Is Crossdressing an Insult to Women?

[dolovewell]

All that being said: There is however a case to be made for those CDs who are rampantly sexual in their behaviour and their identity. On other forums I belong to I get a bit annoyed when I see a member(whose) pictures are the typical provocative borderline adult poses. This might tie in a bit with ReineD's definition of 4th wave feminism and it's rejection shaming. I'm all for ending it but that's something for women to do.

I completely agree. There is a lot of stuff I see on this board and on other CD communities that makes me cringe and would just give us a bad name if an average bystander saw it. The overtly fetishized and sexualized posts are something I don't care much for. But I am not going to judge them. Everyone enjoys CDing in their own ways. I just hope for their sake, those types of cringey comments and posts stay on this board and do not come out of their mouths in real life. If someone is negative about your crossdressing, maybe you should look at yourself and see if its because you are acting inappropriate or saying inappropriate things.

[PeggyNell]

I don't know, do men get insulted when women wear pants or ball caps that typically "men" wear? To me I just happened to wear what Society has put in the " woman's" category. This is my view for this debate. I like to feel gg and sexy, just like some women feel more comfortable in men's wear. I am not talking about women jeans etc. I mean that they go to the men's section to shop for themselves.

[Ashley090]

I don't know, do men get insulted when women wear pants or ball caps that typically "men" wear?.

Totaly agreed. I dont wanna start discussion on why girls wearing pants are acceoted and guys wearing skirts are insulted. If gg's are insulted by guys dressed as girl or in female clothes then I can be insulted by girls dressed as guys. They like sneakers and cargo pants? Okay, why not. I like high heels and skirts. Its same, so what is problem?.
Whatever floats your boat

[Alice Torn]

In this cruel old world, it is tough being a woman, and tough in other ways being a man, and tough being human, or animals. or insects, or fish.

[Aleca]

Yes. I did feel women we

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Yes. I did feel women were insulted and some even defeminized when I went out in public last summer. So I began to dress down quite a bit and reduce breast size a lot to better blend in and mingle. Almost androgynous like

[Fiona123]

It hard to be a woman, I agree. I can see why a woman might be insulted. Its tough to be transgender too. In the end we girls need to be true to, and take care of ourselves.🌺

[Lorileah]

It's hard to be human in general

[Georgette_USA]

Don't know what it is like to be a CD and interface with people in public.

I think attitudes can be all over the place for everyone.

At a very mixed str8 and LGBT club. They have Drag performances. A lot of str8 Bridal parties and Birthdays attend in droves. They get a big kick out of it all.

I have quite a few of CD and TG/TS friends. Some of the str8 and lesbian women love to spend time with all of us. Same with some of the gay men. I have many gay men as friends, because I treat them with respect and they treat me the same. I will talk with any on what it means to have been Post for so many years, plus they will answer my questions on the Gay community.

I love to mix it all up, but some of my more serious TS friends look down on us at times.
I see more disparaging looks from some of the TS crowd to CDs and the Drag performers than any of the LGB people.

They have a once monthly Drag contest, and some think I should give it a try, I have a good stage presence when singing. Others think that is such a bad idea.
I get a variety of reactions when outside smoking, as I only smoke cigars.

Recently had a women love the dress I was wearing, and introduced me to her wife - her mother - her friend and her friends husband, they even bought me a drink.
Few people ask or care what my status is. Plus I love dancing with any women that wants to. Not something I can do in str8 clubs.

[Alice_2014_B]

I don't know, do men get insulted when women wear pants or ball caps that typically "men" wear? To me I just happened to wear what Society has put in the " woman's" category. This is my view for this debate. I like to feel gg and sexy, just like some women feel more comfortable in men's wear. I am not talking about women jeans etc. I mean that they go to the men's section to shop for themselves.

My thoughts exactly, Peggy.
It has just always been easier, and acceptable, for woman to flow from the women's clothing to the men's.
Regardless, I still agree.

[NicoleScott]

Pants styled and cut for women's shapes are women's clothing. So let's use a different example: a woman goes to a football game (as a spectator) wearing an oversize football jersey and eyeblack under her eyes. Are men insulted? No.

Crossdressers who think crossdressing is insulting to women ought to quit crossdressing. Let's see how that works out.

[sharpestcookie]

My thoughts exactly, Peggy.
It has just always been easier, and acceptable, for woman to flow from the women's clothing to the men's.
Regardless, I still agree.

It's really only been acceptable for the last century or so. The primary things that changed were
a) Women's suffrage,
b) We had to work in outdoor/industrial settings where wearing a dress was dangerous, and
c) Men gradually stopped feeling as though their masculinity was threatened by a woman wearing pants.

Part of what it appears GGs come up against is social conditioning when it comes to being with an outwardly masculine man. Like you, GGs have also been bombarded with the ideal male partner images, and none of them cover "your SO in a skirt and heels." We don't know what to do in a situation so drastically different from the expected outcome, and like most humans confronted with cognitive dissonance we end up being insulted and/or lashing out instead of supporting you.

As far as crossdressing being insulting, consider that every time we see men in women's clothing in the media, it's as the brunt of a joke, which eventually gets twisted around and absorbed into our subconscious as "man in a skirt = femininity is a joke unless it's sexy." They're making fun of you too, but we don't experience that because we aren't you.

Also, in the real-life uncanny valley, drag queens look the least like GGs. Like X-rated Disney characters, they've got big eyes, are hilarious, sometimes adorable, and are altogether not taken seriously. On the other hand, you're much more understated and GG-like; you look and act like us but...not...quite. And some of us don't know what to make of it. For more info, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley.

I hope all of that makes sense and was on-topic.

Anyway, if I can walk with my big feet into the men's shoe section without hassle, why can't you shop in the women's? It's my hope that fashion really is cyclical so that one day men can wear heels and makeup again without stigma.

[Karine]

Just wanting to share my point of view.

I don't think crossdressing is an insult to women. Personally, I just admire them, just like women's fashion.
However, I have to admit that when I crossdress I tend to emulate them in a stereotypicial way, in a way I think feminine.
By the way, what is feminity by the way ? What thing is feminine , what thing is not ?
Women like men are very different. Some like to wear dress and heels, some don't. Some are very sensitive, some aren't. Some like dancing or gardening, some like mechanic or traditional boys' sports. They are all women.
So, I would say that when I crossdress I just play with makeup, heels, alter my mannerism and have fun playing the role of A woman (not the women) and I try to be in touch with a part of me that need to express and that is not "allowed" by "the social norms".

However, reading the forum, I can understand that some women can be upset if they read things like:
"When I wear heels, I feel like a woman." (does the women that do not wear heels are not women ?) but I think is just a question of semantics. The member would rather want to say "I feel in touch with this part of me, with the woman inside me (not all the women)".

It is also true that some crossdressers (not really on this forum) post "very bordeline" or porn picture of themselves. I can understand that some women can said to themselves "That is what they think about us ?"
But everybody is free and like dolovewell I don't judge. And like some women don't like to wear heels or don't like fashion, some like to be provocative or more. So, in one way, these crossdressers just emulate another type of women.

Human being come in all shapes, we are all very different. So, we have to keep in mind to not stereotype (in this case) women.