Crossdressing

[Kobuk]

Let people dress how they want. No harm done.

Oh, well, in that case, I'll go get a top, skirt, tights, and heels for Halloween then.

Yeah, right. 

Yip, you do realise the post I made was a bit of humor, right? The "Yeah, right" part was actually directed back at myself.

[Kobuk]

Whether crossdressing is right or wrong, yadda, yadda, yadda, etc., etc., I don't know. As I said in a different thread, to each their own I guess. Everybody is going to want to be different in his/her/their own way for various reasons. Will society ever truly accept crossdressing TG/TV/TS people 100%? I don't know that either.

Take for example, skirts. We tend to think that it's an article of clothing mainly for women to wear. Wrong. Men have worn skirts, though not in the same styles that women wear. For centuries, haven't Scottish people worn skirts, otherwise known as kilts?
http://www.coopercottages.com/uploads/2/6/5/1/26513826/6339543.jpeg?324

Another example are pantyhose/tights. Men wore them centuries ago during medieval/renaissance periods. Although back then, they were known simply as stockings and they were far different from the pantyhose/tights that you see today.
https://alishapuri.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/4166303_orig.jpg

[Furenzied]

Pantyhose is also worn by lifeguards as a very lightweight and effective measure to prevent jellyfish stings on their limbs.

[Rocket T. Coyote]

There were a number of crossdressers at the cons I have attended. A few were somewhat obvious, as they seem to parody women. Some were cosplaying female characters. All tastefully attired as per con rules. One such individual had an all-matching ensemble--including extreme high-heels. Had to give him credit for being able to walk about like that.

Pantyhose is also worn by lifeguards as a very lightweight and effective measure to prevent jellyfish stings on their limbs.

I recall an odd story from the Vietnam War about Navy Seals asking their girlfriends to send them queen-size pantyhose, which was a bit embarassing as the women were more modestly sized. The Seals wore the hosiery as a barrier to leeches.

[Kobuk]

There were a number of crossdressers at the cons I have attended. A few were somewhat obvious, as they seem to parody women. Some were cosplaying female characters. All tastefully attired as per con rules. One such individual had an all-matching ensemble--including extreme high-heels. Had to give him credit for being able to walk about like that.

Minerva Mink seems to be the one I remember most at cons. RabbitintheMoon is the one who portrays her the best.
http://www.cosplay.com/member/77064/costumes/

[Rocket T. Coyote]

There were a number of crossdressers at the cons I have attended. A few were somewhat obvious, as they seem to parody women. Some were cosplaying female characters. All tastefully attired as per con rules. One such individual had an all-matching ensemble--including extreme high-heels. Had to give him credit for being able to walk about like that.

Minerva Mink seems to be the one I remember most at cons. RabbitintheMoon is the one who portrays her the best.
http://www.cosplay.com/member/77064/costumes/

I have seen the character/cosplayer on YouTube and follow her owner on FB. Bridgette The Mouse is another character in her stable. Good use of Zentai/morphsuits.

[Natura Wolf]

No, but they do face a lot of the same sort of discrimination.

they face discrimination, but not the same.

How so?   In both cases most if not all the discrimination stems from people being uncomfortable with others that challenge their preconceived ideas of gender binary. (sometimes with religious undertones, but it still boils down to the same thing.)

Well firstly, sexual orientation does not question your gender, it is questioning what you find attractive in a mate, whether male or female.  You do not need to look at yourself on the subject of sexual orientation and say that you need to physically change.  In short, it doesn't change you, or at least doesn't require you to change.

Transgender on the other hand covers a much larger part of our identity, possibly leading to gender, first name, facial features, medical changes, all sorts of changes.  From my understanding based on people spoken to who Identity themselves as transgender, it's about looking in the mirror and basically seeing a stranger, someone who does not represent the inner person who you identify with.

Already that is a different thinking process and a different road.  Most importantly though, because of this Gay, Bi & Lesbian, don't necessarily get transgender, because it is a different process and understanding.  Arguably it can also be possible for someone of Transgender to vice versa not be so compassionate and understanding about sexual orientation as identifying yourself as wrong gender arguably means you never thought of liking your same sex anyway.

They only go together because the word gender appeared in both descriptions and because they both get discriminated or viewed by the word 'gender' in one format or another, which even then there are general public that can be accepting of one over the other, both or neither.  So there is a clear difference.

I'd argue it isn't right to put them together because both sides require different support and forms of understanding.  If you split it, it means thats people who are under going gender identity, have somewhere clear that they can go to, rather than LGBT which doesn't nessicarily mean other transgenders are going to be there, or that immediately LGB part is going to be understanding or accepting.  It's a different concept of thinking.

[Yip]

I'd argue it isn't right to put them together because both sides require different support and forms of understanding.  If you split it, it means thats people who are under going gender identity, have somewhere clear that they can go to, rather than LGBT which doesn't nessicarily mean other transgenders are going to be there, or that immediately LGB part is going to be understanding or accepting.  It's a different concept of thinking.

You do realize that there are organizations and services that specifically cater to the one group or the other, right? Those the two can co-exist.

Also, when I said they both challenge preconceived ideas of gender binary. They may not have been the best wording, but what I mean is how you are expected to behave based on your assigned gender role. Part of that is who you are expected to find attractive. Like a female would be expected to eventually get a husband and fill the role of wife. And a guy is expected to eventually get a wife and fill the role of husband. Those are part of traditional ideas of gender roles.  So LGB and T may challenge them in different ways, they still both challenge them.

