A reader suggested that I be interviewed again since my previous interview was about five years ago. I was willing and asked AI to conduct the interview. Here it is.
Stana: The core idea is to encourage crossdressers to escape from their closets and go out among the civilian population. I started the blog because I successfully escaped from that closet—and if I could do it, anyone could do it.
AI: Many crossdressers describe intense fear about being seen in public. What do you think is the real obstacle holding most people back—is it external danger, or something internal?
Stana: Sure, there are external dangers, so a crossdresser has to be careful about where she goes. But I believe it’s something internal that holds most people back. Fear is the biggest obstacle. FDR was right: there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Once I pushed myself out of the closet, I realized my fears were mostly unwarranted, and I regretted all the time those fears kept me hidden.
AI: Your writing treats public crossdressing almost as something ordinary. Why is it important to normalize it rather than frame it as transgressive or sensational?
Stana: Crossdressing is fun. Why mess with the fun by making it transgressive or sensational? Crossdressers just want to fit in and experience life as women.
AI:. Femulate spends a lot of time on presentation—clothing, grooming, posture, behavior. Some critics might call that “trying too hard to pass.” How do you respond?
Stana: I’ve known hundreds of crossdressers over the years. The ones who don’t pass aren’t trying too hard—they just aren’t putting in the work. If you want to pass as a woman, effort is essential. I live by those words, and I’m meticulous in my presentation. As a result, I pass more often than not.
AI: Your advice often comes across as tough love. Why do honesty and rigor matter more than comfort when helping someone leave the closet?
Stana: There’s nothing worse than leaving the closet unprepared and failing. You’ll go back, and you might never leave it again. I remember one of the first crossdresser meetings I attended—someone asked if I was the supportive female spouse of a crossdresser. That moment proved to me all the work I put into my presentation had paid off.
AI: You’ve gone from hoping not to be noticed to expecting to be read as female. How did that psychological shift change your relationship with fear?
Stana: Practice, practice, practice. The more you go out among civilians, the less fear you feel. One day, there is no fear at all.
AI: Many readers are older men with established lives. What’s your message to someone who feels they’ve “waited too long” to leave the closet?
Stana: Better late than never! Never should never be an option. If you have the desire, you owe it to yourself to try at least once, no matter your age.
AI: Was there a moment when you realized Femulate was influencing other people’s lives?
Stana: Yes—the first email I received thanking me for helping someone leave the closet and experience the world as a woman. Since then, I’ve received many emails expressing the same gratitude.
AI: If you could speak to a first-time reader still in the closet, what’s the most important thing to understand?
Stana: I once said, “Crossdressing is hard work, but I love my job.” In other words, you must be willing to invest the time and effort to succeed—but it’s all worth it.
AI: Looking ahead, what do you hope Femulate accomplishes, not just for individuals, but for broader society?
Stana: The more crossdressers get out of the closet, the more it encourages others to do the same. Crossdressers are more visible today than in the past, and I hope Femulate has played a part in that.
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| Wearing Marina |
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| Martin Weiß femulating in the 2004 German film Agnes and His Brothers. |
