Janie's thoughts were provoked by something she read elsewhere proposing that crossdressing was a compulsion on par with pornography.
I recommend reading what Janie has written and then read what moved her to write what she did.
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After all is said and done, if crossdressing is a compulsion, what is its root cause?
I will admit that I am probably "compulsive" about crossing genders. It is always on my mind and has always been on my mind as long as I can remember.
From what I can tell, I am the same person en homme or en femme. I don't intentionally act butch when en homme and I don't intentionally act feminine when en femme. I am what I am either en homme or en femme. But when I am en femme, I feel comfortable, natural, and happy.
So, I guess I am compulsive about being happy, feeling natural, and being comfortable in my own skin.
Is there anything wrong with that?
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On a lighter note, Femulate reader Shannon made me smile by e-mailing a link to Sunday's installment of Sherman's Lagoon.
I hope it will make you smile, too.
I suppose it may be true for fetishistic crossdressers, but for those who are trangendered the drive is somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI find it amusing that women have been gender benders for years and that men, not women wore heels,hose,wigs,and skirts before women did. I always find that women have more power over clothing than men do in this society. We always look for a man to be strong,handsome, and athletic. Not overly feminine in appearance. Women can wear pants, shoes, and other accessories made for men and not get a second look. Society has and will always determine gender not the person. Clothes don't make the man or woman, they are just that, clothes.
ReplyDeleteThe main issues with OCD (and autogynephilla) as a root of crossdressing are numerous. For me, the issue is that both these theories mandate all aspects of transgenderism are secondary to a pathologic state, mental health disease. In my view, we "girls" are mearly an expression of normal human sexuality. We may only account for 5-8% of the population, but that dosen't mean we suffer from a ill-defined mental health disease. Also, as a physician, I am unaware of any psychiatric illness that can be cured with social acceptance, hormone therapy and some extensive surgical procedures!
ReplyDeleteI read quite a few of the articles that this particular link connected to - all had one thing in common - God, God and more God.
ReplyDeleteAnd it struck me that for many of these people their faith is quite literally tearing them apart.
And it seems a constant on American websites - God gets dragged into everything. Crossdresser? - Its becasue you're not at one with God, Alcoholic - its because you are failing God, Broke - its because you are not beloved of God.
Now I know that is just one somewhat sceptical Irish gals opinion but isn't it worrying?.
I mean, if you do feel a need to 'deal with' and repress or otherwise eradicate 'the other woman' then surely it should be to save a marriage, or to be a better father or even just to have some finality as to who you are - I have the greatest of sympathy for all of those who say - enough is enough and I need to 'be' a man - but surely old Leviticus with his dreary old notions about mixing wool and cotton, keeping your beard down to your knees and sacrificing your first born at the full moon (OK I made that one up) simply isn't a good enough reason. As you may have guessed I am not religious, but I have spoken with a number of rather smart and clued in clerics or various faiths on the subject and with one exception they were all adamant that people in our position are uniquely privileged and should use that privilege of being 'male and female' to become better and more understanding people.
And as I see it 'Male and Female He made them both' could be interperted in quite a number of ways!!!!
I am so gratified, Stana, that you made my post the subject of the day. There are so many different stories, reasons, motivations, causes for each of us. Just here, you talk about being the same person as man or woman; by contrast, I often speak about how different I am as one versus the other. And yet, what we have in common is the desire to be happy and the idea that allowing our inner woman to emerge is the way to happiness. --- Janie
ReplyDeleteFor years the internal conflict in me was the either or, but perhaps wisdom and the internet (how did we live without it?) taught its both (I identify as androgyne). Ruth cites some common reaction (Usually right wing biggoted) to our kind, but in genesis God created man AND woman not man or woman. I came to the conclusion that "It" is a gift not to be hormone enhanced or surgically modified, He made us just the way we are and we are all loved who come before Him. No running or hiding, just embrace the femininity we were given, you WILL be alright my dear, just breathe and be thankful. We enjoy a sisterhood that connects us with the feminine side of life AND with genetically born females. I know I am more comfortable around women than men. I am married with daughters and am so thankful for them and their understanding of their special dad. It was certainly a rough upbringing but I would not want it any other way. I love my life now.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm en femme, I feel more comfortable, more natural, and more happy. I don't bother trying to figure out WHY, I just enjoy my femme side.
ReplyDelete