We have enough "raw material"

[marie354]

Well, I think we have enough "raw material" here for a semi-scientific poll. Why doesn't someone start a thread with a poll asking how many CDs here crossdress due to societal pressures on men and/or have been influenced by changing roles in society the past several decades? This may answer the question once and for all.

I'm quoting the captain here, but I think it's a good point.

So...

Do you do it because of the pressures of society?
OR...
Because of the changing roles in society?

[Barb Valentine]

No
I do it because I like the way the cloths feels
Against my skin

[Kate Simmons]

I think mine started out from the perceived pressures from society Sandy but now I do it for a completely different reason altogether (for balance) and because I just want to but don't have to.:happy:

[Marla S]

Considering my age having the first TG experiences, I knew nothing about changing roles.
Hence changing roles shouldn't be an argument for me.

Social Pressure ?
Hard to tell, because with 5 years of age you already have a good feeling and "knowledge" about the gender roles (otherwise you couldn't have TG issues), but I doubt that one is able to judge this in terms of social pressure.

One thing that latley quite often comes to mind is the "not being able to identify or even being repelled with/by masculinity".
Because the only other option is feminity, this could be an important part of feeling more attracked to feminity.

Maybe
"I feel like a woman" --> I want to look like a woman" --> "I want to be a woman" --> "I am a woman"
is just a more positive sounding translation of
"I don't feel like a man" -->I don't want to look like a man" --> "I don't want to be a man" ---> "I am not a man".

Would make sense to me, because I can't pretend to know what a woman feels.

[Angie G]

I do it because I like it and I can :hugs:
Angie

[amanda barber]

I started down this path long Before I knew what "pressures of society" or "changing roles in society" or even what society was for that matter so I'd say they are pretty irrelevent to why I dress.

[marie354]

Well it's starting to look like the captain was right. This is going to be a good thread.

Thanks CaptLex!

I can remember way back when I was a pipsqueek I pointed at a girl and told my mom that it was a guy. She told me that some of them are a lot nicer than some of the girls. Well... It seems that she was right after all.

For me the only pressure I've experienced has been negative from society as far as crossdressing was concerned. It wasn't until later in life that I realized crossdressing was a part of me.

I'd have to say it has been a little of both for me.

[noname]

Given the limited choices I'd say changing rolls in society. Women wear what they want and why shouldn't I? What am? A second class citizen!!! :Angry3:

[Daintre]

I have to agree with Amanda, I was a preteen when I started dressing. I did it because something inside me had to do it. Society pressure? well maybe, I did want the same attention from my father as my sister got. I had overheard two girls talking to a boy about him dressing as a girl and it sparked something in me, I wanted to be dressed also and so it began. So yes, I wanted what my sister had, I wanted to dress in silky clothes, and finally, I did not like my "boy" self.

[Kali]

The only impact societal pressures have on my dressing is the fact that they stop me from walking out the door when fully dressed.

I look at myself in a mirror and realize I don't make an attractive woman, but my mind realizes how comfortable and right being dressed feels.

If it was socially acceptable, I would often appear in public dressed. But the pressure that doesn't allow me to do that isn't what drives my crossdressing.

[MJ]

Considering my age having the first TG experiences, I knew nothing about changing roles.
Hence changing roles shouldn't be an argument for me.

Social Pressure ?
Hard to tell, because with 5 years of age you already have a good feeling and "knowledge" about the gender roles (otherwise you couldn't have TG issues), but I doubt that one is able to judge this in terms of social pressure.

One thing that latley quite often comes to mind is the "not being able to identify or even being repelled with/by masculinity".
Because the only other option is feminity, this could be an important part of feeling more attracked to feminity.


Maybe
"I feel like a woman" --> I want to look like a woman" --> "I want to be a woman" --> "I am a woman"
is just a more positive sounding translation of
"I don't feel like a man" -->I don't want to look like a man" --> "I don't want to be a man" ---> "I am not a man".
Would make sense to me, because I can't pretend to know what a woman feels.

i like your idea but i think Marla is right , from my point of view as well
this is a hard question to answer you see there are those of us who have known from an Early age we should have been born girls and i am one who feels this way very strongly; but then again why do those who cross dress but don't want hrt or surgery
but i don't feel that i fit either of the options sorry
hugs

[RobertaFermina]

I recommend looking at all the responses to this thread *and then* formulating a poll questionnaire.

