchacutie]

1) since I can't possibility know what it feels like to be a female, I can only say that Tina is very different from my male self and attempts to fit the feminine mold in which she feels she belongs.

2) we work hard to fit the male body I have into one that's gives off as many feminine cues as possible, both to others and A's feedback to Tina. So, the better the female body to start with the easier it would be, but losing those essential male pieces is not an option by choice.

[Kate Simmons]

Be careful what you wish for Hon. The old expression "A woman's work is never done" is true and out of necessity women have to become multi-taskers to ensure things are done properly to keep families and homes(and sometimes businesses) up and running. We get a glimpse of the "glitter" part of it when we dress up, go out and have fun doing whatever. Some MAB folks have successfully transitioned to female folks but to be quite honest, I don't think that most of us GUYS would be able to cut the mustard as it were. Your heart has to really be in it for it to work.:battingeyelashes::)

[Kelly Smith]

1 When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, wheather it's closeted in your home or going out in public?

2 When dressed (if possible) would you like to go public with a well built female body under your female clothing and leave all your male parts at home; or would you like to keep those parts and be a MtF crossdresser. Would you get the same pleasure of being female and just wearing normal female clothes which would become just normal and miss the exhilaration of successfully pulling off and passing as a MtF CD in public?

My answer to this is when dressed and out and about I like to think of myself as female and walk and carry myself as one.

Even though I get pleasure out of going out, blending and passing and not being made and successfully returning home as a CD I would like to try the peace of mind of being female. This includes filling out female clothes as only a nicely propotioned female body can do, shopping for lingerie and outfits and trying them on, setting with your legs crossed while wearing a dress, showing a respectable amount of clevage, etc. Would this feel so good and right you wouldn't want to return to being a male CD?

How do you feel about being a woman or enjoy being mostly male and part time CD?

1. I am male. I am always male. I always feel male.
2. I would love to be able to snap my fingers and change into a Scarlett Johannsen but I would want to be able to snap them again to change back.

[Jaylyn]

I enjoy being a male. I also find peace and tranquility in being dressed at times in women's apparel. I know I want to be a man though deep inside. I have found though that thru my dressing, a feminine side i have that was probably put there from my mother and some things she did when I was a child. My wife says that I am more of a man in male mode because of my dressing. It seems it has helped my attitude of being patient with others and not judging others till I really get to know someone. I guess that maybe all us males have a feminine side and it seems some let it out and some suppress it. I do know my wife has a male side. She hunts and fishes with me and wears male clothing doing so. She can also be very feminine when dressed to the max. Maybe deep down inside of all humans we are the same really. Maybe the male and female modes were only meant for the reproduction of the earth. Just thinking out loud.

[Jenniferathome]

1) When I go out, I "present" as female but I am a guy and know it every second. I don't feel female, I dress female.
2) My male parts go with me at all times so that's not even a thought. I do not think about my parts when out.

For me, the best time is when I stop thinking I am cross dressed and just go abut my day.

[MatildaJ.]

I would like to try the peace of mind of being female. This includes filling out female clothes as only a nicely propotioned female body can do, shopping for lingerie and outfits and trying them on, setting with your legs crossed while wearing a dress, showing a respectable amount of clevage, etc. Would this feel so good and right you wouldn't want to return to being a male CD?

Women in our society aren't noted for their "peace of mind." Most are anxious about money and family issues, and they worry about how people perceive them. If you were magically turned into a woman, it might feel "good and right" for a few days, but that would wear off and you'd be back to the same normal human condition of self-doubt and anxiety.

[DDee]

1. Yes to feeling female
2. If I was dressed and to go out I would love to be a well built female

As far as full time female full time " This includes filling out female clothes as only a nicely propotioned female body can do, shopping for lingerie and outfits and trying them on, setting with your legs crossed while wearing a dress, showing a respectable amount of cleavage"
That's a hard one and don't really know.

DDee

[Trishpdxcd2]

Well even though I am male and like my male side, when I dress I love to feel feminine. It is like stepping into another world.

[docrobbysherry]

Like most here, I haven't a clue what "feeling like a female" is like. Nor could I.

I DO feel excited, turned on, and stimulated by the feel and look of dressing and the sexy, fem images in my mirror and pics.

