Quote from: gennee on January 28, 2008, 11:51:13 AM

I cross dress because I enjoy it. I look at it as me paying homage to women. I dress in a way as not to bring disrepute to women. Women have many choices that men don't have. Bright colors, more styles to choose from. They also have intuition, perspective, and different thought process from men. That's why I pay honor to them with my dressing.

Gennee 

Very well said Gennee, and yes I agree with you 100% that women should relize that we are paying them more homage than they realize instead of thinking that we're insulting them.

Gina 

Back to the original question, I had a conversation recently with a woman (she knew nothing about me) who told me, "It gives me the creeps that there are guys out there pretending to be women when they are not!"  This was with a group of women.  Not all of the others around her agreed, but most did.

Sadly, I think many women do feel this way.  I personally think it has more to do with crossing into taboo territory, the fear of the unknown, and their own insecurities.  But that's just my opinion.  It is a rare woman who realizes that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Kristi

I think there are exceptions to every rule.

What woman doesn't want attention from the gorgeous, well-to-do guy they pass every day?
What guy doesn't want attractive, thin women to be interested in him?

Even married people enjoy the attention/self esteem, even if they have no intention of cheating. Also assume I'm talking about straight people up there.

Inversely, the creepy, socially awkward, greasy kid is like a vaginal blowdryer, and clingy fat bitches can lead to spontaneous temporary homosexuality.

Generalizations are the norm in conversation and human behavior. It's like my late great uncle who supposedly was put off "->-bleeped-<-s" but couldn't ever actually think of a black person that he didn't like after meeting them. Really kind old man who was generous his entire life, just from a different generation.

The generally held belief is that a crossdresser is a pervert in it for something sexual and obviously it's scary to think that places of sanctuary are infiltrated by rapists and creeps. It's hard to educate against generalizations when it comes to crossdressing because if your cover gets blown, ->-bleeped-<- hits the fan, and it's kind of awkward to broach the subject with strangers.

That's why I just crossdress whenever possible and everyone's like 'badass shoes Autumn! those kick ass' and 'that's a great shirt.' Of course if I was like 'thanks, I got it from Victoria's Secret :v' they'd probably give me a very weird reaction.

There are gender stereotypes and these stereotypes are often demeaning to women.  Some crossdressers can be seen by women as simply reinforcing these demeaning stereotypes, for example, the crossdresser who dresses and acts as a "dumb blonde".  Not all crossdressers are like this (and of course none of us here at Susan's are like this) but some of the more visible crossdressers can be perceived this way.  Women who say that crossdressers insult women may be basing this judgment on a stereotype of crossdressers.

Personally I consider myself a feminist crossdresser.  Like other feminists I would say that gender stereotypes can be demeaning, but I regard my crossdressing as serving in a small way to break down the gender stereotypes.  "Men aren't supposed to wear a skirt and makeup", says the stereotype.  "Sez who?", I say as I put on my lipstick.

It's probably a very insecure woman that which gets insulted by a crossdresser... she should probably grow up.

Crossdressers are not insulting to this woman. 

And in my humble opinion, any woman that is insulted by a crossdresser is a petty fool, but something tells me that is probably not the only social group they have problems with.

Hmmmmm. I haven't really paid that close attention to other women going past me but I notice enough times to notice if some are kind of male like looking women, or androgynous in appearance or just simply knock out gorgeous and making me feel extremely jealous. I do have have both women and men stop to take a good look at me, but their usually the blank type that appear to be more puzzled looking, like they just felt something more then actually see something. Especially children.

As for the CD question on how women feel about CD's to be sure they don't think anything one way or the other about CD's not that I am aware of anyway. If anything I believe women are more willing and ready to accept what ever is rejected by most of society.

Cindy 

Quote from: siouxsie on February 22, 2008, 02:06:49 PM
Crossdressers are not insulting to this woman. 

And in my humble opinion, any woman that is insulted by a crossdresser is a petty fool, but something tells me that is probably not the only social group they have problems with.

I agree.

When I was in the States, a women of late 40's once vehemently protested against my crossdressing. But, not at me, but at my wife. Once she scorned at me even I was in man's dress by saying like "how could a man have such a thin waist" and etc. She was more like a man rather than a woman, and a catholic. She was outspoken and frequently quarreled with other women regarding other issues. The problem was not what she says, but how she says.

On the contrary, one woman of late 30's once praised my beauty when I was fully in woman's mode. She said like "I really wish I would have legs like yours." She is usually quiet and busy taking care of her kids. Her little kid sometimes calls me as 'pretty man'.

My female colleague at my age in the next room is a closer friend to me. She often says that she seriously began dieting because I was slimmer than her. She admires my intelligence rather than my fashion. Still, she even recommends me to wear mini-skirts and heels at work place, which I daren't do.

It depends on personality.

Barbie~~