For me I think it relates to my personal/emotional situation growing up. I was the younger sibling by 4 years, and I was likewise younger than the other boys in the neighborhood. I was kept in my place as the little kid, and developed an almost debilitating humility. I usually regarded myself as the "weird kid" and it didn't help that whenever I asserted myself I was promptly put back in my place. The only other kids around with an age equivalency was the family across the road who had 5 girls. It was fun doing stuff with them -- gender never really was a concern.

Another influence was that it was the 60's -- age of short skirts and pantyhose. While I never regarded myself as good looking, I was drawn to the beautiful women I would see on TV, including dancers and figure skaters, probably secretly wishing I could look like them. It only figures that I would one day try on pantyhose and look at my legs in the mirror. Once that threshold was crossed, the next steps became possible until over 50 years later Geena fully emerged. I'm still keeping it secret, but I do respond to the lure of looking "pretty(?)".