U mentioned "passing" like it's a ho hum deal. For those of us that can NEVER pass, it's far from that. It's the Holy Grail of CDing!

When I'm dressed I can NEVER forget I am! My heels, tite girdles, corsets, bras and forms continually remind me of how I appear.

[Jenny CD]

1) When I go out, I "present" as female but I am a buy and know it every second. I don't feel female, I dress female.
2) My male parts go with me at all times so that's not even a thought. I do not think about my parts when out.

For me, the best time is when I stop thinking I am cross dressed and just go abut my day.

That's the way I feel Jennifer. however, I DO want to be "me" at work and go about my day, all day... all night... as me.

[Ressie]

I'm glad to see most of the answers reflect my thoughts. We (as men in skirts) can only imagine what a woman feels like. Those that are intersexed or TS would be another story of course. I would say I have a perception of feminine feelings when dressed, but it isn't constant or even real. What I feel isn't close to what a GG would feel. Honestly,it's just a fantasy IMHO.

Having all the curves that a GG has would be awesome, but how could I deal with the real problems GGs face?

[Chickhe]

I feel feminine, but I also feel like an actor...I have to be my character to make it work. I have some insight in to it, but I can't say I know what a woman is thinking.

[SophieKitty]

When I'm Sophie, I do feel more feminine, but genetic girls can do boys stuff too, gender roles and emotions are blurred, it's not the 1950s anymore.

[Julie Denier]

I enjoy being a male. I also find peace and tranquility in being dressed at times in women's apparel. I know I want to be a man though deep inside.

That about says it for me ...

[KimberlyJean]

I don't know if I feel like a woman but I try. I try to expirence all the things they do, like mascara in your eye or the smell of perfume on you, fresh shaved legs and pantyhose. The way the heels feel and how a tight dress makes you feel sexy, I love all of these things and hope that is how a woman feels. If I had the choice I would choose to have been born a girl, but I love my life and would wish that the girl life followed much the same path that my life has.

[Frédérique]

When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, whether it's closeted in your home or going out in public?

I don’t know what it’s like to “feel female.” I can only manage an approximation. I feel very different when I dress, but I wouldn’t say I feel like a female, indeed doing so would be like an insult to actual females. I would say I feel less male, if anything…


How do you feel about being a woman or enjoy being mostly male and part time CD?

I’m mostly male (more like a boy), and a part-time CD. Is this all there is? For me, YES… :battingeyelashes:

[MysticLady]

I feel feminine at times but not as a female does. Probably because I'm not a female and I don't want too be a female. I'm sure there's a difference in the feeling of femininity between a male and female. A female owns it where a male borrows it from time to time and that's good enough for me:D

[Nikki A.]

I know I feel a different peacefullness when I'm dressed.
I don't think of my self as a woman, BUT, if I am presenting and dressed as a lady I do appreciate it if I am treated as such. If not that's the other person's perogative and thats life. I'm no beauty ( I know it) and I don't do any hip padding or breast forms (w/cutlets I can fill a 40 b/c cup) and can create a little cleavage. I'm happy and thats all

[DarciB]

When I am dressed, I feel very much like the woman I really am.

[regina young]

When I dress, the persona changes, and I become Regina. I do everything I can to look, feel, be her. Sometimes its like being twins, male and female. If I could have the female body, while I'm wishing make it a nice one, I would never look back. Does that answer the question (in a round-about way).
Regina

[CynthiaD]

I guess most people just feel " regular" most of the time. That's how I feel most of the time, en femme or not. Although when I'm sitting around in male clothing, I often think "Why am I wearing this crud?"

[renee elizabeth]

when i dress i definitely feel like i am a woman and i do my best to portray one, for the other question i would love to have the ability to switch to a well built female form,

[kimdl93]

I'm mostly female, regardless of where or how I'm dressed. I don't change with my clothes.

[BOBBI G.]

When dressed I feel like me. The articles of clothing I buy may come from a section of the store that is gender specific, but once my money goes in the register, they are my clothes. I am living my RLT so There is no difference as to feeling while living my day. My therapist told me at my last session that he feels I am probably 75 to 80 percent female inside. That conformation gives me the thoughts that I am doing the right thing. How do I feel? Great.

