So, why CD?

[Kate Simmons]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother CDing since I've gotten in touch with all of my feelings and have taken ownership of them and can express them in either mode without being afraid or ashamed of doing so. I've been told by my GF and other women that I'm a handsome guy in my own right, so why bother CDing? Thinking about it, I know I consider it somewhat of an art form and it's something I do well. While I no longer NEED it per se, I just enjoy doing it, especially dancing en femme. Heck if nothing else the world is a little prettier when I do. Works for me.;):)

[Christy Stevens]

I feel the same way Kate, it's been a long one since I've dressed up. I just haven't felt the need. Like you, I've become more comfortable with my own self in the past year and the need to feel pretty has dwindled. I still want to dress up every once in a while though.

[Adam7]

Well, I think for me, it has a lot more to do with my sexuality than gender (I think this is right). I recognize myself and my gender as male, even when I dress up. For me, I don't think dressing up is about being feminine, I think dressing up is an expression of my ... what's the word I am looking for... my um, role as I would like to be..? I'm still figuring this out myself, I've come to terms with the fact I like men (prefer women, but there is now no doubt, I like men), but I have no idea what I am or why I feel so comfortable dressing like a woman, but wanting to remain and identify as a man. Maybe I do need to see a therapist. Blah. Lol... I'm just gonna stop fiddling with this and press reply.

[CynthiaD]

Yeah.

The world without dressing seems cold, harsh, full of anger, no color, not even black and white, just a continuous shade of gray.

There's more to the world than how you feel about it. It's also how the world feels about you, and how it sees you. I would prefer that the world see me as a woman.

[suchacutie]

My drive is linked to Tina's unique vision of life. We established that Tina views life differently, so to shut her down eliminates a part of what is the complete life we share. Every Tina experience is something new, no matter how mundane the setting. Tina is simply a part of life.

[Phillypa]

Why CD? Maybe just to turn a head once in awhile:-)

Ash

[Adriana Moretti]

for me its just plain fun....i love makeup & fashion.....so they get me outta bed in the...afternoon.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Kate, It's just who I am and it's just who I do.

[ArleneRaquel]

It is something I love & cherish. Putting on makeup and female attire is so fulfilling.

[Dianne S]

Dressing in women's clothes is deeply satisfying to me. It makes me feel calm and relaxed. I love the feel of a skirt swishing around my legs, especially if there's a breeze.

[sometimes_miss]

See, for some there's a particular goal in putting on female clothes; feeling pretty, feeling sexy, expressing one's 'femininity', etc.. But for some of us, it's just about feeling normal. It's when I wear boy clothes that I feel like I'm dressed in something to an end; in this case, to present to the world that I'm a normal male so I can just go to work, go shopping, etc., without being bothered by anyone because of what I'm wearing, and not have to worry that there will be any adverse backlash just because of what I wear.

[Katey888]

Kate - is that a question or a statement...? :)

Why for me? Because I'm still getting closer to that chance to fully express my femme side... and because I CD better than I play golf... :(

Katey x

[Nikki A.]

While I don't feel like I want to be a woman or that I hate my male side. It does soothe an itch that seems more onerous if I don't spend some Nikki time. I enjoy my time and usually feel sad when it comes to an end.

[PaulaQ]

Two words as to why we do this: Gender Dysphoria. /thread

[Marcelle]

Hi Kate,

Hmmm . . . let me see . . .:thinking: GOT IT . . . nope thought I knew but I didn't. :battingeyelashes:

In all seriousness though, I do it because it is part of me. The same way dressing "en boy" is part of me.

Hugs

Isha

[GailNightshade]

CD to be alive. Without it, i would be completely trapped inside a mans body

[Lexi Moralas]

Why CD? For all the adorable shoes of coarse

[GailNightshade]

And wigs. Never forget about the wigs.

[Kate Simmons]

One more thing is that I can "get away' with more as Kate/Ericka. I've worn my former work clothes and Army fatigues en femme and she even makes them look good. That must say something. ;):battingeyelashes::)

[Wildaboutheels]

At home because it is easily superior to the other 2 methods of choice. [IMO anyway]

Out and about because what better way to educate people to open their minds to their fellow man?

Besides, we are talking about CDing right? Wearing the CLOTHES someone likes [for whatever reason] and/or simply because they fit better does not mean they NEED to try to "present" as the opposite sex.

Does it?

[Tinkerbell-GG]

Ry


Besides, we are talking about CDing right? Wearing the CLOTHES someone likes [for whatever reason] and/or simply because they fit better does not mean they NEED to try to "present" as the opposite sex.

