CD/TG tendencies running in families?

[Starla]

Without opening the whole "nature vs. nurture" can o'worms, has anyone heard of closely related males (father/son, brother/brother, etc.) both independently developing a desire to crossdress?

I was told a story that the teller swore was true (she knew the people involved personally). A single father raising a teenage son. Both crossdressing behind the other's back. Until the day the son opened the wrong drawer, and found some foundation garments that he knew were not his.

Long story short, at the time this tale was related to me, the father was still a happy and active crossdresser (officer in a Tri-Ess chapter, IIRC), and the son transitioned at an early age, and was now his daughter!

Again, purely anecdotal, and we're not establishing any scientific evidence for the genetic component of transgenderism, but has anyone heard of similar situations?

[Angie G]

Yes my dad dressed. He never knew I knew And didn't know I did.
Angie

[RADER]

I had a Brother, Now it my second Sister.
He had SRS overseas about 18 years ago. I did not know until much
later. My mother new, but did not tell anyone until he came out one
day at a family party waring a one piece fem bathing suit. That was a
cold bucket of water in your face. I would never suspect that he would
even cross-dress, much less go the hole 9 yards. Rader

[Misty G]

Yep know of happening in a couple of cases Bro/bro father/son

[Julogden]

I once met a TS girl who had 2 other TS "sisters". Of her siblings (3 males-at-birth), 2 of them were TS, so counting her, 3 of 4 male children in her family turned out to be MTF TS's.

Carol

[LitaKelley]

I don't know of any TG issues in my own family, but there's definitely issues in the family, lol

I am TG, have a lesbian sister and a gay cousin

[Bethany38]

I know my Grandfather was a crossdresser. he died before I was born so I know he had no influence in my upbringing.

[DebsUK]

I've heard a couple of things about my grandfather that make me suspect. I've heard my relatives have seen a picture of him in a dress and also that he had a habit of burning off the hair onm his arms which seems an odd thing for a man to do otherwise. My Gran, his wife, also seemed keen on crossdressers as she was a huge fan (I mean bigger than you might expect) of drag acts like Hinge and Bracket. They both dies years ago so I may never know

[Lilaka Ananda]

I don't know if this is un-P.C. around here, but clearly, there is a very specific schema in the brain for crossdressing. We all more or less fall into the same category, with a whole lot of variation within it, of course. It makes sense that crossdressing would have a genetic component, if not be entirely genetic, with environmental factors determining how much it gets expressed.

[RADER]

I don't know if this is un-P.C. around here, but clearly, there is a very specific schema in the brain for crossdressing. We all more or less fall into the same category, with a whole lot of variation within it, of course. It makes sense that crossdressing would have a genetic component, if not be entirely genetic, with environmental factors determining how much it gets expressed.

All along I thought it was something in the water. I got a notice once that our
city water had Radium in it; Now I wonder???? Rader

[Starla]

All along I thought it was something in the water. I got a notice once that our
city water had Radium in it; Now I wonder????

No, that's not why you crossdress, but it may explain why you glow in the dark.....

[sallyfields]

My late husband use to dress and his father who he never really knew he died when he was young father 32 son 6 use to dress to.

[linnea]

When I saw a picture of my grandfather in a dress when he was about three years old, I thought that maybe there was a family connection. But in my grandfather's early childhood it was the norm for little boys and little girls to wear dresses until they were about 5 or 6.
I don't know that any other family were crossdressers or TG or TS. I do think that it's mostly a matter of "nature" however; there's plenty of compelling evidence for that (hoping that in writing this I haven't plopped this thread into the can of worms that you wanted to avoid).

[LisaM]

I have met a former father and son at SCC for a number of years that have both transitioned. Both ladies were at SCC this year. I don't know how they learned about each other. Maybe someone hear on the forum who was at SCC would know.

[katrinakat]

wow, what an interesting thread. I've always wondered if my macho older brother might share the same femme desires I do. I'm pretty much out for the most part, but I don't dress in front of my brothers. I'd prefer to be the only QUEEN in the fam(ly)! I'm totally intrigued by this. Thanks for the post STARLA!

to be continued...

[DebsUK]

I don't know if this is un-P.C. around here, but clearly, there is a very specific schema in the brain for crossdressing. We all more or less fall into the same category, with a whole lot of variation within it, of course. It makes sense that crossdressing would have a genetic component, if not be entirely genetic, with environmental factors determining how much it gets expressed.

I'm not so sure. The crossdressing in other parts of the world (Far East, S America) seems more associated with TS girls or effeminate gay men who often work in the sex industry. Mind you I did see a thing about some Indian guys CDing for the fun of it one time. This phenomenom of crossdressing to present as female purely for the purpose of presenting as female and not attract male partners seems a society thing in the West. Saying that, the predisposition to triggers leading to crossdress may be nature rather than nurture

[Lilaka Ananda]

I'm not so sure. The crossdressing in other parts of the world (Far East, S America) seems more associated with TS girls or effeminate gay men who often work in the sex industry.

It may be that those people don't have the same avenues of expression that we do. It may be that in their culture, the categories are limited to those you mention, whereas here, we have additional categories (in the closet, out and straight, only with my life partner) that may just not be available to them.

[Vickie_CDTV]

Outside of some very vague and unproven speculation there is no one transgendered on either side of my family, or who showed any kind of blatently obvious cross-gender expression. For that matter there is no one that I know of who is gay, outside of a female first cousin (and even then it is somewhat speculation and she has never admitted to being a lesbian.) Both parents know I dress, the extended family has no idea as far as I know. I often wonder if they think I might be gay, except for my mother everyone in my family thinks I have NEVER been involved with a woman and I am in my 30s.

