What Makes a Crossdresser

[Rikidee]

It is not long hair, lots of guys have long hair. It's not a shaved body lots of macho guys have that. What about a femme blouse or shorts? That may get you labeled femme or gay but not a crossdresser. Wearing femme shoes, same thing. A little makeup? Not hardly. Wearing obvious lipstick? Maybe getting a little closer. What abou a skirt or dress? Definately beginning to cross the line now so far as society ia concerned. Then there are the breasts/forms, maybe not by themselves but in combination with most any of the things mentioned above you will be labeled a crossdresser. We can get away with lots of things in varying degrees and be labeled gay or effeminate but not a crossdresser. What do you think? Hugs Riki

[Ashley Wray]

Makes me want to dress up and wreck my car to get in the news :)

See (Rant Post) to get the joke :)

[sometimes_miss]

Strictly speaking, what makes someone a crossdresser is wearing any clothing that is made for the opposite sex to wear; doesn't matter why he or she is doing it. For some people it's a sexual high, for others, it's simply feeling normal while dressed like that instead of what society feels we should feel normal wearing. Labels? Problem is, everyone has their own definitions of what each label means: To one person, a guy wearing a dress is gay, to another, he's simply effeminate, to others, he's a crossdresser, and finally, to some others he's simply nuts. I'm sure there's more, but that basically encompasses the most common beliefs.

[Emi_]

Cross-dressing is technically just the act of wearing that which is commonly reserved for those of the opposite sex to one's own. As a male, when I wear women's clothing, I am cross-dressing. On a philosophical level, ther is a component of intention - why I am wearing the clothing - this intention is what I would say separates a genuine transvestite from just some dude in a dress.

[Anna H]

Makes me want to dress up and wreck my car to get in the news :)



I'd like to ride along. Two CD's wrecking a car...that should make World news! lol!

[CynthiaD]

I think what makes you a crossdresser is walking around a shopping center wearing high heels, pantyhose, LBD, breastforms, wig, makeup, pink lipstick, red nail polish, and bangle bracelets.

Oh oh. I did that today. I must be one!

[NicoleScott]

I don't see "what makes a crossdresser" as just the act of wearing the clothes. I define a crossdresser as having and acting on the desire to wear clothes (of the opposite.........). Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire (sorry, bad timing on that) weren't crossdressers, as they didn't have the drive to crossdress but rather wore the clothes as a disguise. Same with one-time for a lark Halloween dresser-uppers. As I have the drive to crossdress and do it part-time upon occasion, I still consider myself to be a crossdresser even on those days I don't actually transform.
I also suspect there are guys out there with the desire to crossdress but for various reasons never have. I wouldn't call them crossdressers (yet), maybe potential crossdressers. Oh yes, they are out there.
There are members who, even though not undertaking any feminization procedures, consider and declare themselves women, and therefor announce that they are not crossdressers. But some think they are both TS and CDer.
There are too many situations where strict "wearing the clothes....." don't work.

[samantha rogers]

So when a M2F crossdresser transitions, does that mean they are then crossdressing when wearing traditionally male clothing? Sort of like asking at what point does a gay male crossdresser going into transition become a heterosexual female? I ask not because I need answers...I know my answers (though they may not be yours)...lol...but just to show how ridiculous labels can be.:heehee:

[NicoleScott]

I agree that discussions can get ridiculous. But I don't think M2F crossdressers transition, except by mistake. They transition because they are TS, and it seems that most of them misidentified themselves as CDer somewhere along the way.

[samantha rogers]

But, Nicole, whether misidentified or not, someone may believe they are a CDer and later discover they are TS. Happens quite a lot. But, I'd say that only once more proves my point about labels...lol ;-)

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Rikidee, I'm sure that a bra and forms would qualify .

[docrobbysherry]

I would NEVER consider dressing the way 9 out of 10 CD's I see dress. And, probably 99 out of 100 wouldn't dress like I do!

So, how would I be able to label who or what a CD is? I wouldn't and won't. For me, it's looking like an attractive woman. All or nothing.

U can wearing a pair of pantie hose and a bra and say you're CDing. Fine for u, but that's nothing to me!

[lingerieLiz]

Labels such as crossdressers have outlived their usefulness. A woman who wears mostly male clothes is not considered a crossdresser The term is today sexist. If I enjoy wearing clothes that are pretty and feel comfortable in them is that any different from a girl wearing her boyfriend jeans and a guys t-shirt. We see ads showing a woman wearing her boyfriends shirt (very sexy), but we never see a guy wearing his girlfriend's nightgown.

[visualkei]

I get the question you're asking. Why don't other people know about this word, or understand what defines us, right?

