3 reasons a man dresses as a woman

[@tammileetilliso]

I read this opinion on social media and found it interesting. Which type do you fall into?

3 reasons a man dresses as a woman.

Gender dysphoria You feel like you were born in the wrong body and need an emotional space you feel comfortable and safe. Dressing can help, fully transitioning could be a path to be free of anxieties or trauma. Of course counseling would always be advised regardless.

Gender euphoria You feel like dressing allows a release from the grind and pressure of the masculine form. Relaxation, calmness, happiness, even spiritual experiences that can only be felt when dressed or expressing the femine form. But returning to masculine form doesnt create relentless trauma or anxiety.

Sexual kink (kink isn't bad, its just less accepted by society) You feel stimulated sensually by the sensation or fabrics, styles, shoes, makeup, hair, or whatever femine thing you are drawn to, and you feel inclined to indulge in a behavior that is satisfying and exciting.

[Ivan_1974]

totally a mixing of both the second and the third reason; crossdressing is so relaxing and calming for me but, at the same time it gives me euphoria and when I am dressed I have even more sexual appetite with even the desire of being the female in the bed

[Maria 60]

I believe I'm leaning also towards Ivan's answer of a little of the second and a lot of the third reasons. I also enjoy just being relaxed being dressed and reading and watching TV but also have that appetite of the feeling of the smooth silky fabrics that seem more of a sexual thing.

[Lacey New]

None of the first reason, some of the second reason and mostly the third reason. Although as I get older, there is even less of that than there once was.

[Connie D50]

I would say I fall in a mix of number 1 & 2.

[Genifer Teal]

Me too somewhat mix of one and two. Not the dysphoria, I don't feel like I was meant to be a woman, but I don't necessarily have a desire to be manly. I'm okay with it. I struggle with people saying they have to act a certain way or live up to certain expectations and be a man. I've never felt that. I understood I was a man and that was okay. It just was what it was, it wasn't a thing I had to be or do or act, or whatever.

When I started presenting as a woman.I just felt more comfortable. It was a thing I could do.It was unique, it got me attention. I enjoyed the challenges of it and the acceptance. The calming relaxing, or whatever things never really were a part of it. I just felt this is the way I'd rather be.

[CarlaWestin]

Two and three with maybe a little bit of number one, maybe.

[chrissy111]

Like Genifer I'm comfortable, it's always been I feel like myself. I have never felt comfortable in male clothes.

[NancySue]

In the early years #2, then an occasional #2 & #3. Since retirement, totally #2. Never #1. Wife never understood how hose, underwires, shapers, heels can be comfortable. I just smile.

[racquelr]

For me, it's 3 with a bit of 2 mixed in.

[Steph_CD_62]

When I was younger, it was definitely #3
Now I fit more into #2

[Deborah G]

I started as a 3, but since then, I'm a 3 to 2. There was a time about 12 years ago or so, that I fit into the 1 category. Interesting how life changes feelings, attitudes, and emotions toward your sphere of interests.

[ShelbyDawn]

I'd give myself about 80% dysphoria and the other 20% euphoria. I've been stealing things to wear and fantasizing about being like my sisters for just over sixty years. If I could be sixteen again today, I'd be a girl so fast... :)

[Rachel05]

Gender euphoria absolutely describes me perfectly, I couldn't have written it better myself, I can't see me in any of 1 or 3, although as a teenager, I wanted it to be 3 to make me feel better for being different, but it never was

[NjJamie]

Tammi, I align with 2 and 3 but need to add a possibility, reincarnation. I know it sounds silly but there are times when I feel like a different person, minor habits arise and a different personality send to be present. This is only my guess as to the mechanism but we only have 5 senses, preventing us from being aware of any issue or condition that we can't directly sense which doesn't mean they're not there, we just can't sense them!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Tammi :hugs:, I don't fit into Numbers, It's Just who I am, And it's just what I Do, >Orchid**0:daydreaming:0**

[Traci H]

I find myself in 2 and 3, but perhaps something else too. I like that when dressed or partial dressed, I like that I am different than most everybody else. Like if I?m drab and wearing a purse, Im not like those other drab guys, but still not a woman. I can grab what I want and not follow the norms. Not really a sexual kink.

