Been Struggling with Transvestite vs. Crossdresser

[Ginger Maxim]

I have been dressing for over 30+ years and still feel highly sexual about my dressing.
I have read that normally in your later mature adult years, you might tend to change your outlook on your style of dressing. I still after 30+ years still love the highly sexual style of dress, but very recently after so long, find myself looking at more classy very feminine styles of gowns, dresses, skirts, blouses and even a lower heel shoe.

I relate much more to the info I found about Transvestism as opposed to Crossdressing. Tv almost suit me to a T(v) tiny joke...

I guess I am still a beginner as some might put it, as I am just realizing my maturedness towards my lifestyle and learning that I love myself and who and what I am.

Believe it or not, but I actually by accident came out to my girlfriend last night. We were talking about our relationship and (you don't know me) but I am an extremely open and very honest person and blurted out everything. She already knew I was bi, but never had a clue that I was a (Transvestite/Crossdresser). I did not use those used, but I told her I love to "dress" and no I did not use the words dress up in ladies clothes either.
:)
She seemed rather calm, had nothing to say but didn't flip out. I have been giving her subtle hints for the whole year of our relationship and she never clued in.

So what is your take on Transvestism vs Crossdresser and on my little story...

[Kate Simmons]

When I first learned what I did had a name back in the 1950's I figured I was a Transvestite, since that was the popular term used at that time. Somehow over the years, the term crossdresser was used but they are essentially the same thing as far as I'm concerned although many will say they prefer crossdresser to transvestive. For myself, It's all about entertainment and fun whether it's TV or CD if you catch my drift. ;):battingeyelashes::)

[Vicky_Scot]

Transvestite & Crossdresser mean the same.

trans·ves·tite
noun \tran(t)s-ˈves-ˌtīt, tranz-\

: a person who likes to dress like a person of the opposite sex

: a person who dresses and acts in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex.

cross–dress·ing
noun \ˈkrȯs-ˌdre-siŋ\

: the act or practice of wearing clothes made for the opposite sex

After all the changes that took place during the 1970s, a large group was left without a word to describe themselves: heterosexual males (that is, male-bodied, male-identified, gynephilic persons) who wear traditionally feminine clothing. This group was not particularly happy with the term "transvestism".[4] Therefore, the term "cross-dresser" was coined. Self-identified cross-dressers generally do not have fetishistic intentions,[4] but are instead men who wear female clothing and often both admire and imitate women.

This group did—and sometimes still does—distance themselves strictly from both gay men and transsexuals, and usually also deny any fetishistic intentions. It was probably this development that led to the explicit definition of transvestic fetishism as distinctively different from transvestism.

However, when this group of people achieved public attention, they were commonly referred to as transvestites rather than cross-dressers. That led, paradoxically, to yet another usage of transvestism: cross-dressing, male-bodied, male-identified, heterosexual persons. This group typically self-identifies as "cross-dressers".

When cross-dressing occurs for erotic purposes over a period of at least six months and when it causes significant distress or impairment, the behavior is considered a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the psychiatric diagnosis "transvestic fetishism" is applied.

[Zylia]

In DSM-5, transvestic fetishism is 'renamed' transvestic disorder (for better or worse). The last version implied (at least according to some people) that ALL fetishistic cross-dressers had a disorder, even if they did not experience any distress or impairment. Now everyone can have a transvestic fetish and only the ones who literally suffer from it have a transvestic disorder, at least according to DSM and its (amazingly popular) authors.

[FemmeElastique]

I always thought transvestite (TV) and crossdresser (CD) meant the exact same thing, enough to where I use both words interchangeably. But it seems the crossdresser sounds better, and seems like the more modern, politically correct term. Transvestite sounds old and weird, like, an old hairy man wearing womens clothes.

[Teresa]

It' all in the Latin, Trans to cross, vestite = clothes,dress covering so you get crossdress, crossclothes or crosscovering take your pick. Transvestite is Latin so it's hot!

[Beverley Sims]

Vicki Scott,
I am going with your signature on this one.
A have advocated that for a long time. :)

Yes, you are a long time dead in a place where everyone is equal.

Teresa,
I studied Latin at school and learned that the Romans invaded England some years ago.

[Stephanie47]

It's all the same. Yep, back in the day what I was a transvestite. Now I'm a cross dresser. The terms mean the same. However, I think society prefers cross dressing because it confers wearing women's clothing. Most people's minds seem to run to the gutter when the term transvestite is used. Ignorance.

Terms change all the time. I'm in my mid 60's. Sometimes young people try to be politically correct and "correct" a term that I may use because I have survived word usage changes. A good example of that is the terms attributable to some members of my family. At one time the term would have been 'colored,' then 'Negro,'then 'black,' then 'African American.'

[Teresa]

Yes Bev still wearing one of their silly skirts, can't seem to find any shoes to match! ..What's the first word you learn AMO to love, the first word should be HATE , I hate Latin!.. We did a term of Classical Greek... Oh Yuk!

[Katey888]

When cross-dressing occurs for erotic purposes over a period of at least six months and when it causes significant distress or impairment, the behavior is considered a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the psychiatric diagnosis "transvestic fetishism" is applied.

Bless a Scottish lass for coming up with all this info - home of the librarians of the world! (I mean that as a compliment :))

So, what if it occurs for erotic purposes blah, blah, blah, but it doesn't cause significant stress or impairment (in fact, in a lot of cases, probably the reverse :D) - THEN what is called???? Eh? Or are all psychiatrists so Victorian and assume it must cause impairment...?