It's a matter of awareness. It's easier for people to just say, "he dresses like a girl", or he "acts gay", or some other ignorant comment. People that bounce outside of the gender norms usually don't do it at the length we do, some guys might put on a gay accent and think that's them being effeminate. But they're really just imitating gay men. They think gay men are effeminate, which they'd be dead wrong about if they actually had more than 2 gay friends.

If this is how far the average guy has gone in understanding homosexuality, then what can you expect as far as being educated about crossdressing? Not much.
I think it's our responsibility to let people know what we are, who we are, and the wide spectrum of us filled with fine details about why we do what we do.
One person at a time, whatever gets the discussion going.

[NicoleScott]

..someone may believe they are a CDer and later discover they are TS...

I'm not sure, but we may be in agreement here. At least about the labels. Every person, every situation is unique and there can't be a label to fit every person.
But along the way to realizing that one is TS, mistakenly believing they are a CDer, doesn't make them CDer.. They are TS, just don't know it yet.
To answer your question, if someone transitions and is considered to be a woman, the wearing of male clothing takes on the same meaning as a GG wearing male clothing. Without regard to fairness, the reality is that it is not considered crossdressing even if the clothes are cut for men, not women. In defining what makes a crossdresser, both action and intent have a role. It's hard for me to understand the flip-side of M2F crossdressing - women getting the same/similar payback for wearing men's clothes. There are F2M TS, but F2M crossdressers must be extremely rare. As a CDer, I can make a long list of what I like about it, but I can't imagine what's to like about a woman wearing men's clothing, except casual and comfy which are also afforded by women's clothes. Of course, my inability to understand the drive behind F2M crossdressing doesn't mean there isn't any.
What makes a crossdresser is both the desire and act, not just the act.

[Teresa]

As others have said transvestite is the Latin to crossdress, the translation makes no mention of any other connections simply the wearing clothes of the opposite sex !
For the most part it's sexual to me but that part is never displayed, the rest is simply because I enjoy it ! I also find the WTF outings I've posted threads about quite amusing. Strangely I didn't think I liked the guy in a dress look but that's what I've outed myself as, maybe it's the step before being totally out dressed !

None of us really like the labels but maybe we should use them simply because of the confusion the none CDing community has !
I'm a CDer with a fetish if you like, but I'm not gay and I don't want to transition, but those that do have their own labels which gives them their own identity and explains to outsiders why they chose to present themselves the way they do.
We should stop silly bickering accept what we are and stop trying to blur definitions and invent new words that describe them !!
We either want to wear women's clothes, have a same sex relationship or want the body our brain wishes for !

[Katey888]

As I recall from my youth... (yes - I can remember that far back...:))

Slugs and snails and puppy-dogs tails would make a MtF CDer...

Which may explain why we have to use more make up than GGs... :D

Or pick another label... Isha will advise...

Katey x

[Dianne S]

I don't think wearing clothes intended for (or traditionally ascribed to) the opposite sex makes one a crossdresser. For example, women wearing jeans are not cross-dressing, even if they're "boyfriend jeans".

In my opinion, cross-dressing is the wearing of clothes in the attempt to appear to be the opposite sex. So if a woman wears jeans and a t-shirt, but binds her breasts, tries to minimize her hips and uses makeup to create the illusion of facial stubble, *then* she's cross-dressing.

I realize this leaves out guys who are "gender queer" and like to show up as a "guy in a dress". So maybe I'll add that the attempt to create cognitive dissonance about one's gender also qualifies as cross-dressing.

[Anna H]

Ok...this one will probably sound a bit strange...lol!

I haven't worn a single item of mens clothes for many months now. I
replaced them all. (i do have a few things somewhere, but I don't know
where they are...)

But, though I'm completely "dressed" 24/7, I don't really consider that
as being cross-dressed. I do feel like I'm appropriately dressed. I feel
"right" --for lack of a better expression. It does matter to me.

This stuff I wear is basically the same things that women wear in my area.
In fact, it may be even barely slightly more girly than the vast majority
of them wear....most look like they don't care, and it's very clear than
many do not.

The only thing that'd make the difference of whether or not I was
cross-dressed would be a touch of makeup. Some eyeliner and small
bit of lipstick changes it from being just "normal" for me to being
cross-dressed. (i don't wear makeup when i'm out)

In that case, I'm indoors for the day and would rather wear my
dresses, so nobody will see me and that makes doing better makeup
worth the time.

Anyways, sometimes i get asked if I dress full time, and I don't really
think it counts...even though I haven't worn any guy clothes for
a long time now. It just feels normal and it does make me happy.

Maybe I'm halfway cured! LOL!

:)

[Beverley Sims]

Yes you can get way with a lot, Kate who posted previously has the right idea.
If I wear a bra and go out I am a woman and I wear my hair and makeup to suit.
Going halfway with boobs is silly in my opinion.

[Krisi]

If a man wears women's clothing more than once or twice (for Halloween or on a dare) and continues to wear them, he is a crossdresser. It's that simple.