R u a woman? Or, do u wish to be one?

[docrobbysherry]

This is the difference one HPATH doctor suggested as the telling point between young children who should have conversion therapy and those he thot, shouldn't.

Young children that felt they were females inside male bodies should undergo conversion therapy rite away. While the ones that said they WANTED to become females should have therapy delayed until neared or after, puberty. To see how they felt on those later years.

It made me wonder about myself and others here? I never asked myself that question when I began dressing at age 50+ because it was pointless. After living 50 years as a male I never thot I was female inside. I simply wanted to become one. But, if I had gender issues at an early age I mite have thot differently.

How about u? R u a woman inside a male body?
Or rather, do u wish to become one? I'm very curious about your answers!

[Marcelle]

Hi Sherry,

Tough call for me. As I progress down the spectrum and embrace this side of me I do find that more and more when I present female, I feel at that point I am female although I am not sure what the really means anymore than I can say with any certainty that I know what it means to feel male (physical characteristics aside). As to whether I wish to become a woman? The answer at present is no. I have no issues with my male physiology or being male and have no desire to give that part of me up to become a woman.

Hugs

Isha

[Jeri Ann]

Sherry,

My earliest recollections are that I wanted to be a girl. Not just cross dress, but be a girl. It is with great angst that I have lived my male life. My constant thoughts, dreams and fantasies are about being female.
I often wonder how it might have been, born female or maybe even transition at an early age. How wonderful it would have been to grow into womanhood. Maybe Mr. Right would have come along and swept me off my feet. Maybe I would have been a successful career girl or maybe a stay at home mom. This post got me to musing this morning.

Jeri

[Georgina]

I am not a woman and don't want to be one. When I was younger I wished, at times, to be a girl just to wear the clothes nothing more. I am happy being male and enjoying my alternative clothes.

[Erica Marie]

I learned I was this way in my early teens, now almost 35 yrs later I realize its not about the cloths, it is about being me. If I was given the chance to go back and do it all over, I would prefer to transition into a female than live the life that was laid out for me. I followed the norms of society because I thought that was the "right" thing to do. At this age how do I make society realize that it is now time for me to do what is right for me.

[CynthiaD]

I'm a woman. Although the idea of surgery and HRT has some appeal to me, it really wouldn't change anything. I'm already a woman. I don't know why I have male body parts, and it would be nice to have the "correct" ones. But it's not important enough to me to do anything drastic about it. At least not right now. Perhaps I'll change my mind in the future.

[Donnagirl]

I don't know, I really don't know... Lived the boys life to the fullest, done so much stuff many can only dream of and loved being a man. Now, am I a woman? I'm certainly intrigued, curious, tempted... Do I want to be one, yes, no, maybe, who can tell? I'm only just coming to terms with the revelations of the last 6 months.
I'll rephrase the question... Am I a man? Physically, yes but waning, mentally, well now I'm not so sure, emotionally, definitely not... Do I want to be one? Again yes, no, maybe...
At the moment I'm pretty sure that I'm going to sit somewhere inbetween the two for a while. Now I know that is likely to prompt some controversy, provoke a little negative commentary but that's how it is now. It's probably how it will stay for quite a while. There are times I need to be a boy and times I just as equally need to be a girl. Times I love being the man, times I cherish being a woman. I'm just so lucky I have the opportunity to be both.
So where do I fit, what label is most accurate, which pigeon hole is most appropriate? I guess none. I'm just me! And loving it!!!!

[deebra]

I would like to dress and live full time for a year and hopefully find out. Of course during this trial period I would love to have a well proportioned female body and pretty face. I really love the look and feel of dressing female pretty much everyday, imagine doing this and being totally accepted by society. Another thought, is 2 better than 1, how about being a male and crossdressing so well (pretty face, nice fem figure, soft voice) that no one could "make you". When you chose to be a woman you would be the envy of women and desired by men. Decisions, decisions????

[Kate Simmons]

I'm a man and a woman but don't need conversion surgery to enjoy any of it. Having a good imagination helps.

[Dianne S]

I'm transitioning and have been full-time now for about 5 weeks. So I guess my answer to your questions are "Yes".

[CarlaWestin]

Sherry, that's so cool that after 14,000 posts you seem to be asking question number one. And, it is delightfully appropriate.
Here's my thing. I think I would love to become a woman but, I'm really good at the man thing. Not exactly macho or uber viral, just good at the hunter/gatherer stuff.
But, if something were to happen where medical science decided that my survival depended on full transition, I'd have no problem with it.
A wonderful excuse that wouldn't be my fault.

"Oh Carla, we're so happy you survived! And, you're gorgeous! Those must have cost extra, right?"

[Alex!]

I'm a man who loves women and I'm happy. Alex is a thrill and a form of artistic expression.

[maya1love]

I'm a man who loves women and I'm happy. Alex is a thrill and a form of artistic expression.

What wonderful way of putting it! I am happy to be a feminine man who likes to dress up as a woman -- nothing more, nothing less!

[alwayshave]

I love dressing and feeling pretty, but I am a man.

[ambigendrous]

Wow - what a question! Like others, ambigendrous is ambivalent. While I've been dressing my entire life I'm satisfied with my male role. Are there times when I wish I were female? Absolutely! Do I want to transition and have surgery? Absolutely NOT! Sure, having a female form would be great for fitting into the clothes, but I can't imagine my life without my loving wife and family. IF I were female I never would have met my wife, we'd never have had our 2 awesome sons, or our equally awesome grandchildren!

