Your preferred term?

[Sabrina.K]

My secret.

I don't know why, but it makes it more exciting. Especially the thought of getting caught.

[Julia1984]

"The elephant in the room". But thats just me. We don't discuss it.

[Diane Taylor]

Doing what I do is part of my everyday life so I don't give it a name or "category".

[Stephanie47]

In many of my comments I've always posted I do not like ascribing a single word to any activity or belief or point of view. A single word conjures up a different definition for different people. Then people start arguing when sometimes they are in complete agreement.

On occasion I feel the need to wear women's clothing. When ever a topic like this arises I see many posts which suggest how one feels when en femme. That never really answers the question of why wearing women's clothing is the thing that satisfies that need. When my wife and I had "The Talk" the only answer I could give her was "I do not know why I do what I do!" It's definitely not a hobby, although I do find myself accumulating my favorite piece of women's clothing; full slips. It would be safe to say I "collect" full slips in the same manner I collect coins. But I also choose to wear them. Having over 400 full slips is way in excess of any need for just wearing.

It's definitely a way of life. I am content to just feel the peace and tranquility wearing women's clothing brings me. I see it as "therapy" for some unknown underlying issue. I do not call it a problem because it really is society's problem of casting negativity upon those who do not conform to their ideal behavior. I see a counselor for war related PTSD. I do not discuss my cross dressing which precedes those issues. However, during our conversations she believe each person has a degree of DNA of the opposite sex. It is stronger in some than others. I can accept that premise. On the issue of amassing lots of things one really does not need, she calls it "retail therapy." I can accept that also. Buying lots of clothes I do not need really satisfies some inner need to feel good. It is really cheaper than paying a therapist and it does result in having something which I can hold in my hand. It is also less injurious than using illegal or legal drugs to satisfy that unknown inner need.

Just call me a "guy who likes to wear women's clothing on occasion."

[~Joanne~]

I don't know what to call it sounds about right for me. I have never been able to explain it in any sort of term or to answer the question "why?". I saw recently that the term LGBTQ now goes on quite a bit with additional letters being added and CD still isn't considered one of them but I have always never felt that CDing fell under that umbrella any ways. It's more of a cosplay for me than anything else.

[IamWren]

Good question little g²

I think knowing a little background of the person helps to understand why they do or don't call... this thing we do, whatever it is they call it.

I, myself, am still trying to figure me out in relation to why I wear and why I like to wear typically female clothing and other items. I have a desire to express what I understand to be feminine qualities and so impersonating a woman makes that easier for me to see myself that way and i suspect more so society.

I'm not out to my wife about this so it is a secret although I don't call it my secret. The funny thing is she does know, suggested I wear and prefers the way women's underwear and jeans look and fit on my small frame so those are just my clothes that I wear.

I don't really consider it a hobby although I've spent quite a bit of time and money trying to learn the skills necessary to pull off emulating a female form with the obstacles of having a biologically male body... kinda the way some people who spend time and money on golf as a hobby while using a non-athletic physique.

It isn't relaxing... AT ALL. Being cinched up at the waist, hauling around extra pounds of hip pads, butt pads, bewb forms is not relaxing at all to me. Having my head overheat from a wig and dealing with the insanity of not scratching an itch on my face after applying full makeup... no. Not relaxing at all.

Dirty secret? Not so much. It's not a sexual thing for me or deviant. I don't hurt anyone or myself (well maybe a little with the cinching and a strong tuck.)

Like Magella said, "getting pretty"? Well, let's not get crazy. I mean, I might be what you call man-pretty but... :LOL:

Anyway, I don't really consider myself masculine nor feminine... maybe I have a little of both so I'm still trying to learn that about myself as well. So I'm not sure how to answer your question.

For the sake of this forum... I just call it my dressing or my CDing? That's not really what this is for me the way I understand CDing though. I don't feel like a man in a dress. It's something different when I completely transform.

[Cheryl T]

It's my life. It's been my life since I can remember.
This is not a Hobby, a Secret and certainly not a Dirty Little Secret.

[ambigendrous]

Put me in the “get comfortable”category. My supportive wife can’t understand and teases me about how can I be comfortable in hose, underwires, shapers, heels, etc. well, I can and do and am.

