Why Do You Crossdress (out Of Curiousity)

[Guest praisedbeherhooves]

First of all, I have nothing against it. You're not hurting anyone. But, being an FTM, I don't really understand it. I hated dresses not only because they were very female but also because they were a pain. I was raised to believe that if you don't understand something you should seek to learn about it instead of passing judgement. So, could you explain it to me?

[Guest April63]

I'm not really sure, but I think most FTMs don't really crossdress in the same way as MTFs. This is because a lot of what guys wear, girls are allowed to wear as well. Jeans and t-shirts are worn by both. Blouses are practically the same as men's shirts. But FTMs can wear dresses, skirts, makeup, tank tops, etc. It's a lot more colorful for MTFs and it can make you feel more like the other gender. I guess it's all a mind game. If it doesn't work for you, well, it just doesn't work for you. Everyone is different and has a different way of feeling gender.

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Well Praised,

I can certainly speak for myself on this question.

I crossdress, because I do not feel comfortable otherwise. Having to present as male at places like work feels awkward to me. Crossdressing, shaving, wearing perfume, jewelery makes me feel like myself.

That is really all there is to it. I crossdress to express who I am.

Love

Brenda

[Guest (Lightsider)]

I was not going to answer this but..I am. For me transition was a health issue. It was never about wearing that pretty dress. It was never about the makeup. It was about my identity. I can walk out in a pair of mens jeans and a mens shirt....hair pulled back...and no makeup and I am still a girl.

Clothing is simply not a turn on for me. Now if I am going to church i dress appropriately..skirt blouse etc. If I go out I wear a bra. But I have to tell you...I do not wear a bra around the house. I hate wearing a bra!! But if I go out and not wear one, it is NOT socially acceptable.

if i go on date...I doll up. It is really dependent on the situation.

[Guest CharlieRose]

Well, FTMs and MTFs don't really crossdress in the same way at all as the crossdressers these forums were intended for. If an MTF puts on a dress, that's not really crossdressing. If an FTM does, it is, in a manner of speaking, but it's also completely different from a bio-male wearing a dress 'cause of things like, the FTM is encouraged to do it from a young age and a cisgender male isn't. I think praised is looking for otherwise cisgender men who like to wear dresses, too. Like Eddie Izzard.

I'm kind of interested in crossdressing, and as an FTM I mean wearing dresses and other gender-bendy, not exactly male type clothing. Mostly I like wearing guy's clothes and I consider myself a guy, but the idea of being a boy in a dress is kind of appealing to me sometimes. I just like the way it looks on me. It made realizing who I was kind of confusing because I'd be like, "I hate dresses! But I like them... sometimes! But I don't like looking like a girl, except for that aspect of it, and not all the time.... Argh!"

[Guest praisedbeherhooves]

I kind of meant this post for non-transsexual crossdressers, since if you're MTF and you dress like a girl that's not crossdressing because you are just a girl wearing girl clothes. Nothing unusual about that. On the other hand, male-identified bio-males who deliberately try to look like girls for temporary times confuse me. I get wearing clothing of the opposite sex that looks cool (I sometimes wear girl jeans myself, though mostly because it's hard to find guys' skinny jeans) but to try to look like a girl deliberately when you identify as male? That I don't understand and I want to understand it.

[Guest April63]

I kind of meant this post for non-transsexual crossdressers, since if you're MTF and you dress like a girl that's not crossdressing because you are just a girl wearing girl clothes. Nothing unusual about that. On the other hand, male-identified bio-males who deliberately try to look like girls for temporary times confuse me. I get wearing clothing of the opposite sex that looks cool (I sometimes wear girl jeans myself, though mostly because it's hard to find guys' skinny jeans) but to try to look like a girl deliberately when you identify as male? That I don't understand and I want to understand it.

When I said MTF I meant MTF or male crossdresser.

But it's the same reason for both: to express femininity or feel feminine. Crossdressers don't identify as the other gender, but still want to feel like the other gender, or express it temporarily.

[Guest nwa_cd]

as others have said it's different for different ppl. for me i'm a guy and fine with it but i hate guys clothes, i feel more natural and comfortable in dresses, skirts, heels, bras, and just anything but guys clothes. maybe part of it is that I feel a more like a little of both genders, i have never identified with the traditional male population.

[Guest Pioneer]

Simply put.. to look and feel pretty. : p

[Carolyn Marie]

I do it to express the female side of my personality. The easiest (i.e. most convenient) way to feel like a woman is to

appear as a woman. But for me and most cross dressers I've run across here, I don't dress enfemme for sexual thrills.

