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Barbara_Jean
10-09-2013, 08:33 PM
A Burning Question

Yes this is a burning question that we ALL have in our minds. WHY??
Why do we crossdress?
I know there have been hundreds of threads with questions like “Why do you crossdress?” and such, and I have read them all. It seams like there is something like this about every 2 weeks and it always solicits dozens of answers and responses like “I do it to express my feminine side” or “I feel as though I’m in the wrong body” or the classic “It’s all about the clothes. I like wearing women’s clothes”
But it all still goes back to the main question “Why?”
Why do you want to express your feminine side?
Why do you think you are in the wrong body?
Why do you want to wear women’s clothes?
As for me personally, I have wanted to be a female since I was 3 years old. I remember thoughts like “Why am I not a girl?” “Why can’t I wear a dress like my cousin?”
I was born in 1954, and back then it was Wrong to have thoughts like that. There had to be something wrong with me. Boys didn’t wear dresses (Well there was Uncle Miltie!) Boys were BOYS and Girls were GIRLS!
When I was four, my dad bought me a tent and put it up outside. It had a flap that I could close. I snuck some of my moms old dresses from the basement out there and put them on. I had to pin them up but I felt very good in them! WHY Did I want to do this??
As I got older, I started thinking about why I had these thoughts. Of course I HAD to be the Only boy in the world who wanted to be a girl!!! I mean NO ONE Else in my Family, or School thought that way! There MUST be something wrong with me!!
In high school I remember a civics class had a local police officer come in and give a talk. He showed some slides of some of the arrests they had made in our town. One of them was a man who dressed as a woman! The officer said He was called a “Homosexual Transvestite” They showed pictures of the mans apartment and all the paraphernalia they found when they searched it. There were women’s clothing all over and home made breast forms made out of gauze padding with baby bottle nipples attached. Now I KNEW my thoughts were wrong, in fact it was against the law!!!
But the burning question still lingered in my mind, even stronger now… Why? Why did I have these thoughts. What’s Wrong with me???
I would sneak some of my moms dresses and put them on.
When I was in my twenties I still had these thoughts and still didn’t understand why? It just got worse in my thirties and forties. I thought I had a mental disorder. Of course I could NEVER Tell anyone about these thoughts, that would be Terrible!! They would lock me up in a mental institute!
I went to Thrift Stores and got some cheap clothes to put on in my LOCKED Room! No wig, makeup or anything else, but I ached to have those things too! I just knew though that this was Wrong!!
Then I found the Internet. I stumbled on several sites and I discovered I was NOT Alone!! There are Hundreds of Thousands of people that feel the same way!!!!
I started searching for the answer to my burning question… Why?
I found this forum and started reading, then joined. As I said in the beginning, there have been a lot of threads on this subject which makes me feel that Everyone on this forum has the same question of Why, that bothers them just as much as I.
After all, we are MEN!!! Why do we want to dress as a woman?
I learned a technique as a manager in a very large office called “Peel Back the Onion” What this refers to is if you have ever cut an onion, you know it is made up of many layers with a solid ball in the center. The center is your goal. Peel the Onion until you get there. I have been trying this for years on our question, but I still have not reached the center.
Going back to the answers I listed in the beginning, Expressing a Feminine Side, Born in the wrong body, Just about the clothes… I believe that each and every crossdresser on this forum, on SOME Level, wants to be a Female.
I know there are those who say it’s only about the clothes, but if you also wear a wig, makeup breast forms, then it’s not ONLY about the clothes. Some part of you wished you were female.
Now I am not leaving out the Female Crossdressers! They have the same “Why” question!
I have read Dozens of Psychiatric papers and studies on this and they all speculate on a Why someone is Transgendered, or Crossdressers. It seams each paper I have read says something different on the subject, but they all say the same thing, “There is no Cure” Again I ask “WHY” I would give Anything to be “Normal”
I finally have resigned myself that I will never be cured. I will always wish I had been a Girl.
I have a GG Friend who knows about Barbara, and has gone out with her many times. She says she likes Barbara a lot better because Barbara is a LOT more fun! She is more talkative, makes eye contact, seems to be a lot happier and enjoys life more! People I interact with treat me as any other woman. So far, no one has indicated they know I am not a real woman, no one has said anything and my GG friend said she never noticed anyone looking at me funny, of course we can never be sure. But again this makes me ask even Stronger that ever WHY?? Why am I TWO different people?? Am I Schizophrenic? I asked my friend what she thinks the reason is and she said, I am “Hard Wired like this. It’s in my DNA” There is no way I can control it.
So NOW I have the answer after all these years……… God made me this way!
I didn’t ask to be born like this, God WANTED me to be like this!!! I’m not sure why, but he did.
There is NOTHING Wrong with us!! There is Nothing Wrong with crossdressing. It’s NOT against the law. We’re NOT Crazy!!
GOD MADE US THIS WAY!!!

