Why is it mostly a male thing??

[Tinkerbell-GG]

I've been given so much great information here since joining and read some fascinating threads (thanks Isha, Jenniferathome and many others for helping me see this another way) There's just one nagging question I had to put to you all before I give up trying to understand all this and go live life with my H instead

Why don't more women crossdress?? (Or put another way, why DO more men crossdress than women?)

I mean, I vividly recall moments in my life when I thought being a boy would be SO much better. I didn't want to wear the restrictive dresses and shoes or sit like a 'little lady' while the boys climbed trees. I wanted to climb one as well! Then, enter the monthly nightmare all GGs are forced to live with and I swear that day I looked at my carefree male cousins frolicking in the sea (yep, we were on vacation, just to make the whole thing worse!) and I was done. I wanted to be a boy because boys got to stay the same!

But, I guess I got over it? I mean, I never tried my father's clothes. I never even thought of presenting as a boy even though my curiosity sounds similar to many here. I actually think I hated being a girl on these days more than some here hated being a boy. (And once a month I feel it all over again!) And I will always wonder what it's like to live the more carefree, hormone-free life of a male. But I still never started crossdressing.

Why???

(Of course, if you can answer this, you've probably solved the whole thing and we can close the forum and all go home, lol)

[Babbs]

Woman/girls can dress as men everyday, and they do, and no one notices because its the norm. Jeans, t-shirt and sneakers for example, worn by men and woman every day without a second thought...oh no makeup today, no big deal for a woman, just like most men...but put lipstick on a man and watch out.

[Ezekiel]

This is equal to the argument that there are much more MtF transsexuals than there are FtM, atleast on some level.
Some will say here that there is no such difference, that there are as much females as there are males that crossdress, and they will give you the next reasons:

- They go easily unnoticed because females wearing male clothes are much more accepted and overlooked.
- Since males are thought to tend to be more individual and less empathic, they are doing something else than spending time in forums. They equal this to FtM crossdressers as they would have male characteristics such as the ones mentioned, and thats why you don't see many arround here.
- Some will even dare say "Look at butch women!"

My opinion? I think crossdressers are mostly male because of a mix of being unable to dress like a woman and go unnoticed (hence why we think there are more crossdressers on the male side) and because there is a sexual component for many that there isn't in women it seems. So crossdressers are crudely divided this way:

- Sexually driven
- Emotionally, aesthetically or expression driven
- A mix of the above on many degrees.

In females crossdressing goes unnoticed and there does not seem to be a sexually driven variant or mix of FtM CDs.

[PaulaQ]

There are women who present as men - trans men, for example, will present as men while they transition. There are some very butch lesbians who wear significant amounts of male clothing. There are drag kings - lesbian women who impersonate men for performance.

There are fewer trans men than trans women - a lot fewer. Nobody knows why.

Some would argue that there are really NO female CDers, at least not in the same way as there are male CDers. One big difference is that crossdressing for men tends to be highly sexual, at least at first, whereas for women, it's almost entirely a matter of identity.

[Kate Simmons]

We are here to learn about feelings and emotions in the illusion of linear time. This is the way we learn and evolve as a person. Many of us will learn more than others but one of the greatest lessons is that regardless of what we are physically what we are capable of is only limited by our own imagination. What choices we make and how we respond and react to different situations is totally our own choice.

[Rachelakld]

men used to wear the wigs, makeup, tights and jeans long before women, yet for some reason it's okay for women to take these from us and now wear these things, just like it's okay to do what was once mens work (police, military, accounting, managing etc).

Women always take what was once "mans" so which sex is the best or smartest?

Also XY chromosomes are not as stable as XY (or XY is actually a failed XX chromosome)
Remember "the grass is always greener on the other side"?

While women can now climb trees, wear jeans, join the military and do everything men can do, having dual personality means I can do everything they can do as well, including hopefully look pretty

[noeleena]

Hi,

Why do men dress in clothes that represent women, iv heard many thoughts and idear's as to why. yet you know what i do not understand i doubt i will, one reasion being im not a male,

i did think i had a few clues and knew a bit about men what made them the way they are and why they did things like they do so i looked hard at the Psychologically Mentally and Emotionally side of men,

talked to many men spent time discussing , what makes a man the way he is, and more so on the many forums im a member of and in regard to why do men like our clothes ,

you know what because i dont relate to or with men, i have struggled .