My wife and I joke about it all the time: she can't wait to take her bra off and get into PJs or sweats, and I can't wait to put on my bra, forms, hose, dress, and heels. Comfort is certainly subjective!

[Dana44]

It is a way of life for me. Not a hobby or a secret.

[Maria in heels]

I consider dressing as "A way of life". Dressing is a part of my persona...not just the only part, but one of them. Dressing makes me more comfortable since I get to be who i feel i am and it is just another way for Maria to express herself.

[Jasmine Rose]

For me, I think I use two terms most often. "Being dressed" and "being Jasmine".

I am okay with a variety of other terms. For me, terminology is not usually important as long as the meaning of the words is understood. Intent is important. I try to make sure I choose my words carefully when speaking with people I don't know very well. About this, or anything else.

[Joyce Swindell]

I consider it a fact of life. But as far as in conversation with my wife she will use my name Joyce or if we are talking about the local CD group we say "girls".

[Beverley Sims]

Thought it was a hobby once, now I think it is a project.

[SherriePall]

Just being me.

[MarinaTwelve200]

I think it is a series of experiments. It started out to see what I would look like as a girl, and later became a "Tool" to relieve stress, but still, I try "variations" and new CD related things and observe how my "brain/Body" react to them.----I am a Scientist, after all, anyway.

[Becky Blue]

Good question g.. Definitely way of life for me, Becky is a big part of who i am..

[tammy1]

I call it just being a human being. I dress to enjoy my inner feelings. No dirty secret here. call it what you want i just call it "Me being me and enjoying who i am and loving it". My wife calls it "dressing up".

[TheHiddenMe]

My login ID pretty well shares my idea on the subject. It's the hidden side of who I am.

I've been interested in wearing girl's/woman's clothes for over 50 years. It's just been the last couple of years I've gotten more open/bold about acting on my long held feelings/desires.

Part of dressing for me is a kink, and the clothes/shoes/makeup are my "toys"--although the idea of dressing is generally more exciting than the dressing itself.

I'm still trying to explain to my wife all the aspects of dressing for me. It's a difficult discussion for us.

[Ceera]

It is what is rapidly becoming merely my normal, day to day life.

Virtually every day, regardless of my gender presentation, I am wearing at least panties, and most likely women's jeans, if presenting 'male'. Often wearing women's footwear or stockings.

When going fully en-femme, it's just 'being me', and dressing as any other woman would for the same activity.

[nikkiwindsor]

Plain and simply, "a way of life" or even more truthfully "my genderfluid or transgendered life" ...my inner femininity is who I am

[Krisi]

I often call it a "hobby". It's something I do that I get enjoyment out of like restoring old cars or collecting stamps or coins. I may sometimes refer to it as a "secret" because only my wife knows about it. Or "little secret".

For some folks it may be a "way of life" but not me. Calling it "wearing clothes" isn't really an answer to the question, it's a way of evading the question.

[Littleg2]

Thank you all for the wonderful responses. I quite enjoyed reading through them and getting your individual points of view this. I like the term "getting comfortable", I, too, might steal that. Or at least borrow it on occasion.

I suppose, even as a GG, when I am getting ready for a party or fancy occasion (date kind of thing), I refer to it as getting "dolled up", so we call getting into other clothes that we don't always wear something else, too. I hope that makes some sense.

I know you also write long explanations to try to fully get your point across correctly, so I tried to give a fuller opinion. YMMV
Hugs, Ellen

Ellen, and others, thank you for taking the time to add details to your responses, I love it! I know I can be quite loquacious, and it does tend to translate into my written words, just the way I am (to all, please bear with me). I really appreciate the time you took with your responses.

I hope you all have/are having a wonderful weekend.

-g

[Nikki A.]

I never really thought about it, but I've used hobby at times. But what I do use now and quite proudly is that this is "my other side". It is me but a side that isn't always transparent.
BUT if you look hard enough, Nikki is always there.

[Megan b]

It's been more than a hobby for a long time. It's just part of me but I often refer to my crossdressing as my personal time.

[Monique65]

I simply refer to it as dressing.