Blindness

[Lisalove1976]

I don't know if this has been asked OR if it's just a stupid question BUT are the any cross dressers / cross gender people out there that have been blind from birth but still felt the need to cross dress or change genders? The reason I am asking is I wondering if these feelings and urges are brought on to us by visual stimulation.

I hope I'm not offending anybody it's just curiosity.

[PaulaJeanette]

Wow Lisa, what an interesting question to ask. It would be interesting to know. For myself, I know my crossdressing does have a component tied to visual stimulation but what about the feelings and urges which I also have :brolleyes:

Enjoy!

[StephanieinSecret]

There was thread recently about whether we dress for the "look" or for the "feel" of the clothes. The responses were pretty mixed.

I dress for feel more than appearance, but I don't feel as good if I know I look sloppy.

[GeauxStacy]

I would say for me it is visual. I love the way I look and sometimes can't get over how cute I am in some outfits. ;)

[Annaliese]

I went to a few diner in Salt Lake with a group, and there was one blind TS there, she was blind from birth, little make up,

[Tinkerbell-GG]

But honestly, I don't see how a stock-standard crossdresser could exist if they were blind from birth. The difference between male and female clothing and presentation would be an entirely abstract idea that would hold none of the significance it does for the rest of us.

For those born blind and in the wrong body, I'd imagine they'd still feel a need to behave as the opposite gender but this would be just normal behavior for them and I'd guess the visual side would be irrelevant, obviously. I'm sure they'd only care about the visual stuff because others would direct them there.

[Jorja]

When I was young and still living back in Honolulu, there was a CD that was blind but I do not know if it was from birth or not.

[Helen_Highwater]

Let's not underestimate just how Blind people adapt to live in the world around them. We the sighted don't develop our other senses in the same way as the blind. Sound, touch and smell all play a far greater role. So why is it such a leap to suggest that a blind person wouldn't be drawn by the feel of women's clothing? So many of us talk repeatedly about how we love the feel of a skirt against freshly shaved legs or the softness of a silk blouse. Add to that the allure of perfumes and it's easy to see how someone may be wish to experience a different lifestyle.
There are many who know from a very early age that the are living in the wrong body. I don't believe that at such a young age visual stimulation has been the driving force. And if it can exist in the sighted, why not the blind?

[Kate Simmons]

We can approximate when we turn the lights out at night to go to sleep. When we close our eyes how do we feel? Try to imagine a world without sight. I read a story once in a Green Lantern comic. The Guardians had once sent Katma Tui, a female Green lantern of the planet Korugar (and Sinestro's replacement) to a world of total darkness to pick a deserving one to become a Green Lantern of that world. Problem was the power rings are based on light, which was unknown there.What she figured out was that these folks communicated and existed by sound waves so she made a ring that responded to that instead of light. I believe male and female principles are universal even if not related to physical sex. This is how some of us really operate in an instinctual way even though the visual and glitter part is abundant which kind of sidelines those of us who can physically see.If we get in touch with our feelings we have a deeper(and probably more accurate) view of who we are inside. :)

[Kate T]

Curious question.

Conceptually one would imagine that particularly TS would still have a gender identity incongruent with their physiology even if they were blind from birth. CD's, maybe less so?? Hmm, not quite sure.

Unfortunately there seems to be a genuine scarcity of information or cases. Quick searches of Pubmed, Google scholar and Google web came up with 1 web based "helpline" post from a blind FTM. The number of cases are likely to be low, just because congenital blindness is pretty rare let alone combining it with Transgender identity. Still it would be fascinating to track down if there are any cases.

[Beverley Sims]

I think I would like to see a blindperson weigh in on this one, I think there ae some worthwhile things to be learned apart from us presupposing what might be.

Lisa, one of the best and searching questions I have had to ponder for a while.

