Do you consider it to be a hobby?

[Kimberly A.]

Hey y'all!

Another GG friend of mine who knows I'm a CD'er asked me a while back what my hobbies are, I told her that I really don't have many..... I like doing outdoors stuff, when I have the time and at the time, I really didn't have a good answer for her. Then, she called me about a week ago when I was fully dressed and ready to head out the door. During the conversation, I said that she asked me before what my hobbies were and I told her that crossdressing is a hobby..... Yes, I consider my dressing to be a hobby. It's not something that I MUST do, really but it is something that I very much enjoy doing and I love the challenge of trying makeup, trying to improve my makeup and clothing skills and going out in full femme.

So, do any of you consider CD'ing to be a hobby? Or is it so much a part of your life that you feel you must do it and you just simply can't stop even if you wanted to? Me, I could stop CD'ing if I wanted to and I know some of you will argue that and try to tell me that no, I wouldn't be able to stop..... But trust me, I could if I wanted to, but I don't want to.

[kimdl93]

I suppose I could call it that, but my need to present as a woman seems to be intricately woven into my identity.

[Kimberly A.]

I understand that, Kim. I've seen a post of yours when you said that you're transgender, so of course that's part of your identity. LOL

[Kim Summers]

Definitely not a hobby here. It is something I had no choice in so I have embraced it. X

[Lilith Moon]

For me it is more than a hobby. I've been doing it from the age of 7.

It is a strong emotional need but not to the extent of actually changing my body...at this time.

[Micki_Finn]

It’s more than a hobby for me. I’d say a more accurate description is it’s a “passion”. I don’t do it “professionally” or “full time”, but it’s still a defining part of who I am.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I didn't have a hard time quitting golfing, skiing, or ice skating when the became inconvenient to family life, but crossdressing keeps getting stronger and stronger.

Way back, whenever I went to Sears, I would immediately go to the tools section to see if there was anything that I needed or wanted. I used to go to Sears quite often until all the ones near me closed, but I can't remember the last time I've been in the tool department. I always head over to the ladies department or lingerie. The last thing I bought in Sears was yoga pants.

No, it's not just a hobby.

[Danielle_cder]

Yea pretty much a hobby for me

[Fran Moore]

Hmmm, I would have to say it goes a bit deeper than that for me. Hobby as defined is: "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure", so while that IS true, I would dress and live full time if my situation allowed for it, and the older I get the more I feel that way~

[adelinapa]

I don't think it's just a hobby for me, it's more like, a yearning. The learning the new makeup techniques and all that I'd call a hobby but the overall feeling like it's something I need to do ... not so much.

[bridget thronton]

cross dressing is part of my being and not a hobby - but I keep thinking I might enjoy doing history reenactment as a female as a hobby

[Sometimes Steffi]

It does not make sense to choose a hobby that has produced so much angst over the years.

I guess you've never played golf, LOL.

[KymG]

I was going to say thats its a hobby, but on reflection, the urge is so strong that i suppose its a compulsion.
If thats the word.
Adiction maybe..

[JennyMay]

No, not a hobby. For many years I tried to stop dressing but always kept coming back to it. I have never had a hobby like that. It’s is a need or, perhaps even more, part of who I am. I have compared it before to my need to have dogs. Now I know that many people might call my need for dogs a hobby but it is much much deeper than that. It is about identity.

[sara66]

It is more than a hobby, but less than a lifestyle. More of a compulsion.
Sara

[Kimberly A.]

That's cool, Micki..... But I thought you did do it professionally, from your posts about being a performing Drag Queen?

[Brandi17]

For me personally, I would say it is partially a hobby and partially something I just have to do satisfy the occasional urge I get to wear woman's clothing. I would say the urge is what gets me to start dressing again after a period of not doing it, then after I dress once, I enjoy it enough to keep doing it for a period of time.

I would say the only thing that keeps it from being a regular hobby is how high maintenance it is. Between shaving, to having to put on makeup if I go out public, it takes a couple hours of preparation every single time I do it. Which definitely spoils the fun in it after a while.

[Brandi Christine]

I wish it were a hobby, life would be so much easier.

It is a part of me, and like it or not, it always will be...

[Stephanie47]

Definitely not a hobby. I do have life long hobbies. I have a collection of stamps. I've had an interest in collecting stamps since I mailed in 25 cents for a packet of stamps when I was a single digit kid. That's on the back burner. I took up military model building. I have about 70+ models to build, but, again on the back burner. It does not drive me nuts not to build or collect these things. On the other hand the draw to wear women's clothing is stronger. Maybe, getting stronger because of further limitations due to COVID. I don't know what motivated me to start wearing women's clothing when I was an early teenager. It does not make sense to choose a hobby that has produced so much angst over the years.

Kimberly, I wish you well on your journey. Tell us how it works out when you go on to marriage and having kids. It will not be as simple as collecting stamps or coins.

[Teresa]

Kimberly,
I've finally come to accept it more of a hobby to some people , the first time I read the comment from a member I was annoyed and upset . In my circumstances the situation became so bad with my wife I nearly ended my life , aside from that also consider the pain , suffering and heartache some members go through in trying to come to terms with being a CDer or TG , hobbies do not affect a person's life in such a profound way .

Some people may think it's OK for it to be a hobby but I certainly would insult my wife and family by brushing it off as such .

I'm now living alone as Teresa after 40 + years of marriage and raising two kids and now with three grandchildren , I'm lucky to have their acceptance , none of this may not have happened if it was purely a hobby but if it was I wouldn't have done it and risked losing so much.

I will ask you take care not overdoing the hobby label , it could be very upsetting to some people .

[Jenny22]

Hobby? no! I'm TG. I dress 24/7 because I have to!

[sometimes_miss]

If you can quit it and replace it with another hobby, and get the same satisfaction from your 'new' hobby, then sure, it's just a hobby.
Try it. See how long you can go without any type of crossdressing, talking about it, thinking about it, or reading or writing about it. After all, there are plenty of other things to do which are cheaper and cause less problems, than crossdressing. I, for the life of me, can't imagine why anyone would choose to do this as a hobby.

[Visitor]

Honestly, crossdressing would certainly be the most bizarre of potential hobbies. It is a rare man who decides out of the blue that he'd like to wear a woman's undergarments. As people tell their stories we hear over and over again about some life event that brought us to these behaviors. Given how much shame men here have experienced along the way, how much fear of the behavior being discovered, I'd say we do this out of a great need... whatever that may be for each of us. There are doubtless psychological roots to this and I imagine on very rare occasions genetic roots. I'll accept the comfort I feel when I'm wearing a brassiere and I'll certainly enjoy shopping for this or other pieces of lingerie... but having a non-shaming and even playful relationship to this desire doesn't make it a hobby. It goes much deeper than that.

[Robertacd]

I used to call my crossdressing a hobby when I was in denial.

I wasn't sure what else to call it without admitting to myself I was TG.

[connie johnson]

Yes. For me it is a hobby. I love the clothing and shoes but I am a man in a dress. Never do makeup or wigs. Tried them a long time ago but didn’t do anything for me.