There is extensive mental illness on both sides of my family, and extensive (non-sexual) physical/verbal/emotional abuse on both sides of my family (both parents were victims of abuse, as am I from my father.) I am very much the archtypical TV they write about in the shrink journals; villian father, comforting mother, identified with mother and not father, etc. etc. etc. Short of dressing me as a girl when I was young, it was the ideal breeding ground to create a TV son. Since there is no evidence of others in my family being TG, and therefore no possible genetic link, I can only assume it was nurture that did it to me (as does my mother.)

[Starla]

Short of dressing me as a girl when I was young, it was the ideal breeding ground to create a TV son. Since there is no evidence of others in my family being TG, and therefore no possible genetic link, I can only assume it was nurture that did it to me (as does my mother.)

I know I stated at the outset of this thread that I didn't want it to delve into the minefield of nature vs. nurture, but...oh, well -- here's my two cents. I firmly believe that is not "either/or," but "both/and." This is based on the notion that there are likely many males who experienced an almost identical scenario of upbringing and experience as did you, who never have even the slightest inclination towards crossdressing. While I don't think there is a "crossdressing gene" per se, I think that there is some factor, or perhaps multiple factors, in our genetic makeup that makes us inclined toward that means of expression, given the right environmental triggers and cultural setting. Not that the link is automatic or inevitable, but that something in our makeup simply makes us more likely to go down that road. And the cultural differences Debs cites in her post above are a big part of it as well. The way a culture or society traditionally views women, and their role; differing concepts of "masculinity" and "femininity," and even cultural aspects of dress and adornment, all provide very different environments in which the genetic factors influence behavior. If transgendered behavior and identity were totally genetic, then there should be a pretty constant percentage of crossdrsssers worldwide, throughout all cultures. But as this is obviously not the case, one cannot deny that environment plays a critical role.

[zoe m]

I'm not so sure. The crossdressing in other parts of the world (Far East, S America) seems more associated with TS girls or effeminate gay men who often work in the sex industry. Mind you I did see a thing about some Indian guys CDing for the fun of it one time. This phenomenom of crossdressing to present as female purely for the purpose of presenting as female and not attract male partners seems a society thing in the West. Saying that, the predisposition to triggers leading to crossdress may be nature rather than nurture

Like you say I think the triggers are more in nature but how it gets expressed is different in each place. I have a hunch that in places where there isn't the concept of CD/TVs, people either keep it in the closet (if it's not that strong) or go into one of the communities that do exist (TS, gay, etc.).

[Lilaka Ananda]

While I don't think there is a "crossdressing gene" per se, I think that there is some factor, or perhaps multiple factors, in our genetic makeup that makes us inclined toward that means of expression, given the right environmental triggers and cultural setting.

My current pet theory is that certain parts of our brains were feminized by exposure to estrogen in the womb. That's how I explain myself. I'm a biological male with some brain parts that are female.

[Chiana]

I know that my Dad's brother was whispered about behind his back as being gay and his son received a dishonorable discharge because of homosexuality. I NEVER suspected anything about my Dad but it was kind of strange that many of his personal things (like his slide rule, for instance) became pink tinted. He said it was something chemical in his system that caused everything white to turn pink. Another cousin openly wore girls clothes and had long permed hair until he was about 8 or 9 years old. Is there a connection? I don't know.......

[Paula Siemen]

Its been my thoughts that my CD tendencies are based upon the theory of fetal hormonal conditions, from the Mother. I've read some articles stating that during gestation that certain chemicals or hormones around the fetus effect it to cause a tendency to be either gay, CD or TS. I have no other evidence of my siblings having any of these tendencies, only myself and from predomenently the age of puberty. I pretty much know that my mother smoked and drank alcohol during her preganacy with me as she was a modest drinker and smoker from as early as I can remeber (wife of a military officer..lots of parties and such). Anyway, as far as I know, neither my father or my mother know/knew of my early cross dressing, although my mother certainly ran across several instances where my CD'ing must have been obvious, but never questioned if I was CD'ing. My family upbringing of the 1950-60's was pretty much a normal (what's normal...really?), as there was no physical or sexual abuse, although fairly strick rules of behaviour, no divorce or estrangement or any other obvious signs of parental negative influences. Both my parents were loving and supportive in our (siblings) childhood activities, stressing good grades, participation in band and other music and artistic activities. I'm completely of the mind that my CD activities and expression are of the nature causes.

[KarenCDFL]

I don't know if this is un-P.C. around here, but clearly, there is a very specific schema in the brain for crossdressing. We all more or less fall into the same category, with a whole lot of variation within it, of course. It makes sense that crossdressing would have a genetic component, if not be entirely genetic, with environmental factors determining how much it gets expressed.

I have read about this phenomena many times before.

I have most noted how many cross dressers are involved in engineering. the higher sciences, Computers etc.

[kym]

the timing of this thread is scarily appropriate for me. I have been crossdressing since an very early age (my mother has found pictures of me at three wearing my grandmothers stockings and pantyhose) Now I'm transgendered and considering hormones. Just the other day I looked at my estranged fathers face book info page and he had this statement on it about himself " i m my girlfriends baby girl" knowing him like I think I do he could be just trying to be funny, or in a subtle way letting on that he too is a crossdresser. Who knows? My father and his siblings were all sexually abused from an early age by my grandfather so they all have issues related to that, my father is an alcoholic to deal with the pain, my aunt is extremely religious and conservative for the same reason, and my uncle is religious and Bi sexual as well as, unfortunately, a molester himself. So it stands to reason that genetics have a part in being transgendered for me, couple that with the fact that my father left me and my mother when I was 13, and I understand some of the reasons I am transgendered and very conflicted on the inside.