By the way, their are also gay and lesbian individuals who discriminate against bi people. The basic solution to all of it is for people to realize that human sexuality is a lot more complex then they'd like to think.

[Old Rabbit]

Crossdressing isn't the same as Transgender. Just because a man likes womans clothes
(Usually under garments.) It doesn't mean they think they are a woman, or a woman doing
the same.

In some cases it's just dress up for fun or for acting..Perhaps some remember "Tootsie" the
movie about a guy pretending to be a woman..

[Kobuk]

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'd like to try the following. Mostly just "for fun" though like at Halloween, Conventions, parties, holidays.

Animegao. Sometimes known as kigurumi. But the odds of doing this are almost impossible. The masks are hard to get and damn expensive. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animegao_kigurumi

[Rocket T. Coyote]

Crossdressing isn't the same as Transgender. Just because a man likes womans clothes
(Usually under garments.) It doesn't mean they think they are a woman, or a woman doing
the same.

In some cases it's just dress up for fun or for acting..Perhaps some remember "Tootsie" the
movie about a guy pretending to be a woman..

Also the television shows The Ugliest Girl In Town and Busom Buddies--the latter starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari.

[HazardJackal]

Wear what you want to wear, i really couldn't give a damn if i tried.  I'll keep wearing pants and a long-sleeve shirt every day of the week, and you can wear whatever suits your fancy (or your partner's fancy, if they have a monopoly on your wardrobe.)

That being said, i feel like there's a stronger reaction to a man wearing women's clothing than a woman wearing men's clothing.  A lady in pants?  No problem.  A man in a dress?  You're gonna get some weird looks.

Good thing furries don't need clothes, otherwise we'd have yet another layer of drama to deal with!

[Ancusmitis]

deleted

[Rocket T. Coyote]

This discussion calls to mind a Don Martin comic strip. Two kids are talking about going to the drag races. One of the kids declines the invitation. The final panel shows men dressed as women running in competition.

I once had to wear tights as part of a mascot costume. I had to make sure the seams were straight when suiting up. 

[charcoal]

One time for Halloween I dressed up as a girl to get laughs at a party I ended up looking like the bearded lady

[Rocket T. Coyote]

There's a classic Laurel & Hardy silent movie where Stan has to dress as a woman and pretend to be Ollie's wife in order for Hardy to gain an inheritance from a wealthy uncle. IIRC, Stan trips and falls when a set of satin bloomers drops to his ankles. The scene may have been deleted since I first viewed the film in the 1970s. Ollie realized something is missing from Stan's disguise and pushes a 5-lb bar bell into the front of the dress. Stan keeps trying to smoke a cigar while in drag--most unladylike.

[Rocket T. Coyote]

In the popular Happy Days television show about life in 1950s America, there was an episode in which Richie and Potsie dress as bobby socksers and attend a school dance on a dare. Fonzie puts the moves on Richie.

[Kobuk]

You're pretty much talking to yourself, Rocket.  *hears crickets chirping in thread*

Though, there is one other point to make in this thread:

Let's face it. Women have so many better choices in clothes. So many stores to buy from, styles, colors, sizes, etc.  And what the damn hell do guys have?  *holds up bland looking necktie*
Guys just don't have the wide ranging styles of clothing that women have. It almost makes me jealous.   
When I used to work retail in a big department store, the women's clothing dept. was 3x bigger than the men's dept. 
And the girls children's dept. was 2x bigger than the boys children's dept.

It's not fair!  Women have so much more than men!

[charcoal]

*Gives kobuk a mtn dew and a hug * not everyone is fabulous

[Old Rabbit]

The way women like furs. It's a wonder they don't make pants, and
blouses of fur. Perhaps tight fitting fur. That would look good now that
I think of it. 

Personally I prefer simple clothing. Jeans, and a cotton shirt.

[Rocket T. Coyote]

The way women like furs. It's a wonder they don't make pants, and
blouses of fur. Perhaps tight fitting fur. That would look good now that
I think of it. 
Personally I prefer simple clothing. Jeans, and a cotton shirt.

Well, rabbit fur jackets were popular in the 70s IIRC.

[phinox]

I've crossdressed before, not in public. but just thought since women do get a bigger variety of clothes, why can't I try them? It's given me a greater understanding of who I am, I never realised how feminine I really was until I tried it. Once I'm in uni and away from people I know, I will start wearing more feminine clothes, like short shorts or a skirt and thigh socks, why? Because it makes you feel better as you feel more attractive. However there is one misconception, that dressing like this means you're gay. This isn't always true, I've met plenty of straight people who like to dress this way. To be honest I'm bi so the stereotype is kinda true. Do I want to be a girl? No, do I enjoy looking and embracing my feminine side, yes. It's also nice to hear that people are so accepting!

Venia

[animagusurreal]

I've never had a desire to cross-dress, but I don't see any problem with it. As HazardJackal mentioned, women wear pants all the time and nobody bats an eye. I don't see why it should be any big deal if a man wants to wear a dress. When my mom went to high school in the 1960s, she was actually the first girl in her school to wear pants, which was against the rules at the time. Before long, all the girls in the school were allowed to wear pants.

[Old Rabbit]

How people dress is usually a cultural thing. Some peoples in tropical climates wear about as
little as they can. Be they male or female. In Arctic areas I imagine it's too cold to wear dresses
except perhaps in the short summers.

Except for hard work protection I would say wear what is comfortable for you.

[Kobuk]

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