Just How Much of an Actor Are You?

[donnalee]

I have come to realize just how much of our persona involves acting to a greater or lesser degree, both when we are at our most masculine and our most feminine. We behave in such a way that we feel we're more publicly acceptable as masculine and how we want to appear to ourselves when we're at our most feminine. Both require considerable acting skills, so how much of an actor are you?

[Tracii G]

I think you are projecting what you feel and assume its the same for every one else.
Me personally I am not acting I live this life everyday.
So my answer is I am not an actor.

[Dana44]

I agree with Tracii,, When I am feminine it is the I live also. and when I am masculine it is how I fell and I don't act for either one. It just come naturally for either masculine or feminine.

[IleneD]

I don't know if it's acting since I'm really playing myself. I may not play all the songs on Ilene's or (Male Identity's) list at once, but they're my songs.

I think of my Life As Ilene as more akin to having a secret identity; like a superhero.
In my everyday mortal existence I go about my business as a mild mannered neighbor, but when the need arises I can turn into Ilene in an instant (to save the day).

[Pat]

Earlier in my life I was definitely acting the part of a cisgender male. When I was crossdressing and trying to "pass" I was acting in a way I thought females should behave. So I understand your point, but as Tracii says, I think you're projecting your own reality onto others. After I decided to accept myself I stopped acting and live day-to-day as a transgender person. The TS folks I know are likewise living their lives honestly as well.

But even a cursory read of this forum shows that there ARE a lot of people who are acting. It's hard to phrase that without sounding judgmental and I don't mean it that way. Everyone is on their own path and we have to trust them to make the best choices for themselves just as we insist that other people respect our choices. I think the question is fair, but poorly framed.

[Joni T]

No acting--it's all live.
Jon

[Tracii G]

Pat beat me to it by saying some here are acting.
I thought about it but couldn't come up with a way to express it without pissing a lot of people off so I didn't post it.
I'll put it this way some here try too hard to pull off the perfect feminine look and quite honestly over do it.
Why do they overdo it well perhaps they don't get the chance to dress very often or their idea of a female look is somewhat contrived and therefore everything is over done.
Just a thought so don't get mad.

[Jodie_Lynn]

But is being over the top in appearance considered acting?


Saw this post and took time to reflect on it. In all honesty, I feel that my male self is the actor; When I am Jodie, my mannerisms, speech patterns and feelings are genuine, spontaneous, and NOT contrived or 'pre-planned'. I do NOT think "Oh, a woman holds herself thusly" or "A woman would say such-and-such". When I am Jodie, I just AM.

But in guy mode, I have to keep reminding myself of posture, mannerisms, speech, and pose. Especially dealing with walking!

[sometimes_miss]

Quite good, I suppose. Probably since I've been acting the part of a normal male now since I was oh, about 7. Practice makes perfect, they say, and I've been rehearsing now for oh, about 50 years. Always was very careful not to give away any sign to anyone in the outside world what I really was (or what I thought I was, or am). When alone, I don't have to act. Like most animals, I hide any sign of weakness that might make me seem an easy mark, for anything. Of course, it helps to be a rather huge male with no apparent female characteristics or behaviors that they could perceive.

[deebra]

When you dress female mannerisms should come along with the clothes i.e. sitting, walking, hand movement, etc. Act like a classy woman would act. IOW's don't wear a tight skirt, hose and heels and walk like a football player late for the game.

[Tracii G]

Excellent point deebra LOL

[Nikki A.]

I agree with Deebra to a point. I don't consider it acting, I try to be me in either mode. However. when dressed I do walk differently in heels and I try to be smoother in my mannerisms, of course you also sit differently in a skirt vs pants. Even GGs do that.

[IleneD]

When you dress female mannerisms should come along with the clothes i.e. sitting, walking, hand movement, etc. Act like a classy woman would act. IOW's don't wear a tight skirt, hose and heels and walk like a football player late for the game.

I'm not sure I'd call that ACTING. Somehow the term acting doesn't seem appropriate to describe HOW to wear the clothes. I suppose unconsciously the clothes are reflected in behavior but something about doing it doesn't seem like an act. I get it - the part of not walking like a football player in heels - but is it acting or simply the proper way to operate and function in heeled shoes?

[Rachelakld]

I think the best actors have multiple personalities, which gives them greater depths at portraying different charactors.
I've only got 3 personalities, so stuck in the non-acting world.

[Alice_2014_B]

I consider myself a thespian, I've been in one local theatre production/play, "A Few Good Men".

I love everything to do with theatre, even when I'm not actually in a play.

The only acting I do, if one can refer to it as such, when I'm out all dolled up is really just mannerisms, such as how I sit and sometimes walk, I do not even disguise my own voice; I'm pretty much just my same self.
There may be times doing stand-up en femme that I act out a joke or something.
:)

[bridget thronton]

I think to think I am acting like me most of the time (regardless of my clothing)

[jennifer0918]

I have been told to move to Hollywood.