I know some women get on well with men and have told me they would rather be around men , no answer for that, i dont know maybe they are wired differently,

I know im different and should be able to see it, nothing.

Go back many years say ya ya youll know what ill say, 1400 to 1700 what did many men dress in then skirts dress's makeup heeled shoes wigs and so on were they trying to be like women or like how a female is or was, they did not wear breast forms and try to look like women,

so a ? that would go with this is when did men start trying to be like women .
i know a few did and some women dressed as men and passed as men till the sexual elliment came into it by force,

So it does come back to the three big words P, M and E, in my line 4,

how a person is hard wired, or mixed wired,

Or as had been said many times men are sexual by sight and thats the turn on, as i had been told any thing with a skirt on is fair game, except they took it further so to be more sexual they dress like a female or woman,
there is a deeper detail to this as well concerning the male brain and how it works as in the stirrings in the sexual nature of most men,

oh well.

...noeleena...

[Ezekiel]

Also XY chromosomes are not as stable as XY (or XY is actually a failed XX chromosome)

We still get that X full of femenine genes. Human males are genetically half females. Maybe this explains the higher ratio of MtFs compared to FtMs? Who knows...

[Lynn Marie]

I'm very simply emulating the women of my dreams. It feels sexy and alluring to be her! My chances are pretty slim of attracting her so I became what I think she is! Minus the hormones and monthly difficulties, etc. Even if I was able to attract this gorgeous woman, my chances of actually being able to happily live with her becomes just about astronomical! A little makeup, lingerie, heels and a dress are so much easier, I don't have to buy her a house, and the divorce is relatively painless. Now that's a dream girl.

[Tinkerbell-GG]

It's true that wearing lipstick makes a man stand out in the crowd. Still, women wear pretty much what they want these days because we broke down those barriers, (you boys really need to get on that! ) yet like Paula pointed out there really are no true crossdressing women as those growing beards and hiding breasts etc are transmen and never were women. The rest of us are just flexing our fashion muscles when we wear pants or shirts - we're not presenting as men.

So maybe the sexual component mentioned here explains this phenomenon? Or, maybe the chromosome explanation is the best? If there were YY men walking the earth, would they be as disinterested in crossdressing as XX women?

Ha, I feel like a mad scientist meddling in human genetics. Maybe we should concoct a YY man, follow him around and see what happens!

Edit: Lynn Marie, I think I like your explanation the best. Who doesn't want a sexy, simplistic relationship! It's just a pity I look as far off George Clooney as you can get, otherwise I might consider this option.

[kimdl93]

My guess is that crossdressing has it's origins in the womb. As a fetus develops, we know it's exposed to various hormones that influence stages of development, mental as well as physical. For a small proportion of fetuses, this hormonal influence may alter the gender identification of the child to some variable extent. Since all fetuses begin as females, this factor tends to be expressed more in males.

[Marcelle]

Hi Tinkerbell,

I personally believe there are a lot more FtM CDers out there than we think. I don't have statistics to back (not like it is a question on the annual stats survey ) I do not include our FtM TS brothers in my response because they are men just trapped in the wrong body so their reasons for dressing are different from a CDer.

I think it is a matter of perception. With the exception of a few very young MtF CDers very few of us truly pass. For most while we can blend close visual inspection reveals we are men. Now it can be argued that for women trying to emulate men it will be just as obvious. However, if you take a 30 something GG, put her in guy clothes, no make-up, cut her hair in a boy fashion, teach her the proper mannerisms, walk and speech, it is likely she will pass quite efficiently as a young man. You can argue what about facial hair? Heck, until I was 22 I barely had to shave a quick run on the chin and just below the lip and I was done. As well, there are lots of guys who genetically have little facial hair. On the other hand there are very few women our there sporting a five o'clock shadow at 2PM and trying desperately to hide it with a ton of foundation. Breast on FtM CDers may cause a bit of problem but then can be bound or hidden (depending on size) under baggy clothing. Crotch area not a big issue as the average male is not packing a "cod piece" sized howitzer which will show in baggy jeans. So aesthetically, I think is far easier for FtM CDer to blend/pass and slip under the radar as younger men or metro dudes. As such, the perception is they are fewer than MtF CDers.