Bobbi

[Sarah Beth]

I don't feel or believe I am a female when I dress. I feel feminine, or at least my concept of what being feminine is. Even when I'm not dressed sometimes I have a thought about something that I feel like is that woman part of me thinking that. My wife has said that when I am dressed I am more feminine in my manner, and behavior. So I just to have to go by that.

[Robbin_Sinclair]

I feel more calm. I don't have male angst. I breathe deeply, think slowly.

I'm sure that is not a female trait, per se, but it is my female trait. I call it feeling fem.

But that's just me. xxhuggs to all.

[noeleena]

Hi'

Jess,

Yes you are right in many aspects , i have concerns for our family our three grown up kids & 10 grandkids, & Jos of cause,

as this is about our thoughts about self acceptance confidence in our selfs, what is it like being a female / woman, one can only answer that ? when one is born as one , i know many try to be like us, the difference is of cause its about being one then you do know,

As a female i lack confidence in my self in how i look thats hard to over come , though not in myself as a female / woman , im very strong yet we do have issues we face, we each have our own fail points along the way, so its not allways so easy being female , we still have to live like every one else, how we do that is the deciding factor wether we can stand on our own two feet, or do we just hide away, knowing the many women i work with who have issues it really does say we would like to have more confidence in our selfs & be strong .

...noeleena...

[Crissy Kay]

No, not even close!! I may see a girl in the mirror at times, but I have never felt fem at all.

[natalialimapoa]

1 When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, wheather it's closeted in your home or going out in public?

I don't dress to feel female, I feel female and it makes me want to dress to feel natural. Sometimes I dont even need to wear girl clothes to feel like a girl.

2 When dressed (if possible) would you like to go public with a well built female body under your female clothing and leave all your male parts at home; or would you like to keep those parts and be a MtF crossdresser. Would you get the same pleasure of being female and just wearing normal female clothes which would become just normal and miss the exhilaration of successfully pulling off and passing as a MtF CD in public?

First option, for sure.

[Emeraude]

It is really fascinating to see the range of answers here! It is obvious that there are many different "flavors" of cross-dressing--something I feel I should keep in mind. When I was first looking into cross-dressing on the internet, I was relieved and excited to find out that "there are others out there like me!". As time went on, I've realized that this is too simple a view, since not everyone who is a cross-dresser feels the way I do. On that topic--

When I became Emeraude, I become Emeraude. I truly feel that I am a woman, and I feel very comfortable in that role. If I could magically transform my body into a woman's body, I would in a heartbeat! But I'd do it only temporarily, then change back. Not only because I have a family that needs me to be a man, and because I have professions where I am viewed as a man, but because I enjoy and appreciate being a man as much as I appreciate being a woman.

[Michaella]

I never feel female. I don't know what feeling female would be like. I don't think I even know what feeling male is like; I only know what I feel like. Rather, I feel feminine, in the sense of enjoying feminine style clothing and such. What I don't enjoy is 1) the sense of deception in having to try to pass as a woman in order to be able to be out in public; it is much better when I am with people who know who I am and accept that, and 2) the anxiety that goes along with having to try to pass.

Michaella

[AmyGaleRT]

When I dress, I feel like the "Amy" part of my soul shifts to the "foreground." The male part of me is still there, but is in the "background."

I-as-Amy feel very feminine, but the others in this thread are right; none of us truly knows what feeling "female" is like. (Sabrina considers that a blessing on my part. I can't experience what she does while she's on her cycle, for instance!)

If I could "morph" myself into fully-female flesh while being Amy, though, I would certainly do that! Just as long as I could morph back when I needed to detransform.

- Amy

[Tami Joy]

When i dress up female that is how i feel but,when male that is who i am.

[k lynn]

That's the way I feel Jennifer. however, I DO want to be "me" at work and go about my day, all day... all night... as me.
THis is how I feel also just enjoy being me

[Wendy me]

lets see i have long blonde hair with light gray higlights 36 c boobs and lets just say tucking is not a issue any more .......do i feel female? no i feel like a normail person.....

[Raychel]

Nope, never feel female, or even really look female.
I just feel like a guy, no matter how I am dressed,
just sometimes, I like to dress in finer women's clothes.
But still underneath, just a guy.