I hope that some of you might have figured this out already.
For those of you that have not, I hope you might find some measure of peace with this.

lingerieLiz
10-09-2013, 08:57 PM
There are a lot of things in this world that we have no answers for. Accepting will make life a lot easier. We could ask, WHY does a child die from cancer, Why did the accident happen. I've had several things in my life that WHY could be asked but never answered. I've asked WHY and WHY me or us. Accepting that it did happen helps. I've felt and feel guilt that I could not prevent some things. Not that I could have, nor could anyone have but it happened. Rather than ask WHY you want to be female accept that you have a desire and choose what would take you to a point that is acceptable.

I've had to make decisions where it wasn't exactly what I would like, but I could live with it. Some of those decisions were made when I couldn't achieve my ideal, but accepted that it was the best I could do for everyone.

Michelle789
10-09-2013, 09:08 PM
I think most cross-dressers have some degree of gender dysphoria, we all want to be female to some degree. Granted, in most cases the gender issues are milder, and there's a need to express that inner girl from time to time. In more extreme cases, we're a woman trapped in a man's body, and that's called a transsexual. TS is the most extreme case of gender dysphoria, but I think most CDs have that "inner girl" to some degree. There's nothing wrong with it. Accept yourself the way you are whether you need to express the feminine on some occasions or need to live full-time as a woman.

I had a desire to be a girl at the age of 5. Many times, we just know. We know something's different about us at very young ages, and we often lie to ourselves and try to repress it, because society sees something being wrong with us, since after all boys are boys and girls are girls. Why in the world would a man want to be a woman or dress as a woman? There must be something going on. We're either fully woman on the inside, or partially women on the inside. Many of us may actually be both a man and a woman and need to express both.

Just accept yourself, and live your life in whatever way you need to express yourself honestly.

AllieSF
10-09-2013, 09:13 PM
Now you can start asking, "Why did God make me this way?". My recommendation is to find a good gender therapist and see what you really want to do with your life once you grow up. It is never too late to make some changes in your life to enjoy it more. At your ripe old age (I am older by the way) you should start getting glimpses of that other light at the end of the tunnel. So, for me, especially after a successful bout with cancer, it was time to start living everyday as if it might be the last and to say to myself that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life, so, do something about it. They sound funny sometimes, but they actually do have special meanings for me.

Yes, I wonder why, but for me it never has been a "burning question". I only worry about that which I can do something about and try to not worry about those things that are really out of my control. I have accepted this and embraced it. Why not? I can fight it and maybe be frustrated or accept it and have some fun with it. I have always liked fun, so my decision was very easy, especially when you add in age, experience and an adventurous spirit.

From what you have written here, you sound like a lot more than a CD. Get some help, explore it and most importantly enjoy it.

suchacutie
10-09-2013, 09:18 PM
My brain is wired such that I'm comfortable with letting it focus on using either one or the other of my genders at a time. It was less comfortable before we figured out that were two gender"apps" in my brain. I had nothing to do with my brain wiring, but I do need to live with it. The more I learn about it the more I'm delighted that I have this capability.

Barbara_Jean
10-09-2013, 09:49 PM
The point I was trying to make with my thread is that I HAVE accepted it. I have been on this journey all my life. If the world had been like it is now, when I was in my twenties, I would have transitioned with SRS. But now I have to accept my life as it is. Yes I am CD, but I feel I am more than Just CD. When I transform, I feel I actually BECOME Barbara. She has been living inside me all my life and has wanted out. I am at peace with who I am.
Thank you all for your great replies, keep them coming.
Barbara

audreyinalbany
10-09-2013, 10:37 PM
by the way, schizophrenia has nothing to do with multiple personality disorder.

