Crossdressing in Context, Vol. 1 Dress & Gender

[Katie Russell]

I was doing some random searches in google about crossdressing and came across the book. I managed to read a few pages but wondered if anyone had actually bought and read all 5 volumes? Is it worth the investment in trying to find out more about the motivations and reasons for crossdressing.

[Krisi]

I would guess "No" because nobody really knows why we feel the need to dress in women's clothing or pretend we are women. It's possible to provide a scientific explanation of how an internal combustion engine works or an electric motor, but not the human mind. It's just guessing and two "experts" might have very different guesses.

[Meghan4now]

Whoa there Krisi, hold them horses!

I have seen this series out there, and I will check my local CD library (YES, we have an extensive library at crossport). I think it would be a good read, although everything needs a grain of salt.

As far as the mind is concerned, while we are nowhere near providing a definitive map, we have made huge inroads to understanding how it works. Unfortunately, the volume of study about Crossdressing and the mind is woefully small, and quite often littered with prejudice or wishful thinking on either side (pro, con). Very objective study is hard to come by. Finding open and honest and willing participants in good scientific studies are rare as well.

I think the OP should read the work and think about what it says objectively. (And do a 2 page book report, on my desk Monday morning ;) )

[Tracii G]

I would think the motivations would be endless.Why do we do anything? Because we want to.
The constant thing in CDing seems to be the question why do we do this?
Why are people hell bent on having to know this? Its like everything has to have a cause or a reason for happening.
Some deep trauma or childhood thing like seeing their mom in a girdle when they were 4 years old so now they have a girdle fetish.
Somethings just are what they are and all the publications in the world aren't going to have an answer that fits everybody.

[Meghan4now]

Tracii,

We (collectively) are hell bent on it for a couple of reasons. One, if you know how something works, you can (maybe ) control it, fix it heal it. Two, if it is something we cannot control, we can aleviate our guilt by proving it is not our fault. Not that it IS something that we need to defend, but many of us experience the world as pushing us into a defensive posture. Three, maybe it just interesting to know why!

[Teresa]

Meghan,
My wife keeps looking for the fix but she's not having much success. She won't let me explain it all to her but as far as I'm concerned I need to know.

As for Kate's question I haven't read the publications. the only question I will ask is how old are they ?
Thinking on the whole TG subject has moved on so quickly. Usually when things happen rapidly someone stands to make money from it, I guess that's being cynical, on this occasion I hope I'm wrong. It's going to take every avenue to achieve a better acceptance so if someone does come up with new ideas we should make the effort to read it and maybe help ourselves in the process.

[CONSUELO]

I have long thought it interesting that cross dressers spend a large amount of thinking time wondering how they came to be cross dressers. A large number of posts on this site are really about that core question. We don't seem to be any nearer the answer despite all the pondering.

What interests me however is that in the gay community there does not seem to be a corresponding anxiety to find out how and why they are gay. Instead the focus of energy is directed outward at persuading society to accept them as they are both socially and legally.

[Alice Torn]

Krisi, i tend to agree on this. Consuelo, I agree here, too. It is sad, that my gay friend think my crossdressing is weird, and does not understand why i would do it at all, but he does not question why he is gay very much at all. Oh well.

[docrobbysherry]

As a whole, we mite be better off to move on and concentrate on how we can convince folks that we r not a threat to them.

"Why" is always interesting to speculate on but in the long isn't that important. Moving on to how we deal with it individually is!

[Dana44]

Why? It is far different for every one of us. there i no why. just is. Doc, you are right we need to focus on folks to accept us.

[Meghan4now]

Now back to the op!!!!

[Teresa]

Consuelo,
To accept themselves as being gay doesn't change their appearance, unless they they chose to tell people no one knows.

We totally change our appearance, which makes very little sense if we don't wish to transition , we may or may not question it ourselves but our families, friends and the public more than likely do.
The whole agenda does appear to be opening up, as more high profile people are coming out, admittedly as TSs.

