Is it our repressed anima that makes us dress?

[SophiaRose]

This is a really interesting and quick read about why men may crossdress. I don't know if the theory is correct but the desire I have these days to integrate my (stereotypical) female way of thinking to my male persona is strong and the article really resonated with me. Food for thought.

https://karenannetaylor.orgfree.com/junganima.html

[Kitty S]

Sophia, what an interesting read. Still digesting it and forming my thoughts but I wanted to thank you for sharing this! I?ve had a particularly difficult week and this one passage gave me inspiration.

The inclusion of the female effects a change in the male personality producing a new personality that is better than either alone.

I wonder if the way I act while Kitty is one of the reasons my wife is so accepting? I definitely express my emotions more than in male mode

[audreyinalbany]

It seems to me like a long road to a small house....it's kind of saying that everyone has a masculine and feminine side and that we like expressing our feminine side and that it'd be great to integrate the two. Not exactly a 'stop the presses' kind of insight

[bridget thronton]

Thanks for sharing the link

[docrobbysherry]

While there may be some truth in the article? I find the idea that boys knowingly hide only feminine traits to be unbelievable!:thumbsdn:

We ALL hide a myriad of fears, perversions, radical opinons, forbidden desires, etc., etc. Our feminine side is but one. And, when we were very young how would we even know we were acting feminine?:battingeyelashes:

On top of all that? I'm still not sure I have a fem side!:sad:

[TheHiddenMe]

I have no clue what repressed anima is, and not really willing to find out.

All I know is that when I was around 7 years old I wanted to put on a dress and that feeling has never gone away. I don't think 7 year old me knew what repressed Anima was either.

[Claire M]

Interesting read. I see many parallels to my life in the article.

Sherry, I seem to recall that you didn't start crossdressing until later in life, so the "idea that boys knowingly hide only feminine traits" may be unbelievable to you, but I assure you it was VERY real to me. I had 3 older brothers who would have, at minimum tormented me mercilessly and probably beat the crap out of me if they ever caught me in, or even suspected I tried on my sister's underwear. I grew up in the late 50s/early 60s in a neighborhood of big catholic families with lots of kids. Being thought of, or even called "queer" or "gay" or a sissy was a fate worse than death to any kid I knew. So yes, I knowingly, desperately made sure that nobody ever suspected I might even touch anything girly.

[Lana Mae]

It covers well m-f cds, what about f-m cds?
Just my initial though!
Hugs Lana Mae

[Snide_lobster]

I guess it depends upon how willing you are to accept and then extrapolate Jungian psychology, he's not particularly vogue anymore (at the same time I'm not going to pretend modern psychology didn't have a huge empirical crisis within the last decade).

I haven't particularly read him, I vaguely like his ideas as a social philosopher with a special application to art but am quite cautious of taking his work on direct psychology, I place him perhaps a little bit more respectable than ol Siggy Freud.

[SophiaRose]

I guess theres a school of psychology for everyone these days. Even those that are 100 yrs old. Lots of Jungists out there still. What other schools embrace a feminine and masculine side that compete with one another? I do believe how we are raised drives many of us into the closet which causes us real problems.

[BrendaPDX]

Yes an interesting read, I see where it's going but I don't necessarily think that all of the pieces of the puzzle necessarily fit together. But I do see a lot of myself in his theory.

[Lucy Long Legs]

Thank you so much for sharing this - it rings many bells. It answers many, but not all, of the questions I ask myself (and my therapist!)

[Claire Dee]

Very interesting article. A lot to ponder. Thank you for sharing.