In an ideal world I'd get out of bed in the morning and select a body to wear for the day, then dress that body appropriately!

[I Am Paula]

I was born a man with a wonderful woman's soul.
I lived with it for 54 years, mostly to please others.
I thought, Why am I pleasing others, while making myself miserable?
I fixed the problem, so I could live happily ever after.

[Ellie52]

Hi Sherry,

Tough call for me. As I progress down the spectrum and embrace this side of me I do find that more and more when I present female, I feel at that point I am female although I am not sure what the really means anymore than I can say with any certainty that I know what it means to feel male (physical characteristics aside). As to whether I wish to become a woman? The answer at present is no. I have no issues with my male physiology or being male and have no desire to give that part of me up to become a woman.

Hugs

Isha

I have to agree 100% with Isha..
If I could wear the clothes I wanted too - skirts blouses - you know the stuff, without the need to attempt to look like a woman I would be happy. Its more feasable and safe to walk down the street wearing womans clothes LOOKING a bit like a woman with the bumps in the right places than it would be wearing a floral print dress and 4" heels presenting as a male (Bald head and everything).
The day may come where its possible to do this but I dont think itll be in my lifetime.
I saw today that male perfume is taking off, and recently saw an advert for an Australian on line shop called Homme Mysterre that sells mens lingerie (Bras etc for men) so maybe Bob Dylan was right and 'the times are a changing'. Until then its hiding behind a wig and facepaint for me, with the required accessories of course.

In the immortal words of Sergeant Phil Esterhaus - Hey, Lets be careful out there......
Ellie

[Traceyjo]

When I am fully dressed and made up I really do feel that I want to be a woman because the pleasure from feeling that I am female is so intense . The reality though is that I have no desire to transition because my male life is very satisfying . Anyway if I did transition, being a woman would just become normal for me and the wonderful enjoyment and excitement of crossdressing would no longer be the highlight that it is now.

[Ellie52]

Traceyjo

How true...Do GG's get the pleasure we get in the same way we get it? I know woman can be narcissistic and so can I but they dont get the adrenaline thrill of walking down a street knowing you arent what you appear to be.
They can walk into a shop or coffee house or a Mall and be totally relaxed. I could never relate to that as I am always nervous because so many things can go wrong. i.e crashing the car (my biggest fear when out dressed).
So I dont relate to being a woman because Im not a woman inside. I am a guy in fancy dress but that doesnt mean I dont enjoy it. Just not the same way a woman would.
I was talking to a friend today who knows Im a CD and I was telling her Im having a day off tomorrow so Ill visit her in her shop fully dressed, and she said when she has a day off all she wants to do is wear track pants, loose t shirt and no shoes. Shes still excited about me going in dressed though.

We are the same only different......Ellie

[pamela7]

The day may come where its possible to do this but I dont think itll be in my lifetime.
Ellie

Okay, Ellie, I'm out and about as you say is not possible, "man in a dress". I get some funny looks of astonishment, but so far nothing bad. Bright nail polish at the gym had some smiles and glances. Mostly I'm going out andro just to please my SO's fear's, though truthfully it's probably my own that limit. About to reveal myself to my bro and sis this arvo ... gonna be fun.

Oh, and in response to the OP: I'm a man, I don't think of myself as a woman, but apart from childbirth and breastfeeding I can't find anything else in life that is truly gender-specific. I'm everything.

xxx Pamela

[Dianne S]

I was born a man with a wonderful woman's soul.

Owwww.... your poor mother! I was born a baby boy.

(I'm sorry. I sometimes can't resist injecting a little levity... no disrespect intended. )

[LucyNewport]

Well that's really the main thing, now isn't it?

I'll be perfectly honest and say that despite outward appearances, I see myself as a woman and do wish to be so completely. However I don't have a timetable for this, and the potential losses (and fear, guilt & shame) have kept me in check.

[Pat]

I'm not a woman. I know that. Just as I'm told transsexuals know that they are. So the only remaining question is do I want to be a woman? And I think the answer to that is no. I'm happy being a man. So why do I dress up and why is dressing alone not satisfactory?

I mean if it was generally OK for me to wear my denim miniskirt to the mall as a man, I would, but it wouldn't fill the need. For some reason dressing isn't satisfactory unless I try to fem out my features. I can live without the boobs -- I wear them to make the clothes look good, not for me. I can sometimes live without the wig. But if I don't shave everything below the eyebrows and I don't apply at least some makeup, I don't get to the state of happiness I'm looking for. Not sure what that says.

[Dana44]

Good question Sherry, I was born a man yet have female hormones. Got to say I accomplished a lot in my life as a male. Love showing my fem side. Do I want to be a woman. No... well maybe... No... Perhaps if I had the ability at an early age, maybe. Yet in my time a man had to be a man. That was pretty well ingrained in me. Yet I had Male/female thoughts all of the time and had to come to an understanding. Yet sometimes I would wake up and tell myself I was a female for the Day. Went through that in my male mode and nobody seemed to know the difference. Yet a few of my girlfriends and my last wife knew i was a lot different than other males and that's why they were attracted to me. I would say that it is great to be a male. And it is better yet when we can pretend that we are female and dress that way.

[cheryl reeves]

im both female and male,in either mode im a crossdresser. as for transition thought about it when i was 18 but found that if i did so i would kill a vital part of me.