[rocval2001]

I have female mannerisms even in guy mode - I think that I should have been female - I have denied myself for a very long time - I would love the world to see me as the female I feel that I am.

[linda allen]

1 When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, ........
Never having been female (at least in this life), I have no idea what feeling female feels like.

When I dress as a female, I attempt to act female as much as possible, but I've known enough females to know that they don't all act the same.

[kimdl93]

I'd like a do-over on this one. I have to admit that I can't say for certain what being female means on an emotional level. Nor am I sure that what I feel is 'male'. As a child what I felt was different and flawed. I lived with that feeling for a long, long time. For some reason when I dress and present myself as a woman, despite all the physical evidence to the contrary, I feel good, normal, healthy and happy. Is it feeling female-I can't honestly say. But it feels right in a way that male does not.

[ReineD]

A lot of people in this thread have said they don't know what feeling female is like. I've thought about this over the years and I'd like to give my impressions for those of you who are interested.

Fundamentally, there are a few major differences between men and women and these differences are strictly biological. It is widely accepted that the average male is stronger and more aggressive than the average female due to having more muscle mass and testosterone. And the average female is more empathetic than the average male due to having more estrogen. This does not mean that women can't be aggressive and men can't be nurturing. Men tend to be more outward with their behavior, while women internalize things more even though this also is not cast in stone. The biggest differences is obvious: our biological functions; insemination (and the sexual drive to accomplish this :)) vs. childbirth and lactation.

But other than that, our day to day feelings are not different. Both men and women bleed when they are cut, and it hurts each of them. They both have the capacity to feel the full spectrum of human emotion: joy, sorrow, jealousy, anger, fear, surprise, hope, aversion, gratitude, love, hate, attraction, desire, relief, feeling protective and nurturing toward children, feeling territorial, and the list goes on.

What does it feel like to be a female? Other than childbirth, likely not much different than it is to be a male, except perhaps getting so angry that you want to hit someone. lol. But even then, I'm guessing that most men would rather not get into a knock down fight if they can help it.

This is why it is difficult for me to understand why clothes should make someone feel like a woman, when women experience similar emotions as men. I do understand the concept of a man feeling more feminine compared to non-CDers when he wears woman's things, and a woman feeling more masculine compared to dressed up women when she is wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. Maybe. lol. Well maybe not, because even when I picture myself fly fishing with my son, wearing waders and other clothes that are practical for this sport, I still feel like me. I do not feel masculine. So fundamentally, feeling feminine for me boils down to my comparison to men: my physical size compared to men, my body shape compared to men, and my biological functions. Even if I taped my breasts and packed, I would still know that I am a woman.

If through some quirk of nature there were only women and no men on this planet (forget about the logistics of this for now), would I feel particularly feminine? I don't think so, even if all women are of difference shapes and sizes. There would be no males for me to contrast with, I'd just notice that my breasts were bigger than some, or that I enjoyed dressing in a different style than others.

Edit - Not to insult anyone, this post is written for the benefit of those who identify male, not TSs.

[kimdl93]

No offense taken. As my do- over suggests, I don't understand the whole issue. I doubt that I ever will. I meet all the physical criteria for male, and yet that hasn't felt like a really good fit. At the moment, I'm poolside, wearing a one piece, forms and a wig and I feel good. Do I feel female...no I just feel like me, and for some reason more so than when I went to Sears wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

A few weeks ago I remodeled a bathroom...taking a cue from you, Reine. But I did it wearing a a bra and forms and a wig...a very male endeavor that was for some reason more enjoyable en femme. I don't have the slightest explanation for it.

[DanielleT]

Whenever I dress, I feel totally female. Hopefully, someday, I will be able to wear a dress to work and be the woman I really am.

[MatildaJ.]

even when I picture myself fly fishing with my son, wearing waders and other clothes that are practical for this sport, I still feel like me. I do not feel masculine.

Seems to me that communication around this issue would be helped if we used different language than "feminine" and "masculine." When a woman wears overalls and work gloves, maybe she feels "tough" or "practical" or "handy." When a guy wears a flowing skirt, maybe he feels "graceful" or "pretty;" when he wears a little black dress and stockings, maybe he feels "sultry." I think we could all mostly agree on roughly what "graceful" or "sultry" or "handy" feel like for us.