[Lorileah]

What interests me however is that in the gay community there does not seem to be a corresponding anxiety to find out how and why they are gay.
:thinking: I must hang out with the wrong gay crowd. It seems to be a big issue, especially with young gays, at support groups


The book appears to be a more academic work.

[CONSUELO]

Interesting Lorileah. I have not found that. Perhaps what this demonstrates in the fallibility my relying on what I found among the few gays I know.

[Katie Russell]

I was hoping to find someone who could give me a reasoned review of the book(s) as I cannot find any reviews on the various sellers websites. Even Amazon doesn't seem to have a review. I have purchased books in the passed which are a bit 'fluffy' and obviously biased and reading excerpts from this book it does seem more academic and not looking to take sides which I think makes it far more valuable.

I am interested to find out more about my motivations to crossdress. Although we are individuals I do believe that there are various types who sit under the broad church that is crossdressing. From drag to transwomen. I'm a pretty 'vanilla' type crossdresser who has followed a typical path to many others so not so different or unique.

I have spent quite a lot of time over the last year speaking with wives and partner of crossdressers and the overriding question that they have is why. I don't think just saying 'because we do, get over it' will really wash with a wife or partner asking the question, especially if you are asking for their support in making it more socially acceptable. They are looking to come to terms with their husbands crossdressing and are always asking challenging questions. It does take a lot of introspection and some of my views have changed over that time.

The workings of the human mind is something that has been studied for decades, it's called psychology, so to dismiss experts as just guessing is wrong. If I spent years studying my area of expertise I wouldn't be particularly happy to be told I don't know what I'm doing. Scientific research is all about trial and error and without this we do not progress. The author has spent over 30 years in the field of not only psychology but religious studies and has tried to be fair minded and honest. I may not agree with everything he says but that could be my own biases coming through but without researching I don't know how to increase my knowledge of the subject and challenge my own beliefs.

Without people doing research in the area we will get no further along the line than we already are and if we are craving acceptance by general society then we must be able to explain crossdressing in a more logical and understandable way. Just saying 'accept it an get on with it' is not the answer to progressing the cause.

[Teresa]

Katie,
I'm going to agree with you on the two points, of having a plausable explanation why we do it, and just to say accept it and get on with it is really insulting to a partner or wife and family.

I must check out the articles to give them a fair hearing.

[Samantha Clark]

To respond to the OP, without going down all the sidetracks here, I have looked for this series but haven't found the whole set.

I have vol. 2 which is subtitled Today's Transgender Realities. It was published in 2007. It is a thought provoking exploration of the questions surrounding crossdressing without touting pat answers or being pedantic. It is a bit of a slog to read but I would recommend it for any student of crossdressing trying to come to an understanding of the subject.

No, I'm not going to do a book report! Those days are long behind me, mercifully.

I'll add that, looking at the table of contents for the series, vol. 2 has more information about the experience of crossdressing and social reaction (SOs, others). The first volume explores the meaning and significance of clothes as a social signal. Good stuff, but I think the second volume has more insight for me.

[ReineD]

G. G. Bolich is certainly a prolific author. Here are all five volumes of 'Crossdressing in Context', and other books he has written:

Crossdressing in Context, vol. 1: Dress and Gender.
Reestablishes dress as a foundational context for crossdressing. Demonstrates the interplay between sex, gender, and clothes, especially as these relate to transgender behaviors, of which crossdressing is the best-known.
https://www.amazon.com/Dress-Gender-Crossdressing-Context-vol/dp/0615167675

Crossdressing in Context, vol. 2: Today’s Transgender Realities.
Answers the questions, who crossdresses and why, what causes crossdressing, what is it like to be a TG crossdresser, and what is it like to be a TG crossdresser.
https://www.amazon.com/Todays-Transgender-Realities-Crossdressing-Context/dp/061516577X

Crossdressing in Context, vol. 3: Transgender History & Geography.
Famous TGs of history and what it means to be a TG person in the various countries of today.
https://www.amazon.com/Transgender-History-Geography-Crossdressing-Context/dp/0615167667

Crossdressing in Context, vol. 4: Transgender and Religion.
Examines TG in the major world religions.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich-ph-d/crossdressing-in-context-vol-4-transgender-religion/hardcover/product-4220299.html