[Ressie]

I agree with the OP. I'm not a great actor but it is a part of me. I dislike overacting because it causes one to look phony. If I have that fem feeling (from dressing this way) any acting I do is pretty much natural.

Different situations. When I'm with a group of CDs I don't feel a need to act with the exception of keeping knees together when sitting in a short skirt.

If I'm dressing publicly (which is rare), I try not to walk like a man. I've found that trying to walk like a woman doesn't work for me so instead I try to reduce my masculine gate as much as possible. I also may speak with a slightly higher pitch, smile more etc. So yes there is a bit of acting involved when presenting as a female.

Isn't applying makeup part of what an actor does? Wigs and clothing is also a part of acting in my case. I agree that my female presentation is a persona as well as my male presentation. When I sit in male mode I have to remember not to keep my knees together when sitting.

[CarlaWestin]

Good post. And certainly on time for me as I've been thinking about posting the question of, "Is it living your true self as opposed to just creative theatrics?" For me it leans way more towards the excitement of the theatrical side. I have more different looks than a cameleon. And, as y'all know, some of them are real over the top. But, it's my party and, I'll dress the way I want. Between work and home life (DADT) I get few and far between opportunities to get out. And when I do, I generally have an agenda to get pics and videos. And that influences how I dress. I am seeing an ever so slight softening in the non-acceptance that I hope translates into a future where I can just relax and be myself regardless of which gender I prefer. One thing that I do keep in mind is the fact that when I tone it down, I blend right in without suspicion. Maybe average girl is the new adventure. We'll see how that piece fits in the jigsaw puzzle called life.

[BrendaPDX]

I have to say some of it is acting as how I think I should act. Really I only find my self over acting:) Brenda

[Allisa]

Being a non-binary/fluid/TG person acting NO. As an example being a small boy I had to "act" as a tough guy to survive even though I got beat up I could not cry or run away from a beating because boys don't do that, even though inside I wanted to. As to being male I can be very macho that comes naturally, violent and even down right mean not that I like it but it is a part of me and takes restraint at times so acting to be acceptable YES. Being my femme self is also a natural thing for me, yes the mannerisms had to be learned as any small girl would do but I took to them at once, (it helped having 3 older sisters and being exposed to their education from mom) as I've said before when I'm out and about and things are going good I live in the moment and the "girl" is strong, no thought of maleness or how I'm being perceived as because I am female so acting NO.

[Teresa]

Donnalee,
I know the saying is , " Life is a stage !", but maybe you are right, I've just about acted out the guy role, it has been a hard act, I prefer now to switch roles and be Teresa. I keep saying it's not an act to satisfy the female needs but again we have our image of how we think we are so maybe we do act it out to others.
My clothes are chosen for how I chose to represent myself, many others like my choice so it looks like I am getting my act together.

No matter how we view it I'm enjoying it now whether it's an act or reality , I've met the real World and found it not bad place dressed as Teresa .

[kimdl93]

Hmmm, tough question. I would judge myself to be a lousy actor. Not enough nuance or breadth of characterization or emotional range, and certainly lacking in versatility.

[Stacy Darling]

My face would have fewer scars (especially my left brow) if I was a better Actor/Liar!
Guess I wasn't born to be an Actor!

[Rachael Leigh]

Acting, humm, yes maybe it is an act when Rachael is out an about but to be honest I don't feel I'm acting I feel more as if
I'm emulating a part of me that is female, I think I have more in common with women then men and I know it's a big part
of my gender fluidity

[Jeri Ann]

I have come to realize just how much of our persona involves acting to a greater or lesser degree, both when we are at our most masculine and our most feminine. We behave in such a way that we feel we're more publicly acceptable as masculine and how we want to appear to ourselves when we're at our most feminine. Both require considerable acting skills, so how much of an actor are you?

Donnalee,

You might be describing your reality but it is off the mark in terms of mine, as well as others who are apart of this diverse community. Jeri Ann does not have to act to be Jeri Ann. Those girls, especially the Houston girls, that know me know this beyond a shadow of a doubt. That being said, Jeri Ann has had a long, successful career of acting, portraying a male.

This might help explain what is really going on with some people, certainly myself. I ran across this in my search for answers:

Physically Male/Subjective Female Individual (M/F)
Because a child’s greatest desire is to be normal (like everybody else), the great majority of M/F individuals create an artificial self which meets this goal. They are often so successful at this that they not only fool everyone else but themselves as well—at least part of the time, in some way.
Once created, M/F gender folk live in their male role—a 3-D personality with its own goals, likes and dislikes, values, hobbies, etc. Although indistinguishable from the “real thing,” it isn’t themselves. It is an artificial creation for them to be able to fit in. This is achieved at the expense of denying, locking away, their natural female subjective gender. Their desire to be “normal” has denied them their natural selves. But, as the nagging reality of the deception becomes harder and harder to suppress, one has to express their true subjective gender somehow, in some way.