The other aspect could be tolerance. I think society is less tolerant when men deviate from the gender norm than women (I am not talking about sexual preference but gender expression). A guy in a dress no matter how good he looks is just a guy in a dress with make-up on - claxons sounding - pervert, creepy, weirdo . So we MtF CDers are more known that FtM CDers by virtue of us bucking the social norm (hand in your man card boy you be wearing panties ). A woman dressed "en boy" could be just that a young boy or even a woman who likes to wear guy clothes. Highly unlikely anyone is going to notice if a girly looking guy is picking up a package of tighty-whiteys and some runners. However we will all notice the guy in drag rifling through the panty bin and trying on size 11 heels. As such, you are less likely to notice the girl in guy jeans with short hair and no make-up than you are the guy in a dress with a ton of make-up and a wig.

So I personally believe there are more FtM CDers (again not TS) out there than we think. Do they want to be men? Not sure. I guess some like us MtF CDers may start with dressing and move down the TS pathway. Others may do it just because it is fun to do or just feels right. However, I just think they don't get noticed as easy as MtF CDers.

Hugs

Isha

[MissTee]

Good question, Tink. I'm thinking in a small way many do, and we just don't notice as much. Heck, girls even have imitation guys clothes (boy shorts, boyfriend shirts, etc.) I can imagine the stares a guy would get if he showed up at a tailgate party in a soft pink "girlfriend shirt." Likewise, I think girls/women are expected to gender bend a bit. I remember in high school and college we would be at a dance and two girls would dance together and nothing was ever said. They're just girls, right? If two guys danced together it was time to break out the heavy artillery and destroy them and the surrounding area so we didn't all get contaminated. (No offense intended, just how it was/is where I grew up.) I can see where a girl would have to push harder on the gender line to get noticed, too. A full beard, coveralls, combat boots and an affinity for fart jokes would have people wondering, for certain.

Lastly, for all the reasons you mention I do NOT want to be a girl. I just want to dress as one on occasion.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Tinkerbell, I guess that the GGs' just one upped us on the CDing thing.

[Wildaboutheels]

Women [with very few exceptions] are not VISUAL creatures like most men are. [To meet their most basic programming which is to impregnate as many females as possible]

It's just that simple and this site provides INFORMATION in all manner of ways that supports it.

It's true what someone once said. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".

[Sarasometimes]

Women have the freedom to express through their clothing, appearance and activities that show a masculine side that is typically frowned upon when if men do that in a feminine way. Essentially my society encourages masculine behavior by both genders and only feminine behavior and qualities by members of the female gender. Desires for men to do or behave femininely is not looked upon favorably.
A woman can proudly announce that she got a better deal on the men's jeans and top she is wearing. A guy would never get that kind of feedback. My wife walks into Kohl's and the whole apparel inventory is hers to pick through. Not for me (unless I want to be viewed as a Crossdresser.

My spin!

[sometimes_miss]

Evolution also plays a part. Throughout history, males have been depended upon to protect their tribes, or societies. Back in the days of massive hand to hand combat, each man was relied upon to defend both himself and the men on his left and right, as breaking the 'line' of defense would allow the enemy great advantage by attacking from both front and behind. So; female behavior is considered submissive, especially the sexual part. Any male displaying ANYTHING FEMININE would make him suspected of potentially behaving in a submissive way to another man, potentially destroying the tribe he was in. Which is why homosexuality, crossdressing, etc. is all so very bothersome to the average straight man, and also to a lot of women. It is seen as something that could possibly break down their lifestyle, whether they have any direct contact with that man or not. I'm not saying that it's a correct assumption; there are plenty of gay men in the military that would never, ever give way to an enemy and would defend their brothers with their lives. But even the potential that it might happen would mean a greater chance of death to the other guys, so in eliminating ANY possible threat that might get them killed, they simply err on the side of caution, and don't like or trust males who display any effeminate traits (consider the continuation of the armed forces derogitory remarks about new recruits not being tough enough, as being called 'ladies', 'girls', or even 'pussies'); I don't see our society changing much in this way in the near future, as most of the world is still ruled by the same type of masculine war societies that have always existed.
So in this way, it's become acceptable for women to adopt the roles of men, as it's seen as if the man's role is simply more important (and has greater status, it's always desirable to increase one's status) to the societies continued existence, where as if YOUR army overruns the enemy, they kill the males and then take the females as their own. This is in a historical context, not necessarily today, yet less than 100 years ago, both the german and japanese armies killed the existing populations many times when conquering, usually only allowing select females (those who would willingly submit to the incoming army's officers/soldiers) to live.