I do it because the pressures of society are less for me now than before.
I have the personal freedom and income and latitude within my personal relationships to do what I want, especially that which I feared to do as a younger partnered father and engineer in a conservative, dysfunctional family.

Pressure is off...it is PlayTime!

And - I feel the social freedom here in No. California!

:rose: Roberta :rose:

[Kimberley]

Neither. Being TG just is... no reasons or excuses. It just is.

:hugs:
Kimberley

[Teresa Amina]

Just the TG thing here, stung by that Wannabee at an early age

[jennin]

I never had any problems dealing with life's pressures (type A personality). For me it's just what I want to do.

[Roxi Loh]

I dont do it because of societal pressure but more the pressure of wanting to dress in women's clothes. I don't think I was a woman trapped in mans body and I dont want to be a woman full time. I love the mystical transformation to another person. Plus I love how the clothes feel on my skin. The feel, smell taste of the makeup.

[Mona]

For me being a CD is in part a response to pressures and expectation put on males by our culture, pressure I've handled rather well but at least part of me objects to. Also, I really like being pretty and sexy in ways my male self was never allowed to be.

[CDTiffany]

Hey, I was 7 or 8 years old, I was in the bath tub, and when I got out, I felt the urge to put on my moms green bikini, that was hanging on the towel rack.
Dont ask me, It is me, And I used to wonder why, but not any more.
I am a crossdresser, and i love it.
XOXO Tiffany

[Roxi Loh]

For me being a CD is in part a response to pressures and expectation put on males by our culture, pressure I've handled rather well but at least part of me objects to. Also, I really like being pretty and sexy in ways my male self was never allowed to be.Well said Mona...I agree with being pretty in ways we cannot do as males.

[Trisha]

i dress because i like it i need it and it makes me feel normal to a point but hay bring back glam rock any day oh what fun we had hehehe :D

[marie354]

The pressures aren't coming from society as much as they are coming from myself anymore and I think that my role will be changing more than it has already.

You gals have spelled out some very insiteful answers. Wow!

[tanya3]

I do it because I like it and I can :hugs:
Angie

i couldn't have said it better myself

[Suzie S.]

I think both reasons may have influenced me, possibly a bit more because of the pressures of society. I've spent so much time trying to piece together the reasons why I do it. Now I just do it without thinking of why. I just know I need to do it. :happy:

[Mary Jane]

I dress because it is fun and enjoyable.

[Tina B.]

I started way before the male roll started to change. So thats not it, pressure, no there was none. I just heard the wisper of nyon calling me, and it would have been rude not to answer.
Tina B.

[Kristen Kelly]

i like your idea but i think Marla is right , from my point of view as well
this is a hard question to answer you see there are those of us who have known from an Early age we should have been born girls and i am one who feels this way very strongly; but then again why do those who cross dress but don't want hrt or surgery
but i don't feel that i fit either of the options sorry
hugs

For me I started at 5 but not untill 18 months ago did I find who I am. GRS at my age its now or never, Hrt yes. My age and my own pushing myself is the only pressure in life I have, 20 years ago if times were different and I know what I know now I'd be 24/7 and snipped.

[Marcie Sexton]

I do it because I love the feel of being femme...

The clothes, makeup, shoes, and the over all feeling of being female

[RONNI@HOME]

I first started dressing up at age ten and neither of those questions were part of my consciousness back then, but I knew it to be right and okay. I went a long time without CDing after I hit my teens. I don't think of what I do as role-playing; rather dressing my feminine side. I wear my work clothes and split wood and then my lingerie to feel my soft self. Women's clothing is fabulous and I have always thought so. As a young boy I was envious of the choices and colors, etc. Society is not changing anytime soon about this although in so many other countries, IE: the middle east, africa, etc, they wear what most american men would consider dresses. Ronni.

I started wearing pretty things at age ten and it felt so right. I was envious as a boy and since that women's clothing came in so many styles and colors, the jewelry and assessories, all so much more than was offered to boys and men. I love myself, masculine and feminine. I don't consider what I do role-playing either. I dress my male self in one way and my feminine self in another. The pressures from society is to stay in the closet.