Seems to make me think I am not just following the crowd. I can do what I like!

Something along those lines anyways.

[Debs]

Definitely number 3 for me, I find it so exciting and exhilarating and being out dressed in public gives me such a buzz its just indescribable no words can explain it.

[Erin Lafleur]

Gender euphoria, that's my new favourite term!

[Lana Mae]

#3-well I started there
#2-been there, too
#1-Ahh, feels much better
Hugs Lana Mae

[Gail_veiled]

Gender euphoria, that's my new favourite term!

Erin, I agree!

I'm mostly 2, some 3, very little #1

Keeping with the first two naming conventions, I'd propose renaming #3 to Gender sensoria

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

A little tiny bit of 3, no pun intended. A whole lot of 2. Absolutely none of 1, I know what I am and nothing can change that.

[Monique65]

I started as a strong 3, but as I have aged, and with my wife’s acceptance, I’m more of a 2.

[Sabine7]

#2 and #3 were always true in my case. #1 entered the game quite recently.

[laurajade]

Initially, it was only #3 for me. But as time went on, I started to realize that #2 was a big part of it as well. I treasure the escape from the hum-drum, narrow stereotypes of the modern male.

[Georgina]

I am 4 but 3 covers a lot.

[SaraLin]

Mostly the first, but with a dash of the third.
But then, what girl doesn't want to feel a little sexy once in a while?

[_jenni_]

Started out 1?accepted 2 was as close as it would ever get?and 3 always had a presence.

[DanielleDubois]

Reading all the responses to this so far and also having read about the life experiences of a lot of people on this forum I think it reinforces the idea it is difficult to pigeoen hole many of us strictly into one of the 3 choices and like many things there is a spectrum our personal crossdresing lives fall into. For me there is absolutely none of number one but certainly a mixture of number two and three but skewing towards number three.

[Kris Burton]

Is there room for a fourth reason? How about Gender Envy? This would be where you admire and are envious of - not in a negative way of course - all things feminine or perceived feminine. This would include not only the feminine form and clothing but the position of women in the social/sexual structure of our society - to become the pursued rather than the pursuer. Not a permanent situation at all, but rather a living out of a fantasy. Through crossdressing you might be able to experience some measure of this.

[Sabine7]

Hi Kris, I agree but for me gender envy is a part of #2.

[JesseVF]

Split between 1 and 2 for me. 3 was only applicable many years ago.
I must say I am quite surprised at the low number of responses claiming #1.

[Jasmine23]

Number 1 has been there from the start, number 2 & 3 came along in my teenage years, as I've gotten older 3 has reduced significantly, 2 has increased and 1 has consistently been there and possibly gotten stronger recently. Similar to Genifer I have no real desire to be manly.

[CDJoyce]

Like most here I'm a mix of 2 and 3. Mostly 3 and has been since I was a teenager but more and more it's the feeling of relaxation that's important.

[Roxy]

definitely number 3 was what got me started down this path. Number two started creeping into to the mix later on.

[SophiaRose]

It started as #2 as a child. If only I understood why! Then came puberty and sexual development...chaos ensued so #3 became the driver. I'm back to #2 and over the years I think #1 started to creep in. There's such a stigma attached to the erotic component of CDing I really struggle with accepting this part of myself which lead to me closeting it for decades. This journey has felt like a roller coaster at times. If it were only as easy as ascribing one of these numbers.

[Jade P]

Love dressing and feeling feminine. Have dysphoria with body hair. Need to be smooth

[AllieBellema]

A combination of the first two. I've always liked girly stuff despite being a boy so that right there was the early sign that maybe I should have been in a different body. I still like girly stuff up to this day and it's always been hard to explain. As for the other one, well there is a certain relief whenever I take some time to dress up and pose around infront of a mirror. It does relax me and allows me to feel more like myself.

[Taylor Dame]

Started as #3, but now more #2. It still remains a combination of both.