[Ressie]

Women probably don't get sexually aroused wearing men's clothing. And men do have hormones - just not the same mix that women have.

[Katey888]

I'm in the corner with Kim and Ezekiel on this one... has to be a biological basis...

I feel that the bias is simply too skewed towards the male-->female transform to be purely sociological. It may play a part, but I think this has a biological base in humans where the predominant influence from foundation egg is female... us unlucky males just pick up something left behind genetically, hormonally or chromosomally to have this penchant to carry through life... be a darned sight easier if it wasn't there at all... and yes, on the flip side, women do have hormones to reminder on a frequent and regular basis of their gender...

And what about GG tomboys? Plenty of those around in my youth - can't see how that's changed much but you don't get many of those carrying that over into maturity.. of course, it's also true that female fashions have 'borrowed' certain male traits without very much migrating in the opposite direction... so to some extent a female can wear male fashions with relative impunity...

Another of life's little mysteries, really...

Katey x

[natcrys]

With respect to what I like to call the garden variety crossdressing... I don't know any FtM dressers actually and I've been to a lot of support group meetings and parties.

I do know a couple of FtM transmen myself.. and one of my friends (MtF TS herself) who runs a youth CD/TG/TS support group in one of the bigger cities in the Netherlands.. she tells me that the majority of those kids/teenagers/young adults consists of FtM transpeople.

I also wonder why that is.. ?

[Confucius]

There are many ways of addressing this question.

1. Cross-dressing is a fetish and all fetishes are predominately male things. Males have fetishes because they are biologically designed to need sexual outlets.

2. Females can wear men's clothing without any social ramifications. Females challenged social convention and won because when they wear pants and other men's clothing they do not pretend that the clothing magically transforms them to men. When a woman wears pants she doesn't lower her voice, adopt a male name, and pray she passes as a man.

3. Evolution's role: We are still biologically the same as we were in the caveman days. Back then men's role was to defend the clan against all dangers and they practiced polygamy. The most dominant males (the alpha) were the leaders of the clan and they pretty much got what they wanted and rewarded their loyal lieutenants with valuable property (women). Many men did not get mates - that is why males have fetishes. And that is why more males than females are homosexual, and transgendered. There was a role in the caveman days for gays and transvestites. They practiced castration (eunuchs) who were also loyal to the dominate male and protected his property (women) while he was away leading the men. Today men are still attracted to women who are in their childbearing years, and today women are still attracted to alpha men (the famous, the rich and otherwise influential).

[sandra-leigh]

It is difficult to get reliable figures on the ratio of MTF TS vs FTM TS. The figure I have seen most often is 6:1. However, every once in a while I come across a study that indicates that there are slightly more FTM TS than MTF. Multiple times I have seen it claimed that FTM TS tend not to go through much of a cross-dressing phase, and instead tend to go relatively directly to transition activities.

My experience in Winnipeg is that in the trans health clinic and at the transgender day of remembrance (TDOR), that the FTM tend to outnumber the MTF quite notably.

Every once in a while in Winnipeg, I see someone I think might be FTM -- but I do not see them at TDOR or the trans health clinic, so I don't know. At a party earlier in the year I met a number of "gender-queer" people born female whom I would not have known identified as non-female if they hadn't told me.

[LilSissyStevie]

The answer to the question is another question: What could a woman possibly wear that would be considered crossdressing? A couple years ago Anne Hathaway and James Franco did a little skit at the Oscars. Anne was dressed in a tuxedo and James came lumbering out in a dress and wig. I'm sure nobody "got it" that she was supposed to be cross dressed until James came out. The overall effect wasn't two CDs on stage but a woman in a tux and a crossdresser.

[NicoleScott]

Because there are many reasons we crossdress, there must be many causes. It's understandable that GM's who have a strong feminine identity would want to wear feminine clothing. There may something genetic, or hormonal imbalances in the womb (I'm not pushing those explanations, just recognizing what others have said). But for those with strong masculine identities who dress for sexual reasons, the explanation must certainly be different.

[JanetM.]

LilSissyStevie is right. Women can pretty much get away with wearing anything including male shirts or whatever and it is accepted and often found sexy. Guys try to do the same with female clothes and well you know the perceptions.