Crossdressing in Context, vol. 5: Transgender and Mental Health.
Examines the relationship between TGs and mental health professionals historically and current treatments together with an exploration of TG sexuality across a wide range of topics.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich/crossdressing-in-context-vol-5/hardcover/product-20623850.html

___________________________________________

Other books by G. G. Bolich:

Scripture Study & Scholarship.
Working intro to the scholarly study of Jewish and Christian sacred texts.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich-and-g-c-kenney/scripture-study-scholarship/paperback/product-21990484.html

After the Rain, the Sun Shines Brighter.
Self-help for recovery from life’s setbacks.
http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/g-g-bolich-phd/after-the-rain-the-sun-shines-brighter/paperback/product-1381457.html

12 Magic Wands: The Art of Meeting Life’s Challenges.
Using specific tools to improve your physical, mental, and spiritual self.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/12-magic-wands-g-g-bolich/1113942897;jsessionid=E7CBD012786E0F27FA3137337502 6D37.prodny_store02-atgap05?ean=9780757050862

Brick By Brick On the Road Through Oz: Recovery from Sexual Abuse Trauma.
Self-help for people who have been sexually abused.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich-ph-d/brick-by-brick-on-the-road-through-oz-recovery-from-sexual-abuse-trauma/paperback/product-1761784.html

Conversing on Gender.
Considers the relation of gender to sex and sexuality.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich-phd/conversing-on-gender/hardcover/product-1355903.html

The Third Rail of Gender: The ’T’ in LGBT.
The 'T' in LGBT marks a 'third gender,' distinct in kind. Sets out the case for 'T' people to join men and women as an equal gender with a unique place within human diversity.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/g-g-bolich-phd/the-third-rail-of-gender-the-t-in-lgbt/paperback/product-21140945.html


Edit
If anyone is interested in his qualifications, scroll to page 5 (Author Qualifications) of his intro to 'Conversing on Gender':

He is seminary trained, holding a M.A. in Theology and a Master of Divinity. His first Ph.D. was in Educational Leadership focused on religious studies. He is also trained in biblical and classical languages (Hebrew, Greek, Latin). He has taught courses in religious studies at undergraduate and graduate levels. His second Ph.D was in psychology. He gradually became interested in matters of human development and human sexuality, developing a specialization in Trauma Resolution Therapy while working with adult survivors of sexual abuse. While writing this book, he was teaching human sexuality and gender, and counseling. He is curious about various gender issues and in recent years he considered gender alternatives to masculinity and femininity by exploring transgenderism.

https://books.google.com/books?id=jxtMLGIdQ8cC&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=g.g.+bolich+phd+background+and+education&source=bl&ots=hr9fgtQz2Z&sig=Gscuv0XbyuLKyFR-qkt_b-wiwfc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKgt-XtezOAhVL6iYKHYi-CMsQ6AEIKzAC#v=onepage&q=g.g.%20bolich%20phd%20background%20and%20educati on&f=false

[sometimes_miss]

Author is a professor in a North Carolina school. I wonder what he thought of the recent goings on at his local capital hill.

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=724853


The constant thing in CDing seems to be the question why do we do this? Why are people hell bent on having to know this?
Mostly because without any given reason, the general public will come up with their own, and that reason will be that we are either gay or transsexuals.

we can aleviate our guilt by proving it is not our fault.
^this is a big one. Much of the world seems to believe that we CHOOSE to feel this way, just like they believe that gay people choose to be gay. While I understand the whole 'love thy self' crowd, virtually no one (other than maybe entertainer female impersonators) in their right mind would 'choose' to be a crossdresser if we had the option. It simply makes life more complicated and difficult.

I have long thought it interesting that cross dressers spend a large amount of thinking time wondering how they came to be cross dressers. A large number of posts on this site are really about that core question. We don't seem to be any nearer the answer despite all the pondering.
Actually, that's not exactly true. What IS true, is that many people don't really want to know. The tremendous fear of finding out that they have ANY homosexual desires is so repugnant to them, that they will actively ignore any evidence that might suggest it. Remember, it's not their fault, as almost all of us grew up in a life where being gay or feminine in any way was the worst possible thing we could be, and after growing up with that for so many years, it's almost impossible to feel normal about it.