Beverley Sims
10-09-2013, 10:47 PM
One day a therapist/psychiatrist is going to find the answer.
They may then be as famous as Albert Einstein, but a damn sight richer I bet. :)

Jorja
10-09-2013, 10:59 PM
Why is the third hand on a watch called a second hand? Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet? Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips? Why do we crossdress? Why ask why? If it makes you happy, go with it. Spend the time you waste asking why, shopping. ;)

Rachael Leigh
10-09-2013, 11:52 PM
This is such a good question and I too asked myself many times why? I was brought up in a very strong conservative family and even to this day I too am a very conservative person. I have a strong faith in God and I'm not ashamed to tell everyone here I am a Christian. So I have another reason to ask why God why is it I feel so comfortable here. It is something I constantly pray about. Part of me thinks I have a mission here to let everyone here know that despite many of those of you who had a negitive responses from other Christians I know that God loves every person here. Ok I'm going off subject but for me it's been difficult thru the years to make sense of this and even many of the clergy Ive spoken to don't have solid answers. So I just keep praying for answers an hope God can use me here.

NathalieX66
10-10-2013, 12:42 AM
I'm a so-called fallen Catholic myself.

However I am me, I couldn't be happier than I am now.

I reality, gender means nothing to me. I go the place that I feel at the given moment. I don't need psychoanalysis. I am happy.

Lynn Marie
10-10-2013, 05:58 AM
Why is the third hand on a watch called a second hand? Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet? Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips? Why do we crossdress? Why ask why? If it makes you happy, go with it. Spend the time you waste asking why, shopping. ;)

Now that was funny! I never read any of the "Why do we crossdress" posts. Like Jorja says, it's a waste of time. Much more profitable to make love to your SO, play with your kids, get a new dress, or flirt with someone new.

BLUE ORCHID
10-10-2013, 06:53 AM
Hi Barb, It's just who I am and it's what I do.

Karren H
10-10-2013, 07:02 AM
Alien Abduction!

Kalista Jameson
10-10-2013, 07:02 AM
Great thread with some great replies. =)

Cheers,

Kalista

cdmorganashley
10-10-2013, 07:10 AM
this question made me ask myself another question -- why is a man wanting to be womanly or a woman, or feeling they are really a woman viewed by our society as something shameful or wrong ? i mean where did this originate ? really i wonder why anyone would even begin to care... if a woman feels or wants to be manly or masculine, or a male the reverse, what would possess someone to care ? my feeling is that if things weren't viewed like this there would be a lot more tpeople than it appears that there are now -- who knows maybe the majority of people would be somewhere on the t spectrum...

Gloriamontrose
10-10-2013, 07:31 AM
Now that was funny! I never read any of the "Why do we crossdress" posts. Like Jorja says, it's a waste of time. Much more profitable to make love to your SO, play with your kids, get a new dress, or flirt with someone new.

Or play with trains...you missed out play with trains.
VBG

xxx

Gloria.

Rachael Leigh
10-10-2013, 09:36 AM
morganashley this thought came from the beginning of time from when we were created. God made us male and female. Im sure many here know of the verse from Bible in Deuteronomy that speaks of wearing the clothes of the opposite sex, its the only place that Im aware that talks about the differences of gender in the Bible except in Genesis where the man and women are created and they in fact are created as equals. I have studied the verse in Deuteronomy and I believe it speaks primarily of mans leadership role in his household that we are not to be hiding from our roles. This means not only physically but as spiritual leaders as well.
So now comes the real question can that be done if we choose to dress in a somewhat more female attire. Im still dealing with that aspect myself but I know for me if Im not hiding that I am in fact male and not trying to hide that part of who I am that may be one way where I can feel ok with this. We all must find out exactly where we are when it comes to our spiritual lives and how important this part of ourselves is. Men and women are different and we must be able to recognize that.

Lynn Marie
10-10-2013, 10:29 AM
Or play with trains...you missed out play with trains.
VBG

xxx

Gloria.

Ooops, sorry. I'll remember next time.

MysticLady
10-10-2013, 10:41 AM
So NOW I have the answer after all these years……… God made me this way!
I didn’t ask to be born like this, God WANTED me to be like this!!! I’m not sure why, but he did.
There is NOTHING Wrong with us!! There is Nothing Wrong with crossdressing. It’s NOT against the law. We’re NOT Crazy!!
GOD MADE US THIS WAY!!!


I am so happy for you in that you finally realized it and are at peace with it, sweetie. Now, get out there and "LIVE" life.:hugs:

Valerie1973
10-10-2013, 02:06 PM
Why ask Why? We are our own worst critics. Because society said its wrong. We get programmed in early life this way. That's why we lie to our SO's, we never want to tell anyone, we just keep it a secret and lie to ourselves. Once we accept what we are then I'm not the problem, the world is. Funny you mentioned an arrest. I remember a similar story in the news back in the 90's here about a man who was arrested for I don't know what. They found home made breast forms made from Styrofoam, wigs, dresses, his mobile home was as if it was a woman's home. The news on tv made him to be the worst pedophile. Your normal Barbara.