[Sharon budd]

None of the above boxes, sick and tired of people telling me this is where I fit. Why do people think we have to reside in a place that can easily, and lazily, be explained. Just so people can say they are 1, 2 or 3 and that explains everything! This is a spectrum people, we are all somewhere on it. Don't let the muggles, try to compartmentalize us.
Hugs, Sharon x

[alwayshave]

Two as I find dressing euphoric. When I was younger, three was an option, but less so as I age.

[melissalynn]

Count me among the 3's that evolved into a 2.

[tiffyjo]

My start was at #3 a sexual kink. It was that way for many years.

The last 10 years or so it is now all a #2 as a gender euphoria. I wear panties every day as they fit me better than any men's underwear ever have. I wear a bra in the cooler months as I have "B" cup breasts that are natural and have had since my early teens. I've been divorced for 10 years, so that is a reason I can.

[Rochal Tukque]

I agree this is at best a generally of something that is a very individual journey. But in the most general terms. I was a 3 before the age of knowing the so-called kink of it. I got caught a couple of times and beat for it. That only made me better at hiding my unexplained attraction. My 2 years have fallen to just plain old comfort. With years of a lower back injury thin waste jeans riding right in the worst possible position. I found the girl high wasted tights, leggings skirts just plain old felt better to wear. My senior years in the feminine has been better accepted in caregiver role for a wife with dementia. It?s really hard to pigeonhole one individual journey.
Hugs Rochal

[KymG]

Ive always been somewhere between 2 and 3.
At the moment its far nearer 2 but 3 is still there, but 2 is more important to me.
I enjoy 3 all the same but its more of an secondary reason i suppose, as in the urge to dress up is firmly in section 2,

Its more like 2, but 3 kicks in at the end.
Im not sure, who knows, cant describe it any better, its varied over the years, but never section 1.

[GenevieveF]

For me it started as number three and is still the major reason I enjoy dressing. During Covid my wife was design essential and was required to go to work every day. I would dress and stay dressed afterwords. I?m self employed, work from home so I would stay dressed.

My creativity increased, I got more done and was less stressed. When zooming with clients I would wear the collared shirt, tie and jacket for the camera, pencil skirt, stockings or pantyhose and stilettos for me. With very careful camera angles, I even gave presentations.i wore makeup for a better camera image.

Can’t dress as often as I like but I have a pair of stilettos under my desk that I slip on to boost my creativity.

I guess I float between 2 and 3.

[Bea_]

It's not dysphoria since I've never wanted to be a woman or to even look like one (except I wouldn't mind a bit more boobage)

It's not euphoria, or at least not gender euphoria. I like the look and feel of the clothes but there's nothing that makes me want to be a woman.

The only way it could be a kink would be if my wife appreciated my preferred femme/androgynous/freestyle taste. It seems my only real fantasies come when I imagine her showing real appreciation.

I was never particularly manly. Average looking. Hard worker but not particularly ambitious in a way that a woman could be proud to be with. Nothing special. I always appreciated women in a way that women would never likely appreciate me. I find that when I wear the things I like to wear, it just gives me an internal sense of value. Other peoples opinion about my taste really doesn't seem that much worse than their opinions of me in drab. At least I don't feel invisible to myself.

I have severe ADHD and am waiting to get an austism evaluation and both likely play into my outsider nature. Being odd has been my lifelong experience.

[Raychel]

I am definitely right in the middle with #2
No flexing one way or the other fir me

[Elizabeth G]

I probably began, decades ago in my youth, as a #2. These days I'm a solid #1. I would transition today if there weren't familial constraints.

[Misty Rae Pleasure]

The early years were definitely the third but now the second is equally important. Most of all I just like how all the feminine clothes makes me look and how they feel on me. I'm so different from when I am a guy.

[Victoria_lives]

Definitely Gender dysphoria for me! I feel so complete dressed as a woman. But I also think there's a little bit of sexual kink...

[Fiona Lindum]

Definitely 2 for me.

[Heather76]

I would guess 90% 2 and 10% 3.

[DAVIDA]

We are now into the third page of responses, and the OP has not even looked at the first one since asking the question.

[Michelle1955]

Number 1 - 100% started at 4 or 5 years old. Best guess
But family, etc prevents full transitioning / full time dressing.
Wife knows arrived 47 years.