But I don't have high hopes of that happening, because many of the people who come here like the fantasy that they've attached to the word "feminine."

[CONSUELO]

Like most here, I haven't a clue what "feeling like a female" is like. Nor could I.

I DO feel excited, turned on, and stimulated by the feel and look of dressing and the sexy, fem images in my mirror and pics.

U mentioned "passing" like it's a ho hum deal. For those of us that can NEVER pass, it's far from that. It's the Holy Grail of CDing!

When I'm dressed I can NEVER forget I am! My heels, tite girdles, corsets, bras and forms continually remind me of how I appear.

I'm in the same place as docrobysherry on this. When dressed I feel different and i act differently. A male friend of mine says that I walk differently and move my hips in a different way. When dressed in male clothes I don't feel particularly male, whatever that is. I stopped at a bar for a drink yesterday evening. I was wearing chinos, a pink sport top and a plain silver necklace. I had recently showered and I always put on perfume. It was the turn of Jennifer Aniston perfume yesterday, so I probably smelled like a woman. I noticed that the men who came and sat at the bar spoke to the young female bartender in a very loud and dominant way. It was as if they wanted to establish a position of power relative to the female. I really didn't like it and if that was being 'male', I absolutely don't like it and would never act that way. One of the men did look at me several times as if he found my "look" odd.

So, what is "male" and what is "female"? Both must encompass an entire spectrum of looks and behaviours.

[ReineD]

But I don't have high hopes of that happening, because many of the people who come here like the fantasy that they've attached to the word "feminine."

I couldn't agree with you more, Jess ... (except the part above where I might feel tough, practical, or handy when I wear appropriate clothes for fly fishing. I just feel neutral about my clothes and mostly I feel as if I am having fun fly fishing. :))

Back to the fantasy concept, I tend to think of this forum (possibly because of my background here) as primarily a place where people can get support, which also includes making sense of this thing called "crossdressing" or "transgenderism" and its deeper ramifications; i.e., "What does it mean? Am I a man or a woman? Etc." There are many members who struggle with what this means in their marriages, in their roles as husbands and fathers, and how to go about successfully incorporating the cross-gender expression with spouses who do not share the same understanding of gender non-conformity as their husbands.

But I suspect that many people just come here to indulge in fantasies because the CDing and the meaning and expression of femininity are no more than a place where one can indulge in rather fun and exciting adventures. Perhaps these are the people who do have bubbles and who do not want them burst? And I wonder how many of these members turn off the computers and return to their families as males, or how many live alone and can indulge in as much fantasy as they want.

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between someone who struggles to incorporate it with it within a family and who seeks an objective viewpoint that will help them reach a balance, and someone who isn't interested at all, because they just want to have fun.

[Melaniexox]

Well I JUST started this week so I have lots to work on but to answer you questions

#1) I do feel very feminine and girly yes :)

#2) I actaully got enough confidence to go through a drive through convienece store the other morning in feeme to order a pack of ciggerettes, The lady came to the window amd i simply assked for the smokes in my girliest voice! I passed her the money she passed me the cigeretttes and change and I dove off with the biggest smile on my face ever :) She didn't even I.D which was the main thing! At that point I felt like I was a girl. I had passed in society. I drove home and passed many vehicles on the way. I felt I had accomplished my first goal :) I carried myself as a girl and I didnt get any strange looks!! Or at least i think? :)

[Kelly Smith]

I'll take a mulligan on this one.

I don't know if I feel female when I'm dressed. I feel different but have no way of knowing if that difference is the difference between feeling male and feeling female.

Heck, I don't even know how it feels to be male. I only know how it feels to inhabit my consciousness.

[jenni_xx]

To answer the OP's questions

1) I am a man. I, as does no other man, have any idea what it actually feels like to be female.

2) When I go out, I just wear what I want to wear. For me, I like (what are regarded to be) women's clothes. So I wear them.

I don't have any desire to pass as a woman.

You ask "how do you feel about being a woman" - my answer is I am not a woman, and clothes, make-up, accessories, whatever, are material things that do not encapsulate what being a woman actually is. A transsexual person I would imagine will say the same thing. I myself am not transsexual.

