All posts by Gabrielle

I'm a public speaker, writer, mentor, counselor, human rights advocate and proud transgender woman.

Crossdressing Myth #4: It Is a Mental Illness

crossdressing myths

“A man dressed up like a woman?? Why… he MUST be crazy! This man needs help! He should be institutionalized! Hurry – get him off the street before anyone else catches this terrible mental disease!” Oh please. This attitude and severe lack of knowledge is so pre-1950’s. Crossdressing is a mental illness, babies come from storks, and the world is flat, right?

Myth: Crossdressers are mentally ill and that is why they have the urge to crossdress. Fact: Although it is possible for a mentally ill person to also be a crossdresser, crossdressing is not the result of a mental illness, but rather one of many personal traits that some people have genetically woven into them. This particular trait just happens to be widely misunderstood and have a social stigma attached to it.
Continue reading Crossdressing Myth #4: It Is a Mental Illness

Dear Gabi, I Have So Many Crossdressing Questions…

Anna (genetic girl) sent me an e-mail asking for some guidance with her personal situation. She’s agreed to share this publicly so that others who have a similar situation and questions may benefit from it.

Her original message has been broken down into small sections so that I can address each point directly:

I have so many crossdressing questions that I don’t know how to address. My boyfriend is a crossdresser…

You’re not alone, Anna. Crossdressing is very much a mystery to most people. I don’t have all the definitive answers (no one does), but I’d be happy to offer my personal insight and opinion.
 

Continue reading Dear Gabi, I Have So Many Crossdressing Questions…

Crossdressing Myth #3: Crossdressers are Perverts

crossdressing myths

Although not the number 1 cliché, this idiotic myth is probably the most damaging to crossdressers than any of the other myths combined. This one alone plays a significant role in society’s general unacceptance of us. Myth: crossdressers are perverts. Fact: Most crossdressers are certainly NOT perverts, but rather regular guys who have a strong feminine side. Only a small percentage of crossdressers are perverts. It is probably proportionate to the number of non-crossdressers who are perverts.

I’m not exactly sure how this myth originated in terms of what line of thinking was involved. It is probably due to many factors, from general misunderstandings blown out of proportion to things that are completely just made up. I’d like to explore a few possibilities that may have lead to this terrible assessment of crossdressers.
Continue reading Crossdressing Myth #3: Crossdressers are Perverts

When Did “Sexy” Become “Slutty” and Why?

[Not a valid template]Do you remember the sexy styles from the late 80’s and early 90’s? Miniskirts, low-cut tops, and form-fitting clothes that revealed plenty of skin were in style and plenty of lovely ladies were working it. How I loved to see attractive women wearing these fashions and wished I could do the same. My wife dressed in these sexy styles very frequently when we first started dating.

Unfortunately, many of these sexy styles gave way to far more conservative fashions. Somehow “sexy” became almost synonymous with “slutty”. This is especially problematic for me because I really love dressing sexy. To the right there is an example of how I like to dress. I really love that outfit. It’s comfortable, I look good in it, and feel absolutely great about myself when I dress that way.

So how exactly did attractively “sexy” become cheap and “slutty”? There seems to be this notion that if a woman dresses too sexy, that she’s just trying to get guys horny, or she’s a slut, or prostitute. There’s a shame factor in dressing too sexy now. Why is that? Who cheapened sexy to slutty? Was it the fashion industry just wanting to sell more conservative styles? Was it insecure women constantly putting down other women who they felt looked better than they did by calling them sluts and whores? What happened?
Continue reading When Did “Sexy” Become “Slutty” and Why?