Crossdressing and Society
By Donna Lynn Matthews
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I choose the term crossdresser because transvestite carries too much negative connotation with it. As a transgendered person, my crossdressing is really more an issue of self expression than something I do for kicks.
The many and varied reasons for this can be reduced down to a prime-motivating factor - it give me a more complete sense of self. I feel more like me (Don't get me wrong there is a definite sensual aspect to crossdressing. I like the way women's clothes feel - a flowing silk skirt against stockinged legs, a silk blouse - it very sensual. Let's be real - me;s clothing just isn't sensual. Functional? Yes. Comfortable? Usually. Sensual? Hardly!)
Mens clothing is pretty boring - pants and a shirt, and for business - a suit. The steretypical business attire - a blue suit, white shirt, tie and black shoes and if it's raining a trench coat. It looks like a bunch of clones walking down the street. Women, on the other hand, have a flexibility in dressing of which, to be honest, I am quite envious. With choices of fabrics, colour, style and accessories, womens clothing is just more fun. It allows a freedom of self-expression men just do not have. My crossdressing helps fill that void.
There is nothing inherently male or female about any one article of clothing. The design of a piece of clothing may favor one or the other (a bra definitely fits a woman better than a man) but it remains nothing more than a specific configuration of cloth, metal, plastic, etc. As a culture, we have chosen to associate certain types and styles of clothing with either men or women.
There are those who feel that crossdressing is unnatural. Well, it is. In fact, the wearing of any clothing is unnatural. We have no genetic predisposition to wearing clothes. Crossdressing is as unnatural as straight dressing. Clothing and the meanings we placed upon is a fabrication of society.
Men used to wear tunics with tights, knickers, ruffled shirts, wigs, heels... the list goes on and on. Try putting on a tunic length top and leggings today... You get the idea. Interestingly though, items such as sarongs and kilts are alright (in certain settings.) Prince Charles has appeared on TV (how appropriate) sporting his kilt while out with his sons.
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