For me, it isn't about trying to be something I'm not. It's rather about expressing myself, wearing what I do like. And as an individual, and an adult, I make a conscious choice to wear what I want to wear. If others don't like it, if people feel as though my attire doesn't fit into a "gender stereotype", then they are more than welcome to feel that way, just as much as I feel I am more than welcome to express myself as I deem fit.

But social "constrictions" do have an affect. On the people I care about. For I realised long ago that it isn't just about me, but also about how people who I care about perceive me, and welcome me, and accept me. Throughout our lives, we filter people - from being children when we form friends, to high school when other friends are formed, often resulting in losing contact with the initial friends we made (either through choice, or circumstance). To adulthood - the point being, we all change, and how much the people who we are surrounded by, who we choose to be surrounded by, all play a part in such change and development.

And yet through all those changes (that we all go through), I can point to one thing that is current in my life now, that was a part of my life when I went through all those changes, that was kind of a "shut and lock the outside world out" part of my life - and that is my intent, willingness, and desire not to subdue a need that felt inherent within me. Realising such a need, and more to the point, accepting such a need, helped me in terms of my own development as a human being. So by that very token, it clearly is something more than just clothes. So despite what I said earlier - about such things being nothing more than material - on the contrary, such things become comfort items - psychologically and physiologically. External signifiers that are able to encapsulate my inner self.

And acceptance plays a huge part of that. And as a result, it becomes something personal - something inherent within me. I am a man. I have no idea what it is like to be a female - to be a woman. Yet I like what society deems to be, fashions that are traditionally ascribed to a gender opposite to my own. To which my only conclusion to that can be - so what? Just go with it. It is a part of life. It does no harm to no-one. So by that very rationale, it is something that I don't have to, nor should, feel guilty about. And upon reaching that conclusion, the only logical choice to make in terms of stepping forward, is to enjoy it. For myself.

[Melissa Rose]

Seems to me that communication around this issue would be helped if we used different language than "feminine" and "masculine."

.....because many of the people who come here like the fantasy that they've attached to the word "feminine."

Jess, I think you perfectly framed the issue as being related to more language and word choice factors than actual feelings. We associate some behaviors and feelings along gender lines, but they are not what defines the essence of being male or female (man or woman) nor are they required to be male or female. There is a fair amount of imagination and fantasy at play which is not bad unless it becomes unhealthy or harmful. Behaviors and actions change to fulfill the fantasy or fulfill the role one is imagining they are playing.

Whenever a CD says "I feel like a woman when wearing _____" or "Or wearing _____ makes me feel like a woman", I ask them "How do you know what being a woman feels like?". It is erroneously associating the different feelings or emotions (real or imagined) experienced or behaviors expressed when dressing to the feelings or emotions universally experienced by women. The association is flawed. If you put on complete firefighters gear, do you know what it feels like to be a firefighter? How it feels to enter a burning structure at the risk of your personal safety? I doubt it. You may feel partially different or express yourself slightly differently than your usual self, but it is not knowing what being a firefighter is like. Wearing an external "costume" does not change the essence of who you are inside. It may change the way you express your feelings and emotions or you allow yourself to express ones held back for various reasons, but they have always been there in one form or another (i.e., your innate personality does not change upon dressing differently). Also, you may act in a way that helps to fulfill the fantasy, but it is just acting unless originating naturally from within.

I understand the overall sentiment behind the statement, and I do not think harm or disrespect is meant by it; however, in some ways, it is insulting to women. It is saying clothes, makeup, hair, heels, etc. and how you feel wearing them in part defines being female or a woman. Flipping it around, does dressing gender neutral (e.g., basic jeans; loose fitting, plain crew neck t-shirt; white sneakers) make a woman feel like less than one? The women I know say they just feel like themselves. They may feel pretty, sexy or soft when dressed in a specific way, but not any more or less female than other times. I know on the rare days I wear heels to work, I am not thinking about how womanly I feel (or sound) or feeling more womanly because I'm wearing heels, but occasionally I think about how my feet are going to start hurting towards the end of the day and hoping I remembered where I put my flats, or remind myself to be more careful when going up and down the stairs. These would be universal to anyone wearing high heels and not limited to one gender or another. Except in these occasional moments, I am focused on my job or whoever I am talking with or whatever generic issue I'm dealing with at the moment.