[Stephanie47]

I really do not like it when something that is complex is suppose to fall into a certain check off box. It's like choosing what is behind one of the doors on a popular game show. I think each man and woman is born with some genetic makeup of the opposite sex in their dna chain. In some people it is more than somebody else. Perhaps, some external stimuli or a change in body chemistry prompts a change in behavior that is out of the norm of societal expectations.

[Bruce64]

I like the sexual kink one, sensation, fabric feel up, it all started there, but isn't it something much deeper that we could never understand, I have many Sisters and I had a good time with their make up but I never wore make up

[Erica G]

Started out as #3, but as time went on #2 crept in also. Now I'm firmly somewhere between #1 and #2. I now carry a purse with me all the time and have a hard time not leaving the house in girl mode. It seems #1 is getting stronger by the day. Presenting as a woman is becoming more normal for me.

[abby054]

It is an escape. For a few hours, I put my stressful male life away and become someone completely different and carefree. No dysphoria, no kink, just a little peace and rest before entering the fray again. I enjoy the fray but I enjoy the escape also.

[Allee]

I?m new to all this never talked to anyone about CD , family would freak , daughters would not speak to me. Have lots of questions but No answers 😞 I kinda agree about just shutting off the Noise from being a Man and I like women?s clothes!🤭

[Anna Bella]

Started as i child... now are my form of expression. Appearing to be a woman relaxing me and my soul.

[CynthiaD]

I think that trying to fit everyone into 3 categories is very limiting. Admittedly, it?s a fun exercise, but really! I dress like a woman because it?s correct. It?s like when I was in the army.,I?d come home, remove my uniform, and put on civilian clothes. Male clothing is a uniform I wear to do certain things. I wear female clothing to relax and be myself.

[Bea_]

Cynthia, I agree with both points, although I think the questions help to get a dialog going. I don't fit the given answers. I do think the uniform analogy is accurate.

[CynthiaD]

Yes, Bea_, this thread has led to much dialog, and much self reflection. Both are good things. Some mornings, I stand in my closet looking at my dresses, trying to pick an outfit for the day, and I think to myself, "This is nuts!" But then I spot just the right dress and put it on. It’s good to reflect on this. It’s hard to put into words, but once I put on my wig and a dab of lipstick, I know why I do this. It’s fun, and necessary, to reflect on why.

[Mtoffee]

I'm definitely #3 as I'm irresistibly drawn to female clothes (what I really mean is lingerie, with a preference for retro - may well be inherited from my childhood, looking at my mother undressed and later when I discovered the thrill of dressing myself in borrowed items!). Much pleasure from feeling the silky fabrics and the excitement of wearing garter-belts and stockings, soft and sexy panties and a comfortable bra! This hasn't decreased with age; quite the contrary, but to be fair number 2 is also very important: dressing up is always a release from all kinds of pressures and brings happiness. Also the escape from eternal masculine clothes, sometimes for hours and hours! When plagued by all sorts of hassles, dressing up is the only thing that really lets me "escape" and feel relaxed; totally detached from stressful thoughts.
I'm lucky to have a wife who's pretty tolerant, but know I must stop at doing full make up, hair, dresses and shoes. But I have to admit getting a huge kick out of dressing in as much sexy lingerie as possible and going out "hiding" inside my masculine clothes!
There you go; I've probably said much more than I meant to on the subject. I hope it gives some of you encouragement!:o:o

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

We are now into the third page of responses, and the OP has not even looked at the first one since asking the question.

Some people just like to start things but aren't interested in what happens next.

[@tammileetilliso]

All responses have been read and are still being read. There was a delay due to illness and hospitalization of a close relative.
Thank you for everyone's opinion.

[Sabine Janus]

"kink isn't bad, its just less accepted by society"

Its ironic- most everyone alive has their "Kink" but judge everyone else's harshly.

[Celine 9]

I like to cross dress to relax myself or goto my female side mode. Also, I do go outside crossdressed when weather permits and when I am home alone. In addition to that, I went outside as Wonder Woman and Super girl. To sum it up in a nutshell, I crossdress when I have time for it.

[NaughtyMichelle]

Sign me up for a little of #2 and a lot of #3.