Does it?

Nope! Personally, I understand a man in a skirt just flexing his fashion choice muscle more than someone like my H who literally takes on a whole new physical self with wigs and forms...it's confounding!

But then, my H is sexually motivated and only dresses in private so creating that 'dream girl' is his motivation, I guess, and usually she comes with all the other stuff. If you're just out enjoying life's full range of clothing choices, more power to you! We girls have some lovely options. :)

[Kate Simmons]

Actually you have a point Tink. At this stage I could just wear a dress or skirt out as Rich without all the hoopla and glitter and it wouldn't bother me for sure as I'm confident in my own skin and don't have anything to prove to anyone really. Dressing in my femme persona is part of the theatrics and showmanship for myself. :battingeyelashes::)

[Tinkerbell-GG]

Dressing in my femme persona is part of the theatrics and showmanship for myself. :battingeyelashes::)

This!!! This is perfect and I think this is why my H does the 'whole' thing too - theatrics for himself. He's not very creative otherwise, so maybe this is his outlet? :)

[LilSissyStevie]

I started CDing early and have done it over my lifetime but I've also gone long periods where I didn't. Once I abstained for over 10 years in my twenties and thirties. It wasn't hard, I just didn't feel like it. I've never considered myself a crossdresser, I'm just someone who crossdresses occasionally but it's not my identity. On the other hand this gender crap is never far from my thoughts. During the times I didn't CD I lived out my cross gender fantasies through TG erotica and porn. A few years ago I came across the term "crossdreamer" This was a term coined by TG blogger Jack Molay who is not a crossdresser. The other day he blogged a description of exactly how he defines crossdreamer (http://www.crossdreamers.com/2014/08/crossdreaming-described.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+autogynephiliac+%28Crossdream ers%29). It's a description that works very well for me. So, yes, I think I could go the rest of my life without ever putting on an article of "women's" clothing. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But I think I'm stuck with the crossdreaming. Because it's not the clothing that arouses me, it's the the thought of myself as feminine which arouses me both emotionally and sexually.

[AnnetteC]

It's an escape from reality, kind of like a vacation. I am quite closeted and only dress for myself. At a very young age, it was a rush and a turn on, now it tends to be more cerebral. As a CD with TS leanings, I feel more like myself while dressed. The rush of it happens once in a while, but most of the time I just feeling feminine.

[kimdl93]

We can come up with all sorts of internal justifications or explanations for why...and frankly I doubt that the real motivations are accurately represented.

Each of us has a blind spot where the optic nerve meets the retina. Our brain fills in the blank. Our explanations and speculations are pretty much the same as the colors the brain cuts and pastes into our blind spot.

My guess is that the desire comes from a far deeper place of origin that is beyond for self esteem, art or enjoyment.

[charini.shermin]

I kind of agree with Kim..... it is a far deeper place which is beyond comprehension... I have thought about it often enough and read about this far more often... can't assign any reason... all that I can say is that is compulsive and wouldn't go away (I tried to wish it away as well)....the only thing that you must do is embrace it and that would be far more liberating because that is what you are.... and it is liberating to be yourself......

www.charini-shermin.blogspot.com

[Ressie]

We all have different reasons it seems.

[Kate Simmons]

Another thing was that after I got to the point of living en femme 24/7 a few years back, I realized that I had used the CDing as a vehicle to help me get in touch with my so called "softer" feelings of caring and compassion. While we all have these feelings as humans as boys we are sometimes conditioned to down play them in favor of being "manly" and aloof. and sometimes this can stick with one most of our life. I realized this after the fact though. Either way, it made me a better overall person and much of who I am today. Subsequent relationships with women have shown me I'm not all that bad of a "guy" really.:)

[Beverley Sims]

Kate you have answered your own question.
The art form and it is something you are good at.
That is satisfaction in my book. :)

[Amanda L.]

If I have this uncontrollable, unexplainable inate part of me that needs to be satisfied then I am going to be the best I can be, for me. It took along time to accept this so now I embrace it and have found that I can be happy......really happy. I have discovered that I am not unique to this and that was a huge relief. My story is no different to hundreds ( thousands?) of others and that gave me great comfort. I have now allowed myself to become me as a fuller and complete person.
So I guess it's about trying to control the uncontrollable
Plus I hate golf (with you on that Katey)
Cheers
Amanda

[Kelseyhunter]

I do it because I feel like it's what I was meant to do. I feel more normal in women's clothes than I do in males clothes.

[MissTee]

If I didn't dress, and all of you didn't dress, then this forum couldn't exist. We just simply can't have that.