There is nothing wrong with dressing for whatever feelings it brings to you and how you do it. There are a bunch of reasons and what is gained from it, and it is all good. There is nothing wrong with the feelings and fantasies either. Enjoy and savor it, but saying you feel a like a woman or female is like almost equivalent to saying you know what it feels like to be a rabbit when wearing an Easter bunny costume.

[MatildaJ.]

saying you feel a like a woman or female is like almost equivalent to saying you know what it feels like to be a rabbit when wearing an Easter bunny costume.

Thanks for the chuckle!

[mersades]

As I said in a post last year: "Because I like to wear a bra and girdle under a dress. And because I like to wear high heels and nylons, not pantyhose. And because I like to wear makeup and have long hair styled nicely. And yet, I don't want to be a woman or to be held or kissed by a man."

[TheMissus]

Flipping it around, does dressing gender neutral (e.g., basic jeans; loose fitting, plain crew neck t-shirt; white sneakers) make a woman feel like less than one? The women I know say they just feel like themselves. They may feel pretty, sexy or soft when dressed in a specific way, but not any more or less female than other times

I never feel different depending on what I'm wearing. What is different is the reactions of others when I'm dressed 'sexy' for dinner etc. People of both genders stare more, and men definitely pay more attention even though I'm with my H!

I've always felt a little uncomfortable with this side of 'feminine' clothing. My H thinks it's the best part, lol.

[ReineD]

I never feel different depending on what I'm wearing. What is different is the reactions of others when I'm dressed 'sexy' for dinner etc.

Me too. I think it is only (some, not all) CDers who feel differently when they wear certain clothes. And for those who would ask, "Don't you FEEL sexy when you wear sexy clothes?" My answer is that sometimes when I wear sexy clothes I feel aroused, and sometimes I don't feel aroused. And sometimes I feel aroused when I'm not wearing sexy clothes too. In other words, my arousal is not tied to wearing sexy clothes. :p

Also, to echo Kelly Smith in #52, I have absolutely no clue how it would feel to be my best female friend, my female neighbor, my mother, or anyone else. We all have different personality traits, backgrounds, experiences, ways of looking at things. I only know what it feels like to be me.

[Lorna]

There are at least two senses of the expression "feel like a woman". The first, as so many have said, relates to emotions and attitudes - i.e. to know how a woman feels about things, her sentiments, her reasoning, her emotions, etc. I doubt whether a man can experience that, regardless of clothing.

The sense in which I want to feel like a woman is of a more physical kind - and, for me, is mainly related to the clothing. What I mean is tht I can, to some degree, experience the sensations that a woman experiences when wearing female clothing. I know what it is like to have a bra round my chest and its straps over my shoulders; I know how nylon stockings feel as I walk; I know the different feelings that come from a tight skirt and from a flared one; I know what a girdle feels like on my tummy and my bottom; I know the feelings of unsteadiness in high heels; I know the feeling of airiness in a light dress on a breezy day..... To that extent I think I have some idea of what it feels like physically for a woman wearing those clothes. Even then, I accept that my different shape, my different anatomy and other factors mean that the feelings are not exactly the same.

[ReineD]

What I mean is tht I can, to some degree, experience the sensations that a woman experiences when wearing female clothing.

But that's just it! A woman experiences the same thing when she wears her clothes, as a man experiences when he wears his: nothing. She is not acutely aware of all the sensations like the CDers!

We are not conscious of our clothes as we move about our day-to-day lives. I only ever feel a bra when it is ill-fitting. Bras should be comfortable and go unnoticed, just like anything else. I do feel a coat tug at the shoulders and armpits if I am wearing two sizes too small, which is an indication that I should not buy that coat. I'm so used to wearing skirts or nylons, that I do not notice them when I have them on any more than when I am wearing shorts, jeans, or socks. Also, very few of us wear girdles, and those of us who wear heels on a regular basis do not feel unsteady when wearing them.

I do understand that a man who has just shaved his legs for the first time and puts on a pair of nylons and a skirt will feel significantly different than when his legs are unshaved and he is wearing pants. But, this is not feeling like a woman, really. It is feeling like a CDer who has just shaved his legs and who is wearing nylons and a skirt.

