I agree with your entire post, but this line reminds me -
When was about 19-20, pre-internet, scared to death anyone would know of my CDing interests, I mustered the courage to go to a porn shop and buy a transvestite magazine. One page caught my attention. What looked like a beautiful woman sitting at a vanity, wearing a corset, garters and stockings, towering high heel pumps, legs crossed, long blonde hair, heavy but perfect makeup, sitting there applying deep red lipstick. I couldn't really see anything to tell me if it was a woman, but being a CDing magazine, I assumed it was a CDer. One more thing - it was an illustration, not a photo. What? How could I get so excited over a drawing.? I don't know, but it was inspiring, that if a man (fictitious even) can transform into a sexy, beautiful woman, so can I. Or at least have a lot of exciting fun trying.
I guess being a budding crossdresser, my brain interpreted what I saw as what I wanted to see.