[btmgrl6]

I do it because i also feel that i was born a woman in a man's body...

[ArleneRaquel]

I do it because I love the feel of being femme...

The clothes, makeup, shoes, and the over all feeling of being female

I could not have expressed it any better. :love: & :hugs: Trina - Sexy Broad

[Satrana]

Because most of us started as children, it could not be a conscious effect of changing society roles which we were essentially oblivious to. However, it is certainly possible that the society pressure to grow up and become a certain type of man is partly responsible. We all experienced considerable peer pressure from an early age to conform to our assigned gender.

Marla and I concur on this point. We all focus on femininity because that is what attracts us and gets us excited, but we mostly fail to recognize that as children the initial starting point was most probably an unconscious rejection of the male role model that we were expected to grow into, which naturally resulted in an increased awareness and desire for the only other available gender role model - femininity. And once we were hooked, the rest was history.

[valdor]

I used to ask myself,why should women have the choice of all that lovely silky sexy underwear and we men are left with dull cottons?so I then thought if women can wear nice underwear so can I,so started buying them and wearing them.
Vlerie.

[JoAnnDallas]

Crossdressing is not sexual to me. I enjoy dressing as a woman, wearing nice clothing, hose, heels, makeup, and wig. I just feel content when dressed.

[Lovely Rita]

I do it because I love feeling like a girlie girl. Sorry I wish I could give a more substantial answer but that is the simple truth. I just love it. The feel of nylons on my legs and wearing heels. The makeup, the dresses, the panties, the list goes on and on......

[CaptLex]

Do you do it because of the pressures of society?
OR...
Because of the changing roles in society?

Okay, so what's the consensus? Sounds like most people do it because they enjoy it, not because of societal pressures or roles. Is this about right? :happy:

[suchacutie]

Expressing my feminine side is a challenge, it is exciting, it is so different from my male self, it clearly helps me understand my wife better, it's something we can do together, and the bottom line is that it is such a mental pleasure! Society has absolutely nothing to do with it. Tina is personal and couldn't give a rat's a** about what society thinks!

tina

[marie354]

Okay, so what's the consensus? Sounds like most people do it because they enjoy it, not because of societal pressures or roles. Is this about right? :happy:

Yup! Pardner... That's 'bout it, it seems.
I'm glad you inspired me enough to post this, though you deserve the credit for the idea.

[CaptLex]

Yup! Pardner... That's 'bout it, it seems.
I'm glad you inspired me enough to post this, though you deserve the credit for the idea.
Well, it might have been my idea, but you actually did it. Team effort! And I learned a lot from it too.

[Maria2004]

I've given up responding to any serious surveys, since they all appear to be rigged (to explode). But since this is a "semi serious scientific survey" I thought I'd take a peek...and....same old, same old (sigh). In future surveys perhaps one can add the semi serious question "Are you like, into EMO?"

:love:

[Satrana]

Okay, so what's the consensus? Sounds like most people do it because they enjoy it, not because of societal pressures or roles. Is this about right? :happy:

Except gender and clothing is defined by society, so in some shape or form society is always involved, you cannot remove it from the equation. We do not live in a vacumn, we are exposed to society pressures every second of our lives.

Many say they do not know why they crossdress at all, so people are oblivious to the inner workings of their mind which does not illuminate the forces behind it. For example, why are they happy to do this? Why should this give them happiness?

We evolved to focus on things which are good for us which in turn make us happy. Things which are bad for us make us unhappy. But what possible benefit is there for a man to be happier wearing a skirt instead of pants and vice versa? If there are no obvious physical/social reasons for this happiness to exist then we need to turn to societal conditioning for the answer.

[DawnRodgers]

Primarily curiosity. I was in my early teens and home alone after school and before my parents came home. I always explored the house and one day I was lookinf in mnt parents closet, saw my moms shoes and some nylons, found a girdle put them on and, well I loved the feeling, the look and I have been a TV every since. Had some periods of inactivity but that was mostly because of a lack of clothes and shoes that fit me. So call it serendipity, God's plan - now I would rather be Dawn than anything else.