I think it is incorrect to say that clothes have no power and they are empty. Of course they are empty literally and figuratively when no one is wearing them but put them on and both wearer and clothing change. The human mind is hard wired to interact with and to interpret symbols. In a highly organized and advanced society clothing is a powerful symbol. Leaving the whole gender expression issue aside look at all of the different ways people can dress within the norms of a single gender. What you wear when and where are often very important. One does not go to a formal wedding without a suit or dress on for instance. You would however look quite odd climbing a utility pole in such garb. On the other hand I could have no business climbing a utility pole but if I were wearing coveralls leather gloves and a hard hat no one would think twice. We usually wear what is comfortable say jeans and a teeshirt but most of us can't wear that to work why because some type of uniform or dress code is the standard. Imagin the person who read your electric meter wondering around the neiborhood without some type of identifying uniform on S/he would soon be have a talk with the police.
The point being that for most of us on this site there is a real and subsatial power that comes from cross dressing. For many it is an imparative that society interact with them as female and society knows to do that by interpreting our symbols.
