Titles, Labels and definitions*
* these definitions have been taken from a number of simple Google searches.
Is this important? Does a label matter? Is it something that should cause worry?
cross-dress
verb
wear clothing typical of the opposite sex.
I do this... I enjoy playing this game... I feel comfortable playing around and being somebody different. So. Duh! It’s me.
transvestite
noun
a person, usually a male, who adopts the dress and often the behavior typical of the opposite sex, especially for purposes of emotional or sexual gratification.
“adopts the behaviour”... interesting. Because I feel that when I cross-dress I am in some ways forced to adopt a behaviour. e.g. Heels make you walk differently; that’s either a stomping around (because you can’t walk in them), or a graceful stride (because you can walk in them). So if you walk properly in heels, you adopt the behaviour of walking like a beautiful woman.
But does that make you a transvestite? Or just a good cross-dresser?
Equally, if you wear make-up, that is adopting a behaviour that some (not all) women like to display. So if a cross-dresser doesn’t wear make-up, they will most probably look like a male in woman’s clothing; and I don’t think that is a behaviour most females go for.
Oh... and I do not do this for sexual gratification.
transgender
adjective
denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender.
This is not me. I am male. When I dress I autonomously adopt the behaviours of a female, but I think I am unambiguously male. Although it would be nice to be able to “pass” or make somebody look twice.
unambiguous
adjective
not open to more than one interpretation.
Just to confirm. I am male.
transsexual
noun
a person who emotionally and psychologically feels that they belong to the opposite sex.
I do not feel like I am female. I have long gone past ever thinking I could think that I could be female and I am realistic that I take part in this to play dress-up.
drag queen
noun (informal)
a man who ostentatiously dresses up in women's clothes.
Aren’t we all a little ostentatious? I mean, if adopting some behaviours, isn’t putting on bright red lipstick or creating bold looking eyes designed to impress?
ostentatious
adjective
characterised by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress.
androgynous
adjective
partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex.
Just to make this clear. When I am ‘normal’, I look male. It’ll take a lot of work to look female. There won’t be a middle ground, unless I leave my wig off, or become one of those beardy transvestites/cross-dressers.
I think do not think labels are important. I aim to be an unambiguous, ostentatious male who dresses in clothing designed for the opposite sex, and adopt some behaviours typical of a female. And I would find it amusing to make somebody question whether or not I am male, if just for one second.