[Nicolesmyth]

Lisa,
I was thinking this exact topic just yesterday! I think it would be more visual for cd'ers and not for TS's
Nicole

[Lily Catherine]

That's a particularly provocative question; no doubt crossdressing has a directly and explicitly visual element (What do I look like when I present as the opposite gender?) but let's also not deny the tactile element (How does this garment feel on me?). A lot of items tied directly to crossdressing - stockings, lingerie, skirts and petticoats especially stand out in the case of MTF crossdressers - also rely on how they feel on the body. A number of sites do claim that the 'almighty mirror' is the ultimate fetish object for fetishistic crossdressers as far as I remember. Then again, when I am not in the barracks I do enjoy sleeping (in a pitch-black room) in satin nightgowns and babydolls with absolutely no regard to what I look like in those.

[Tinkerbell-GG]

... but let's also not deny the tactile element .

Good point. But wouldn't someone who was blind from birth have to physically touch someone wearing stockings etc to experience this tactility? Otherwise it would surely never enter their mind to try something on that they've never actually encountered. Not to mention, they'd also have to associate these stockings as women's items, otherwise they wouldn't be crossdressing - they'd just be wearing clothes that feel nice.

Wow, this line of thought could go on forever. I think Beverley's right - only a blind crossdresser can answer these questions.

[amy101]

I'm not compleatly blind but I'm on the cusp of compleat blindness and as for my self it's not visual stimulation it's more a need in my heart to feel like a girl

[Kate T]

If it's not too rude to ask Amy, I think everyone would like to know if you were vision impaired at birth or if is something that developed with age and what sort of age i.e. early childhood, teens, 20+.

[Cara Lacey]

I am legally blind, 20/500 vision, and have been for the last 40 years.
Dressing is very much a tactile thing with me, probably the reason I do not feel the need to wear make up all the time, although I can "feel" the make up when I do wear it.
There is a certain weight to eye make up and lipstick.

My first adventures in cross dressing were all about the feel... wearing my sister's panties under my clothes on days when I didn't have gym.
Also, I think there was an adrenaline rush knowing what I was doing was taboo.

The only way I can appreciate myself visually is to blow up photos of myself on my computer, which has magnification software.

BTW, I apply my own make up, strictly by feel, no mirrors at all. Its actually pretty easy... but I don't wear a lot, powder, eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick.

[Nikkilovesdresses]

What a fascinating question! Sadly it's going to be hard to get much first-hand feedback, though Cara Lacey's reply comes very close.

All I can say is that were I to become blind tomorrow, I feel sure I would still want to underdress at least, and as the world of touch and physical sensation steadily replaced sight, perhaps the feel of a dress would become even more enjoyable?

[Vickie_CDTV]

I once talked to a guy who was blind who wore 50s style non-stretch nylon stockings (didn't dress beyond that, that I know of), and admired them on women. He liked them feel of them, on himself and on women.

[Lisalove1976]

Wow thank you all for your comments, I really appreciate the answers

I guess the question was more to find out if it's because we see that we want to be! A blind person would like previously stated have developed other senses but would they feel the need to try to imitate or be the other sex.

I often look at a women and get this pit in my stomach of envy "Damn why can't I look like her" or "damn I'd love to be wearing that" ect... I would imagine that a blind person although having other senses wouldn't have these same feelings.

Again PLEASE do not take offense at these comments I'm just trying to put reason to my being!

[Annaliese]

But honestly, I don't see how a stock-standard crossdresser could exist if they were blind from birth. The difference between male and female clothing and presentation would be an entirely abstract idea that would hold none of the significance it does for the rest of us.

For those born blind and in the wrong body, I'd imagine they'd still feel a need to behave as the opposite gender but this would be just normal behavior for them and I'd guess the visual side would be irrelevant, obviously. I'm sure they'd only care about the visual stuff because others would direct them there.

If you go by it a chose, then one can not enplane why a blind person would do this, if you go by it who we are then it easy to see.