Now, that being said, I am aware that this is the Male to Female Crossdressing thread but, there are many here who are struggling with who and/or what they are. This is where a lot of them start in there quest for answers. Everything is not so cut and dried. Just sayin'

[Jenny22]

when in my girl mode and out, I consider it more a kin to role playing then acting. To me, there is a difference. When pretty, I just let my inner girl do her thing naturally, without thinking that I have to do this or that as a female would. One exception is walking: remember to walk correctly like I've rehearsed a hundred times.

[IleneD]

Jerri Ann,

Responses like yours' is why I come to this forum.
Every once in a while as I try to figure out "WHY?", I run across another Member's thoughts that resonate with me.
Your paragraph on a child's greatest desire is to be normal. In my latest serious discussion with my wife about my crossdressing, that sentiment came out. From my earliest memories, in school and on the playground, I wondered "Why can't I be like the other boys?" I didn't realize why or how I was different. I wasn't that self-aware. I just knew I was different and didn't fit in at all.

I found your point about creating a 3D Male Personality indistinguishable from the real thing. WOW. That pierced me like an x-ray. That's me, the male me. In nearly everything I did in my life (teacher, coach, military officer, fighter pilot, etc.), I performed as a role I was playing. Deep down inside I knew I wasn't a football player, but I played to role that was demanded. Deep down inside I knew I wasn't a fighter pilot, but I succeeded in playing the role of pilot, and blending into the cultural background as to not be "discovered" as feminine. Somehow many of the core Guy Things I did ( and did successfully), I felt like a pretender that didn't REALLY quite belong. I had an inner girl I hid from sight. I knew she was the real me but I had to fake it for the sake of getting my job done.

About the only true Guy Thing I did in life that I wasn't "confused" about or had to pretend was my Family and children. For some reason, mostly out of pure love, I never gave a second thought about my role as Dad. Odd.
I'd love to know where you sourced that quote. Whatever book or article it came from could go a long way to helping me explain "this" to my wife who loves me but doesn't understand.
Thanks, again.

[DIANEF]

I don't really think my male or female roles are what I'd call acting. As a male I have coped with everything I have had to, but as a female it feels just as natural. I'm sure there is some category I fit into, which I do not worry about too much . What I do know is if I could I would spend a lot more time as a female.

[Jeri Ann]

Illene, the quote came from a Christian website gendertree.com
By the way, speaking of acting, I just returned from my youngest daughter's house. I came out to her and her husband. They still love me and will support me no matter what. In the conversation I told them that this actress needs to retire and have a life of her own. We talked and cried for three hours. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[CynthiaD]

When in female mode, I just act normal. When in male mode, I'm a very good actress. Lots of practice.

[Alice Torn]

Ilene, i am the same way. Well said. i have been acting to survive since i was little. Jenny, role playing really is a better way to put it now. I know that DNA wise, and plumbing wise, I am officially a male. But, emotionally, and deep inside i feel as much female as male. i know i can NEVER be a GG, but, in heart and mine, I am just as much a lady, as a blue collar, man.

[Jeri Ann]

Alice and Illene you need to get the book Brain Sex. It very well could be that you have a female brain. I will send you my email tomorrow so we can communicate more effectively. I can help you.

[Teresa]

Jeri Ann,
I feel that comment applies to many of us otherwise we wouldn't be here !

[susan54]

I am happy to think of myself as acting. I like skirts and dresses and looking good in them. I only wear makeup and wig to go out and when you are out in public it is easier for the public if you conform to expectations of how people in dresses do it well so I walk and talk in a female way and it works. I don't get quite the buzz from it I used to but going out as Susan is a bit like being on stage. I am a man and happy to be and clothes do not change your gender. I move at home as I would as a man but withe limitations imposed by heels ora tight skirt. The acting is for public only.

[Kate Simmons]

I can be a pretty good actor when I'm playing a role but when I'm en femme, I'm not acting it's the real "me". :battingeyelashes::)

[Chanel-hilton]

I think some people in this thread are a bit harsh on you.
I personally though don't feel like I'm acting, I'm quite a camp feminine person wether I'm in or out of drag so for me I don't feel any different.

[ShirleyN]

I have come to realize just how much of our persona involves acting to a greater or lesser degree, both when we are at our most masculine and our most feminine. We behave in such a way that we feel we're more publicly acceptable as masculine and how we want to appear to ourselves when we're at our most feminine. Both require considerable acting skills, so how much of an actor are you?

Hi donnalee.
I tend to agree. To a certain degree it is a form of acting. I've always seen my CDing as a form of acting in terms of how to feminine deportment. This is certainly the case with me when I'm in full 'female' mood so to speak. Doesn't happen when I'm in full 'male' mode. As an actor, I'd say I'm pretty good. Used to be part of a local youth theatre group so that may have had an influence.:o