I have no interest in leather outfits and 4 inch spike heels. When I've dressed enfemme, its in clothes that any

"average" woman would wear out or to work. That is the appearance I strive for. Normalcy, if there is such a thing.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Emily H]

You present a very interesting question. It's mostly a simple response- to be feminine.

Girls get these interesting clothes like dresses, skirts, panties, bras, thongs, they get stockings, high-heels, short-shorts, different hair styles, different pretty scents, and so much more. Guys don't get any of that. I suppose we have different things in our brains, like chemicals and stuff, that make us more feminine, and as said before, dressing feminine is the easiest way to feel feminine.

Also, I have also thought of it sometimes, as I feel respect/attraction to women, it feels stimulating, feels like I am breathing deeper, like their's more spring in my step. It's differnt, it's fun, its feminine.

I hope that can answer thigns for you.

~Steve/Andrea

[Guest rachael1]

I do it to express the female side of my personality. The easiest (i.e. most convenient) way to feel like a woman is to

appear as a woman. But for me and most cross dressers I've run across here, I don't dress enfemme for sexual thrills.

I have no interest in leather outfits and 4 inch spike heels. When I've dressed enfemme, its in clothes that any

"average" woman would wear out or to work. That is the appearance I strive for. Normalcy, if there is such a thing.

Carolyn Marie

That pretty much sums up why I dress as well.

I have female aspects to my personality and dressing is a physical manifestation of the feminine side to my nature.

In a perfect world I would dress according to how I feel on the day and lately i feel more like Rachael then not.

However i must admit I love heels and boots and love to tart it up ocassionally.

Hugs

Rachael

[Guest Clora]

i have to say that bernii pretty much said it. i CD cause i feel somthings missing when i dont. and by crossdressing i feel relaxed and whole.

[Guest Guest_]

_{To enjoy my feminine side! Amber L.}

[Guest savannacd]

I dress simply because it feels right and i feel very comfortable. It does really help bring out my feminine side.

[Guest Eve Caillard]

Hi praisedbeherhooves

Well, I am going to say something a little different and I hope it helps answer your question. I'm a straight married (30 years) male and I cross dress. Have a look at my posts and you'll see I arrived in this community March 2012 a very confused 53 year old male who had rediscovered his forgotten cross-dressing tendency quite out of the blue, and gone full pelt back into it. I have had a roller-coaster of a year since then!

There's very little sexual in it for me - very little, though there is a tiny bit; if anything I get turned on as a "woman", not as a man. But it is almost non-existent. When I re-started cross dressing I originally believed (like the girls mention above) that I dressed to "express my feminine side". But I've been doing a lot of soul-searching.

Now, this is how I feel it is with me: I have a weak masculinity.I've always found it hard to fit into the male world but I do and I just get on with it. I find it highly stressful. Once I fell into cross-dressing, I found a new world where I could indulge colour, styles, fabrics, sensations, and a whole new psyche that was non male. In other words, I was not expressing a feminine side because it is already pretty high. On most tests I hit 75% female gender orientation straight off.

So I understand myself more. The reasons I cross-dress are these: primarily to escape being a male, to reject it, to be non-male. And the peace, joy, fun and relaxation, and sense of personal completion I find indulging the natural feminine in me is achieved through cross-dressing. But I don't cross-dress to express my feminine side, I cross-dress to escape into it. I cross dress to find who and how I am, to understand my brain gender. I kind of identify with being bi-gender - one who wanders between male and female. I do have weeks where I feel more one than the other, and it changes back and forth.

I have a massive love of clothes, boots, colours, and styles. I love jewellery. I can't do these things as a man. Dressing as a woman I can indulge these joys and it makes me very happy. Most of the time I under dress to help me feel 'at home' in myself.

But I am still a happily married straight male (male...well....sort of.)

I hope this helps!

Eve

[Guest Wendae]

It makes me feel wonderful!

[Guest Jamie_cd]

I agree with eve. For me it's comfortable but also a good way to escape my everyday life. I work for a railroad which is mostly a guy job so coming home and watching girly shows with my wife is a nice way to relax. Hopefully that makes some sense!

[Guest Amy LeBlanc]

I would have to say that I crossdress cause I do not like the sex that i am and would like to be more female. I feel like myself when I crossdress and feel so relaxed and wish I could dress as female 24/7