As a whole, we mite be better off to move on and concentrate on how we can convince folks that we r not a threat to them.
That's the thing. I believe that it's to some extent hard wired into us to be suspect of feminine males. Masculine females probably have not had any detrimental effects on any past human cultures' survivability, so they don't incite the negative feelings that feminine males do. So it's going to be hard to get people to accept us, especially with the way we continue to be brought up. Our societies continue to consider anything feminine as having less value than anything masculine; even women look at men with feminine charactersitics/traits as being unattractive, perhaps not aware that by doing so, they are actually disparaging their own lives value at the same time. Indeed, most women who feel the desire to 'better themselves' aspire to traditionally masculine roles and behavior, even appearance.

I didn't know of this series of books; I usually read everything I come across that covers the topic of crossdressing, even stuff I disagree with. The books seem a bit expensive, so I'll probably check to see what libraries carry them, and go read them there.

[ReineD]

Author is a professor in a North Carolina school. I wonder what he thought of the recent goings on at his local capital hill.

Gardner-Webb University to be specific, although it doesn't look as if he works there any more. He hasn't taught a class there since 2009. Look at the class schedules dates on this Gardner-Webb search page:

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=008409113017961405389%3Atxjrty6mtsu&ie=UTF-8&q=bolich&sa=Search&siteurl=www.google.com%2Fcse%2Fhome%3Fcx%3D0021436 30673672356212%3Atxjrty6mtsu#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=bolich&gsc.page=1

Also, polls currently indicate the majority of North Carolinans are against HB2. McRory, who is up for election, is trailing in the polls because of this.

[Tracii G]

Sometimes miss the general public is going to continue forming their own opinion on "us" because they aren't going to read the studies or findings on "us" because they already have a preconceived notion and really don't care to become informed.
Just today in 50/50 mode I was called a tranny and a queer by two different people one in their 20's and one in their 70's.
I never came in direct contact with them but over heard their comments.
Should I have gotten mad and made a scene? No it would have made things worse.

[sometimes_miss]

Sometimes miss the general public is going to continue forming their own opinion on "us" because they aren't going to read the studies or findings on "us" because they already have a preconceived notion and really don't care to become informed.
Well, there's always going to be at least one in every crowd. However; as with what happened when Caitlyn Jenner came out, it sparked a lot of conversations, and there are lots of intelligent people who want to learn about things they don't understand. And while it's not 100% of the population, it's a start. While even a lot of those with higher education still laugh at us behind our backs, a lot of their kids are learning that gender isn't something that's 'locked in'. It's going to take time. Lots of time. I won't live to see it, though. But I think those who are being born today, eventually, will.

[NancySue]

Interesting information. I, like many others, have been searching for some "why" answers for many years. I majored in Motivational Psych in college, hoping to find some answers. Nothing answered. I am curious if there are any statistics that itemize what article of clothing "triggered" the spark to dress. There are no rights or wrongs, just statistics. It was a pair of Hanes Silk Reflections thigh high stockings (still my #1), that opened my door. I'm now a 100%-er and very comfortable with myself.
👠👗💄👄💋👙👡

[ReineD]

NancySue, I don't think this author will provide any definitive "why" answers. He was trained in theology. He did get a Ph.D in psychology, but even then, if the medical profession doesn't know why, then how could he provide anything other than an opinion.

So I went to Google Books and quickly looked at what he had to say about this in vol. 2. It doesn't look as if he cites any of the current research, except one that offers dozens and dozens of reasons that people give who crossdress (everything we've ever read here, plus a few that are a bit odd, such as crossdressing in order to serve in a military that doesn't accept your gender, and crossdressing to engage in terrorism). But in the end he says that no one really knows why.

And then there's an entire section on the idea that women who wear pants are also crossdressing.