[natalialimapoa]

I think that a good way to understand this issue (for me) is changing the situation a little bit: thinking like a FTM CD.

A FTM CD feel like a man, so, sometimes she doesnt see herself delicate and feminine, and the girl clothes start to feel inappropriate and uncomfortable. Her breasts do not match with her feeling.

So what she does? Try to use masculine clothes and hide her breasts, to be more congruent with her personality. And thats how it works with me and with a lot of MTF CDs.

The clothes are just a consequence.

[julie marie1]

Not really. I just enjoy the experience of appearing female.

[Lorna]

We are not conscious of our clothes as we move about our day-to-day lives.
I do understand that a man who has just shaved his legs for the first time and puts on a pair of nylons and a skirt will feel significantly different than when his legs are unshaved and he is wearing pants. But, this is not feeling like a woman, really. It is feeling like a CDer who has just shaved his legs and who is wearing nylons and a skirt.

Of course you're right. I do know that on the few occasions when I am able to dress for more than an hour or so - and especially if it's for a whole day and I have things to do - I do indeed begin to forget or at least ignore what I'm wearing. Unfortunately I have never had the chance to dress for a really lengthy period but I accept that, eventually, it would become "normal" for me and I might even begin to wear trousers, flat shoes, etc. by choice - just as the "real" women do!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Deebra, When I get dressed ad se a great looking lady in the mirror I feel feminine.

[ReineD]

Unfortunately I have never had the chance to dress for a really lengthy period ...

Yes, that does explain the focus on how the feminine clothes feel compared to your male clothes. :)

[heatherdress]

1. I feel like a male dressed as a female - but I feel great.
2. I wish I could change my size and shape when dressed to appear more feminine - but I do the best I can to appear feminine, I feel sexy and I enjoy the look of female make up, clothing, jewelry and heels on my male body.

Although I do not feel I am a female, I do feel different - more sensitive, softer, understanding, sexy, happy.

[Jorja]

I only feel women when I touch them. ;)

[Celina]

1. I feel like a male dressed as a female - but I feel great.
2. I wish I could change my size and shape when dressed to appear more feminine - but I do the best I can to appear feminine, I feel sexy and I enjoy the look of female make up, clothing, jewelry and heels on my male body.

Although I do not feel I am a female, I do feel different - more sensitive, softer, understanding, sexy, happy.

Spot on Heather! You pretty much sum up, how I feel when I dress up too! :heehee:

[GeorgeA]

I think that it all comes down to acting. When you put on a dress, lingerie & nylons you are playing a role of a woman. Just as an actor playing Hamlet, etc. does not think he's Hamlet but still has to put himself into the mood of a medieval man. The more he can put himself into this mood the better actor he is and the character becomes more realistic.

[linny_aggy]

why not ?
...when i'm Lynn then every thing is her..if i move around then it must be a guy who shud be walking next to me..i will love to dance n let him lead me just as i wud expect him to open the door for me..and I'll play my part with elegance & much ladylike..
But that's the fantasy, and the moment i am..well, me..then i will continue to ogle at gurls !!

[Allison Quinn]

1. Yes to feeling female c: I am one inside technically I guess ^^
2. Of course if I were able to just leave the parts I would :P I don't dress for pleasure really c: I just dress because I like to :)

[Patrice_CD]

It's so interesting to come back to these forums after being gone for sometime and read the questions raised as some try to find answers and information. To answer the OP's question. I don't feel like a woman, I am a woman.

[AmandaPanda]

1 When you crossdress do you feel as though you are female, wheather it's closeted in your home or going out in public?

when i dress and leave the house i have the mindset of a female, if i think im a man in a dress people will see me as a man in a dress

2 When dressed (if possible) would you like to go public with a well built female body under your female clothing and leave all your male parts at home; or would you like to keep those parts and be a MtF crossdresser. Would you get the same pleasure of being female and just wearing normal female clothes which would become just normal and miss the exhilaration of successfully pulling off and passing as a MtF CD in public?

yes i wish i had a magic thong, wig, heels, or whatever that when i slide into it i was looking at a GG in the mirror but thats not realistic but i take every outing as a test run to see what worked and what didnt and go home make the changes and try again