Buffalo Belles About Crossdressing

In the movies "Just Like a Woman" and "Ed Wood", you meet crossdressers, persons who dress in clothing normally reserved for the opposite sex. Crossdressers, however, are not only people you see in movies. There are, perhaps, several million in the United States, for it is estimated that they comprise 5% of the adult male population. Most of them are ordinary men who have discovered a feminine aspect to their personalities, and desire to transcend the narrow stereotypes mandated by conventional society.

There is within each man a set of feminine potentials that are part of his birthright, but that society says he should suppress. Crossdressers have made contact with these feminine potentials, this "woman within", and found this contact fulfilling. Integrating these into their whole personalities, crossdressers are able to smooth off some of the macho rough edges incurred by their upbringing. The result is a softening and mellowing of the whole person.

Much speculation has centered on why some men crossdress. No one knows for sure. While some cite hormonal or genetic factors, others favor environmental factors. It appears, however, that for many the clothing serves as a "lens" to facilitate focusing upon and developing the feminine side of their personality.

Crossdressers come from all walks of life, races, creeds, and economic backgrounds. The phenomenon dates back many thousands of years. In some cultures, especially some Native American tribes, they were highly respected as shamans. Most crossdressers are well-educated and come from conventional family backgrounds. The vast majority are heterosexual and most are, or have been, married. Most are happy in their masculinity, and only a small percentage opt to live as women fulltime. A few women are crossdressers, but they are much less numerous as their male counterparts. Perhaps this is due to the relative latitude society grants to women in matters of dress and self-expression.

The chief adjustment problem crossdressers face is societal attitudes. While these have been changing since crossdressers appeared on the "Donahue Show" back in 1987, acceptance is far from complete. Because of possible consequences to families, jobs, and friends, many crossdressers live shrouded in secrecy. Wracked by fear and guilt, many crossdressers deny their feminine self, and dispose of their clothing. Usually they are frustrated by this amputation of a significant part of their personalities, and eventually return to their feminine self-expression. Some seek therapy, but as many therapists are not knowledgeable about transgender issues, they sometimes find themselves educating the therapist rather than getting the help they seek. Nor are psychiatric drugs of benefit. There is no "cure" for crossdressing, and most crossdressers do not want one!