... which makes me wonder if the reason he went from theology, to trauma resolution, and then finally to gender and sexual development is that he himself is a late onset crossdresser. Because I think it is only CDers who say that women who wear pants crossdress. :rolleyes: Maybe this is also why he no longer teaches.

[Katie Russell]

Reading through parts of the preview he does seem to give motivations as to why men crossdress. I think in many cases it is a combination of these motivations, so, in affect we are all different because we all combine these ingredients in different proportions. There also seem to be a number of different triggers which drive us to try crossdressing. So no definitive reason why just a combination of factors. I can definitely pick out motivations and triggers that influenced my dressing from the lists he gave although terrorism wasn't one of them!

Volume 1 seems more about dress and how it is perceived by society. The reference to trousers (pants) is that they were always a traditional male garb and therefore considered masculine. Not too long ago women wearing trousers were considered to be crossdressing, however, as they became more popular that they became more feminised and therefore women were no longer considered to be crossdressing if they wore them. Although I assume a woman buying her trousers from the male side of the isle would still be crossdressing?

[Sarasometimes]

I haven't read the book and although the titles sound promising, I personally don't gravitate to authors who are that interested in religion. If his background was science based I might read it.

Another source of some info is a recent show on one of the science related TV channels, a series 9 Months that Made You. I saw part of one episode that dealt with how gender, thrill-seeking and sexual orientation come to be, very interesting. In a word "Hormones"! So much seems to be tied into testosterone and estrogen levels and when and how they vary during gestation. It should be re-run soon.

[Stephanie47]

I found "Nine Months That Made You" available on YouTube. It runs 53 minutes +.

[rachelatshop]

Hi Katie, I can't answer your question because like many cross dressers we question why? Partly for me it was to be able to talk to my wife and explain my feeling to her and try to ensure her that I was not going to suddenly become a woman on her, but that said does anyone know what effect cross dressing has on one's gender identity. The difference between the being Gay and cross dresser is; you are either gay or not, but there are all kinds of levels of cross dressing all the way to transitioning.

[ReineD]

I found "Nine Months That Made You" available on YouTube. It runs 53 minutes +.

Here's a great BBC video that touches on a similar topic, "Is Your Brain Male or Female".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPg0s6fMUDg

There were surprising results but the bottom line is that a fetus' brain is exposed to testosterone in different waves at different times during gestation, resulting in different brain regions that are more or less affected, regardless of whether the fetus is male or female. This is what accounts for the complexity in determining someone's brain sex - there are many different regions of the brain that are exposed to more or less testosterone during gestation and at different times. Even though there is a tendency to generalize and say things like "Women are more empathetic" and "Men are more competitive", this isn't always true when they looked at different brain regions.

Still, I don't know what bearing any of this has to do with the crossdressing. In the video, some men were empathetic and some women were competitive. So why would our reactions to life events (being agressive, or competitive, empathetic, laid-back, etc), or things like our spacial reasoning capabilities, necessarily affect a desire to present as a gender different than the one assigned at birth. I just think that what starts out as a sexual response to the crossdressing has more to do with simply having a sexual response than having some more-male or more-female brain regions. We do all know that sexual preferences, no matter what they are, are distinct from gender.

... and yes, even young children have sexual responses. But their sexual responses are more along the lines of "this feels good" and obviously not the orgasms they will be capable of achieving during puberty.

[abby054]

I would guess "No" because nobody really knows why we feel the need to dress in women's clothing or pretend we are women. It's possible to provide a scientific explanation of how an internal combustion engine works or an electric motor, but not the human mind. It's just guessing and two "experts" might have very different guesses.

It appears that you have unintentionally reinforced your argument about how poorly understood crossdressing still is. I hold an advanced degree in electrical engineering and motors are my specialty, among similar things. It requires more understanding than I possess to know electric motors. I have yet to find anyone who can explain them to my satisfaction. For the best explanation yet, I defer to Dr.-Ing. Werner Leonhard, the great German electrical engineer and widely recognized as the world's finest living expert on electric motors, who once wrote in a technical forum, "It was never God's intention that man understand the induction motor!"