Quote from: ThePhoenix on December 29, 2013, 11:03:04 AM
The question I posed came up as a result of my thinking about reclaiming my past life. But it's really more of a social question about how society would view a trans* person who transitioned and decided to dress in the attire of their pretransition sex.
That would depend on the trans person in question. If you are perceived as cis, then you are perceived as acting in the same way as any other cis person would be under the same circumstances. I'm generally seen as a queer girl wearing boy clothes as far as anyone is concerned. Occasionally I get seen briefly as a pretty gay boy, but it doesn't last past me opening my mouth (this happens to most andro lesbians). My trans status (I was assigned male at birth) isn't visible.
For the few people in my life that know I'm trans, the reactions have been rather varied. My best friend used to say that I was "screwing with him," though now he's just classified me as "lesbian" and gotten over it. Much of my family tried to push me towards more feminine clothing for quite some time before accepting that this is just how I am. My therapist had a tendency to fail to see my clothes as "boy clothes." It's interesting how people's brains adapt to the incongruity. I think it can be pretty confusing initially, but generally if your body conforms to your target physical sex, and particularly if you are conventionally attractive in that target sex, you can get away with whatever.
Note: I'm also not talking about wearing some baggy pants or a hoodie from the guy's department. I do the whole deal. Short hair, dark colours, bootcut jeans, slim-fit button-up, leather and silver necklace, light jacket, black boots, charming smile...
That's how I go to work in the morning.
Quote from: ThePhoenix on December 28, 2013, 06:23:00 PM
In particular it includes nonbinary folks for whom one question would be, what does crossdressing even mean? If, for example, one cultivates a carefully androgynous presentation, then what presentation would be considered a cross gender presentation? Would it be any more binary oriented presentation?
Good question. I guess I'd consider cross-dressing for me as clothes that make me feel like I'm wearing a costume, playing dress-up. That would include some hyper-masculine things along with anything seriously feminine.
Quote from: ThePhoenix on December 29, 2013, 11:03:04 AM
So I never understand the mystique that clothing has in and outside the trans* community. When I wear women's clothing, I am not donning my pretty things, as one poster suggested. I'm just getting dressed for the day. I'm not wearing anything special. I'm just wearing clothes. Namely clothes that happen to fit my shape and size. 
Clothes are incredibly powerful and complex sets of symbols. They can articulate instantly a wide range of information: background, class, status, gender, social environment, etc. Even things like sexual orientation or membership in a specific subculture can be indicated through clothing.
And nobody can opt-out. You included. Why are you considering trying out a male presentation? It wouldn't mean anything if clothing was just stuff you wear.
