information request

[aynsley_angel]

I am a third year journalism student and am planning a piece on female to male crossdressing as i feel that it is an interesting subject but is never covered in the press. I am hoping that someone will be able to give me some information. What is it that makes you cross dress? What made you start doing it? Do friends/ family know or do you keep it hidden? Any information, comments or opinions would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

[CaptLex]

I am a third year journalism student and am planning a piece on female to male crossdressing as i feel that it is an interesting subject but is never covered in the press. I am hoping that someone will be able to give me some information. What is it that makes you cross dress? What made you start doing it? Do friends/ family know or do you keep it hidden? Any information, comments or opinions would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Okay, aynsley, I'll answer your questions, but I hope you'll share your article with us.

What is it that makes you cross dress?
As Lex said, it's a way of expressing my male side - the side most people can't see. It's also a lot more comfortable for me to dress in male clothing. Female clothing is very uncomfortable for me - especially dress/skirt, hose and heels.

What made you start doing it?
I don't remember making a conscious effort to start crossdressing, but I know I started when I was old enough to buy my own clothes (early teens), since my parents didn't approve of it and wouldn't buy masculine clothes for me.

Do friends/ family know or do you keep it hidden?
Everyone has seen what I wear, but most people don't comment on it. Every once-in-a-while someone will ask me if I own a skirt, but people who have known me forever know the answer to that. And sometimes I will get compliments on my ties (mostly from women). So yeah, they know I do, but they don't necessarily know why. I suspect they think it's an extension of my eccentricity, not my transgenderism.

Hope this helps.

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

If you'll excuse a MTF chiming in here, you might find the work of Aaron Devor useful for background info. Devor is a transman (formerly Holly Devor) and sociologist who's studied FTMs for much of his career and has a number of his papers posted on his site. Intersexed transman Raven Kaldera also has some writings that I've found insightful (albeit, I can only base this on his thoughts about MTFs and about masculinity).

Incidentally, historically FTMs were not uncommon -- and tacitly often accepted -- in Western societies since it was seen as "natural" that women would want to pass as men to gain greater independence and social status. The Bulloughs' "Cross Dressing, Sex, and Gender" provides several chapters worth of examples over the centuries. Both this bias and the fact that women have appropriated men's clothing (making it far less noticeable that they're "crossdressing") is probably one reason you don't see much written about it.

[aynsley_angel]

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone who has given me information. I will post a copy of the article when it is finished and will definitely let you know if it gets published. Thanks again.

[aynsley_angel]

just to check before anyone sues me...is it ok for me to use your actual names or would you rather i changed them?

[mistunderstood]

You could use the name of Aaronmicheal for me.

[CaptLex]

just to check before anyone sues me...is it ok for me to use your actual names or would you rather i changed them?

By "actual name" I assume you mean the one I use here, and not the one my mother gave me. Yeah, that's fine.

[Kimberley]

Yeah, Marlena is right. FTM crossdressing has sorta been mashed into the female spectrum thing. With chicks people are okay for them to range from very girly to tomboy. But with guys the spectrum thing isn't as broad, people just want them to be masculine. So I guess that's why MTF's are more recognised. *Shrug*

Can't wait to read your article.

*********
Hi Lex,
You are quite right. It is also why we are so easily targeted I think. You could go into any store dressed any way you want and not likely get a second look. We dont have that same luxury, and the more "frilly" we go the stranger the looks. And that doesnt matter if you are drab or not. The case in point.
I did a couple of "boudoir shoots" over the last couple of weeks. The GG's wanted something special so I just added it to the bill. Go to the lingerie boutique and the manager didnt even blink. The younger girls were obviously aghast. Didn't matter that there was a company PO. The look was "Ewwww he's one of those!" I just wanted to scream but instead looked at the one and asked her if she would like to model some lingerie for a boudoir shoot for her b/f. Shut her up pretty quickly and she was then dubious. (I loved it)
Oh well, social taboos remain but we will change minds, one at a time! (I can dream cant I?)

[Abraxas]

What is it that makes you cross dress?
I'm a transgenderist, so I feel that the way I present myself is a more direct interpretation of what's on the inside.

What made you start doing it?
Not exactly sure. All I know is I was definitely drawn to the male sided of things (not justthe wardrobe but everything in general) since i was very young (2 or 3). By the time I was able to pick out my own clothes (7 or 8), I headed straight for the boys section and have never looked back.

Do friends/ family know or do you keep it hidden?
Most of my family and all of my friends know. My immediate family know, because, well, it's obvious. I dress 24/7. Actually, my entire family (obviously) know i crossdress, it's just I haven't told all of them why (the transgenderism thing) because I don't feel that it's really any of their business. My friends, yeah-- I'm open with them from the get-go, always.

And-- you can call me Abraxas in the thing. Totally cool with me.

[Gabriel]

For the most part, ditto what the others have said. Some difference may be that I'm not male enough mentally (even if I try to pretend I am). The desire to look and act unfeminine is the same as others though. Since I'm CDing fulltime, can't really hide the issue. Just that I don't go overboard in my parents' face. (This is not my real name, so relax. )

[aynsley_angel]

hey everyone just nother quick question if you don't mind. some of you have said but can i just ask how old you all were when you started to feel that you didn't want to be looked at as women? thanks a lot.

[CaptLex]

hey everyone just nother quick question if you don't mind. some of you have said but can i just ask how old you all were when you started to feel that you didn't want to be looked at as women? thanks a lot.

Hi again, aynsley:

To answer your question, my earliest recollection was at age 4-1/2 in Kindergarten. Of course, at that age I didn't know anything about gender identity, I just knew I wanted to play with the boys and their toys and couldn't relate to the girls at all. I was very frustrated that the teacher kept steering me back to the girls' side of the room (this was in the 60's when things were more "traditional"), but she did relent one day and (only for that day) said I could play with the boys if I wanted to. That was the first of just a few small victories I've had since then, but it was encouraging.

Feel free to ask anything else.

[mistunderstood]

Well I am 35 and makeing the steps towards living full time as a man. I think we e-mailed.