Just my 2 denarii (You can ask Teresa to translate that - and we're right back to "what have the Romans done for us" - Answer: started crossdressing with their bloody togas!!!)

Katey x

[Zylia]

The DSM is a manual for diagnosing mental disorders, not the book of human psychology. If it doesn't cause distress or impairment, it's not a mental disorder, at least according to the DSM. I already touched on that subject in the comment below Vicky's comment and the authors of the DSM already tried to fix it by calling it transvestic disorder instead of transvestic fetishism in the latest edition, because having a transvestic fetish obviously isn't the problem.

[Wildaboutheels]

It's not relevant at all. You don't NEED a label, you just want one.

Your first paragraph pretty much summarizes the experiences of most of the Forum Dinos here.... As the years go by, the Os become less frequent, [or non existent] the dresses get longer and the heels get shorter.

It's a FACT. Certain portions of the medical "establishment" are giving NAMES to "things" that are "wrong" with people. If a "malady" has a name, THEN it can be treated with shrinks, drugs, procedures, hospital visits and the list goes on...

You DID do fine for 30 years did you not?

" I have been giving her subtle hints for the whole year of our relationship and she never clued in."

There is NO WAY to know this. ^^^

Maybe she simply did not want to discuss it. That IS her right you know.

[lovetobedani]

Thank you for the detailed explanation Vicky.

[LaraPeterson]

I don't much care what you call me, just make sure you call me!

[Sarah Marie]

I don't really care which term is used. Nothing offends me. I kind of like "transvestite." It has such a 1950's retro "Glen or Glenda" vibe!!!

[Zylia]

Hah, an Ed Wood reference, I think we need more of those. Perhaps we should use 'Glenda' as the new word for cross-dresser.

[Stephanie Sometimes]

Zylia has the solution and I love it: Glenda should be the new terminology instead of TV or CD!

As far as existing terms, I never minded the term Transvestite. To me it sounds much more professional than Crossdresser, which sounds amateurish.

Hugs,
Steph

[Sarah Marie]

Zylia! I was worried no one would catch the Ed Wood reference!!! LOL!

[Cheryl T]

They mean the same thing but in the many years since I first learned the term transvestite it's usage has come to be more of the fetish nature than mainstream dressing.
I don't really care for either term and dislike labels in general. I'm me and I happen to have a strong feminine component to my being which I choose to express by dressing in feminine style clothing. That's my take...

[franlee]

I've been struggling with figuring out if it makes a real difference. And if I am ever going to need to question why I need to justify my CDing. Proflexing aint it? So far I have never had to explain it to anyone. And I sure aint gon'a try to reason out a fact, I can except thing for face value in most cases. I am either one and will answer to either on here because I'm that happy with myself.

[Ineke Vashon]

I do not care for either 'label'. I just enjoy wearing women's clothing. :gorgeous:

Ineke

[NathalieX66]

Oneo of those quirky nomenclature things.
In the USA & Canada, it's crossdresser. In the UK, it's transvestite.

In the US , We eat potato chips. In the UK it's potato crisps. US vs. UK Car terminology: Hood vs. bonnet, trunk vs. boot.

[Jilmac]

I always equated transvestite as a medical or psychological term, and crossdresser as a more generic term for the same thing. I actually prefer crossdresser in describing myself because as a word it sounds more acceptable than transvestite.

[heymj]

Personally i prefer Crossdresser over Tranvestite the term I really don't like is "Tranny" for some odd reason it just feels derogatory and when i was a kid growing up on Scotland the phrase "Tranny is a man without a Fanny" was a paticularly off putting especially since I harboured secret desires to cross dress at a very young age…..

[Adriana Moretti]

yea I dont like the word tranny/transvestite either...it just sounds cheap and trashy and instantly makes me think of The Rocky Horrow Picture Show or a Craigslist Creeper

[Tracii G]

+1 Adriana a tranny is something you shift into gear. Transvestite has an icky connotation to me and I never plan to see or go to a Rocky Horror show because from parts I have seen on YT it paints a picture of something I don't want to be associated with.

[Lorileah]

there is a sticky with all that in it. Does anyone read the stickies?

Some-Common-Trans-Related-Definitions (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?162497-Some-Common-Trans-Related-Definitions)

[Teresa]

Katey don't ask me to translate any thing the the best language I have is gibberish! My school prefects did make us copy out Russian text as a punishment, so I can speak gibberish in several languages!

[donnalee]

Essentially, it al boils down to semantics and the differences between denotation (the same) and connotation (very different). Words with Latin roots are used by people who need to prove they are highly educated individuals and should be listened to, no matter how silly what they're saying is. As much of this is medical jargon, words with Latin roots tend to connote disease, so the implication is that a "transvestite" must be sick, the major reason that the term is disliked by us.

[Secret Drawer]

While the words are generally all the same, the underlying interpretations are often different. Many non CD's believe it is all a fetish/ sexual thing. If it is for you, then so be it, no harm, no foul! However, for some of us it doesn't and never had a real sexual meaning (the crossdressing). That is why I dislike being pigeonholed into a subgroup or category based on a poor definition.
It seems that in broad strokes, the internet community is defining crossdresser as having a necessary sexual element. This makes me feel like distancing myself from the term. Yet in its simplest form, it is one of the things I do! (dressing in clothing intended for a different physical gender)
We need definitions as humans to help understand one another and more or less everything in language... It is this evolution and degradation of words that is the sticking point...

[NickiStoner]

Transvestite sounds like a disease. I don't like to be called anything. If people ask, I tell them that I am a woman, even if they say I sort of look like a man, and that's really because when i'm dressed up, I am a woman. I look like a woman, I feel like a woman.