ReineD
10-10-2013, 04:03 PM
I know that "fetish" can be a dirty word around here especially among those who discovered early in life a strong desire to wear women's clothing that resulted in deep feelings of happiness or even near euphoria. I've read some members write they were born with a fascination for women's clothing, which many then explain as having had a desire to be a girl at a young age. But for crossdressers (not TSs), is it really a desire to be a girl or is it more about wanting to be pretty and wear the things that the girls wore?

For the longest time I thought that CDing was not explained by fetishism, since a lot of CDers begin sneaking their mom's or sister's clothes around kindergarden age. I thought that true fetishism began when a boy starts being sexual, which is at puberty and there are indeed many CDers who started out at that time and jumped right into the sexual aspect of the CDing.

But if you look around at the publicly available studies on fetish, they say the behaviors do begin at around kindergarden (or earlier).

Here are just a few studies/articles and one personal account by a man who began a fascination for a fetish at a young age. In any of these articles you can substitute CDing for any other fetish if they mention some, and it would fit many of the members in this forum.

I want to emphasize that I do NOT compare the CDing to the more severe fetishes (paraphilias) that most people object to, such as pedophilia, voyeurism, exhibitionism, etc, that do violate personal and other people's boundaries … just in case some of these articles mention some of those things ... I only just skimmed the articles.

Have a read and see if anything makes sense:

http://www.mattababy.org/~belmonte/Home/Science/Minor/background.html (fifth paragraph)

http://kinseyconfidential.org/sexual-fetish-blog-post/ (see fetish origins)

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1997-42952-007 (abstract only available)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120208145416AAP9sGI (personal experience, see first answer)


That said, I want to mention again that I think we should distance the CDing from the more moralistic or judgmental language that describes fetishism as a sort of deviance, in case people continue to do google searches. I'm guessing this sort of language existed some decades ago but I believe the definitions are changing. I do NOT believe that fetishism is in any way deviant unless, as mentioned earlier, it hurts the person who engages in it or someone else (for example when it goes overboard to the point where it has a negative impact on the quality of a person's life). The importance here is to note that it does start early though some form of sexual imprinting, although likely people who work in the field will call that something else.

So to answer your question, I think that the early or not so early desire to wear women's clothing comes from some form of sexual imprinting and if it is acted upon, it stays for life, changing into more of a comfort behavior as a CDer ages.

I don't believe that people who engage in the CDing do so out of personal choice.

Sarasometimes
10-10-2013, 05:40 PM
Why is the third hand on a watch called a second hand? Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet? Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips? Why do we crossdress? Why ask why? If it makes you happy, go with it. Spend the time you waste asking why, shopping. ;)
I like your suggestion can I use that as an excuse to shop? What to buy and why??

Michelle789
10-10-2013, 06:04 PM
Why ask Why? We are our own worst critics. Because society said its wrong. We get programmed in early life this way. That's why we lie to our SO's, we never want to tell anyone, we just keep it a secret and lie to ourselves. Once we accept what we are then I'm not the problem, the world is.

Valerie you hit it right on the spot.


But for crossdressers (not TSs), is it really a desire to be a girl or is it more about wanting to be pretty and wear the things that the girls wore?

I think it's more of a desire to be a girl (to some degree) that causes us to want to wear pretty things that girls wear. I may be biased because I'm still sorting out the gender mess, and therefore presently identify as unsure if I'm a CD or a TS, or maybe something else. For me personally, the desire to be a girl came at age 5, and much of my desire to be a girl has to do with things other than clothes.

One reason I think most CDs have at least some degree of desire to be a girl is why do we want to pass as women, why do we choose female names, why wigs and makeup? Why not just be a guy in a dress, with no wigs and makeup, and using our male names?

I think the difference between a CD, TS, or something else on the gender spectrum, is the degree of desire to be a girl.

sometimes_miss
10-11-2013, 11:16 AM
As a kid, I was both conditioned to believing that god made a mistake and that I was really supposed to be a girl; once that thought was firmly in place, other occurances in my life seemed to support that theory. So i grew up learning to 'dress and behave the part' in private until god 'fixed me'. By the time I learned it was erroneous, it was too late; I had lived my developmental years learning how to be a girl, and connecting certain emotions to dressing and behaving as one. So it's sort of imprinted into me and there doesn't seem to be any way to change those feelings. I can live with it, resist it, but it never goes away. To understand why I am not TS, you'll have to read my biography in the writers forum here to learn it all, as well as if any of it pertains to you. See link at bottom of my post if you're curious.