[NicoleScott]

Blind people rely, to a greater degree than for the sighted, on the other senses. They "see" through touch, sound, hearing, smell, and taste. Look at just one aspect of crossdressing: high heels. So many posts here about how we like the sound of heels on a hard floor. What kind of shoe makes such a sound? Place a high heels in the hands of a blind person, and he gets it. Then he notices the smell of the calf leather. And the he runs his hands over the shoe, noticing the long tapering high heel. This could be as exciting to a blind person as to one seeing with eyes. Many of us love the experience of standing a walking in high heels (and many don't). A curious blind person may want to experience it, too.
I knew at an early age that I had a fetish for high heels, even before I knew what a fetish was. They just "affected" me. They still do, but in the early days, when I was able to get my own high heels, I would wear them lying on the bed, lights out. Or I would just hold them in my hands, unable to see them but able to enjoy them through touch and smell. It's easy for me to see how a blind person can enjoy the same feminine things we enjoy. This coming from a crossdresser who largely dresses for the mirror.

[Nadine Spirit]

Isn't this thought an attempt to prove whether or not we learn this behavior or are born with this desire?

If person is blind from birth and they are a crossdresser, not TS, then it is some sort of proof of being born with this inner desire and it not being a learned behavior.

Interesting, but irrelevant. Sorry if that sounds rude. But I do think it is rather condescending of several of you to say, "well of course TSs are born with this inner feeling, but CDs, nope, that is just a learned sexual behavior."

What came first, the chicken or the egg? - Hmm, I am a bit snarky this morning!

[NicoleScott]

I don't think so, Nadine. "Some sort of proof" is not proof, but just one of many pieces of evidence supporting one theory or another. Find that gene, and I'll be on board.

[Lisalove1976]

I understand the touch and smell aspect but but then again a heteral sexual male can also get turned on by these same senses and garments but not want to try the shoe's or clothing on.

[NicoleScott]

I hope your thread doesn't morph into the old cause of crossdressing argument. The question "can a blind person be a crossdresser?" Sure. Why not?

Can a blind person win a cooking competition? Yes. Christine won Master Chef. Totally blind, but not from birth. One of the judges asked if her blindness was an ADVANTAGE, not a HANDICAP. Perhaps, having enhanced senses of smell, taste, and texture could be to some advantage. But, especially in a timed competition, more than offset by the need to take more time handing knives and other kitchen tools, and around hot pans and their contents. Nevertheless, given no extra time, she won.

Blind people can do what others do, except for those activities that rely on sight (shooting, driving, etc.) For many crossdressers, it is visual. Many, though, dress and never look into the mirror.

[Cara Lacey]

BTW. This site is a little difficult, but not impossible, to navigate using a screen reader, which a totally blind person would rely on to read the posts.

They may be out there...just not here.

[Shelly Preston]

I did once meet a blind lady at a transgender Celebration.

[Kate T]

BTW. This site is a little difficult, but not impossible, to navigate using a screen reader, which a totally blind person would rely on to read the posts.

They may be out there...just not here.

Good point. I once came across a reddit thread for trans partners and there were at least as many partners of FTM as there were MTF posting.

[Lisalove1976]

I guess it would be hard to try and figure out if Visual Stimulus is a factor in this world we live in...... Just 1 more unanswered question to add to the list including....why me, what did I do to deserve this, will I ever get over this, do I give up and just finally accept who I really am ect...ect...ect....

[Cara Lacey]

interesting Lee, I never asked why me?. I was always pretty confident in the fact that I am what I am and if other people don't like it to heck with them.
I guess it would be hard to try and figure out if Visual Stimulus is a factor in this world we live in...... Just 1 more unanswered question to add to the list including....why me, what did I do to deserve this, will I ever get over this, do I give up and just finally accept who I really am ect...ect...ect....

[Desirae]

I. for one, don't blame the "magic mirror". I don't have to see myself dressed to get "stimulated". Actually, I can take myself there in my mind alone without physically dressing, just by visualizing (in my mind) being dressed. But, I'm a sexual dresser. Not everyone is. I hope it stays that way, too, to be quite honest. I'm pretty sure the urges or desires are not brought on by visual stimulation.