Crossdresser or Transvestite?

[Dede_M]

Hi Ladies

Forgive be if this has been done to death but I'm new to the comminuty if not the life!

Coressdresser? Transvestite? What's the difference?

I cross dress. Confused as heck about ny gender but am non-binary. Take immense pride in saying "I am a transvestite!" as the phrase "I am a crossdresser" as little power.

Thoughts?

[Patience]

Both are accurate, but once upon a time, the term Transvestite was used to describe the practice as if it were a mental disorder. That made the word fall out of favor, although its usage is still fairly common, especially in the UK and Australia, from what I can gather. "Crossdresser" is the more PC term.

Me? I like both. I'll even refer to myself as a "tranny", in polite conversation with my friends, but that's just me.

[Stacy Darling]

Crossdresser is my preferred term! my actual look is all over the shop yet CD is my preferred!
Stacy!

[MarinaTwelve200]

A "crossdresser" dresses as the opposite sex for any of reasons---its a general term. A "transvestite" is a Crossdresser who is not Homosexual. Not exactly precise as there are multiple reasons for transvestitism, but it does serve as a basis for some differentiation. The more words we have for variants of any thing or condition, the more precisely we can discuss it and gain insight. The larger the vocabulary, the finer "Resolution" of the mind.-----Those who use a smaller vocabulary do not think as clearly and are more prone to emotional thinking. ---Which usually does more harm than good sewing confusion and misunderstanding and miscommunication. This is why Scientists have large vocabularies and use more precise technical terms.

[Patience]

A "transvestite" is a Crossdresser who is not Homosexual.So a "crossdresser" is a Transvestite who is homosexual? Are you sure you got this right?

I think we're slowly falling into the "gender identity/sexual orientation vortex", from which no clarity can escape.

[Roxanne Lanyon]

I suppose I am a Crossdresser. I adore being in womens' clothes. But, I also have feelings, at times for members of the opposite sex. I cannot help it. But I do. At times I would love to go out on a date, with a male. I think it would be so very dreamy. At times, I wish I was a girl, all of the time. Now, girls,, what high faluting, technical word does this make me? If you get it right, I will give you a kiss!
Your Sweet, Loving Roxanne Lanyon

"Being a Girl is the best Thing in the World!"

[Kas]

The word transvestite has been replaced with “transvestic fetishism” in today’s terms. Nowadays, it generally refers to somebody who cross dressed for sexual pleasure. Just google the word transvestite and see.

[Patience]

Ok.

298487

No reference to sexual orientation there.

The vortex! It is too strong! I canny hold it off much longer!

[MarinaTwelve200]

Well, Crossdressing aside, you seem to have a basic "Bisexual" personality---leaning to the Hetero side. Likely a "Transvestite" as your crossdressing is not tied to your sexuality. Homosexual Crossdressing seems to be an outgrowth of sexuality rather than something separate from it. Neither term is that precise as "Crossdressing" is a general blanket term for dressing as the opposite sex, "Transvestitism" is simply a form of crossdressing NOT Directly connected to ones Sexuality----To differentiate it from the Homosexuals who use it to help obtain male sexual partners.----Vaguely different to be sure, but SOME difference---THIS is what happens when we do NOT have enough descriptor words. It is hard to communicate the variants. I suppose we can have Homosexual Transvestites-----It depends upon WHY they Cross-dress---if it is an outgrowth of their Homosexuality OR just another way of "having fun" or a turn-on. I am not writing a Psychological paper here---My point is VOCABULARY---- the more defined descriptors we have, the better we can think about and discuss it.

Patience: You must have forgotten your eyeglasses ;) I DID write "A transvestite is a Crossdresser who is NOT Homosexual" Which is the most common definition, in a Psychological sense.

[Teresa]

Dede,
I asked the mods to make this a sticky , it comes up as many time as the rising sun !!

Tansvestite is Latin meaning :- trans = to cross , vestite = clothes/garb , hence cross clothes /crossdress . The basic translation usually adds clothes of the opposite sex . In the literal translation there is never ever any connection made with fetish elements , it's how the individual chooses to dress that these elements come into play .

Speaking for most on this forum we come under the transvestite / crossdressing title , it depends how far we are along the TG road or spectrum as to what labels we think applies to our particular state of crossdressing . After transition the same labels may not or do not apply .

I'm out full time you may still call me a CDer but I 'm so comfortable it doesn't feel like crossdressing anymore .

Patience,
Correct in your assumption , no mention of changing gender or sexual preferences .

Marina,
Sexual preferences and gender choices are separate from a person who simply crossdresses , it's the reasons why they need to do it is when you have to discuss other labels .

[GretchenM]

The terms are really inexact due to a lot of non-standardized usage. In the simplest terms it appears that they are synonyms. But transvestite seems to be more the archaic form for crossdresser. Transvestite often refers to a person who crossdresses for the sexual excitement, that is, crossdressing is more of a sexual fetish. But even that falls apart in its usage across cultural lines. Both can be considered in the grand, poorly defined, and variable forms of transgenderism (broad definition that includes transexualism as a subset) crossdresser/transvestite is perhaps the most common form of transgender expression with highly variable motivations. Some view it as entry level transgenderism. But its meaning varies all over the map. Many crossdressers/transvestites do not feel the gender identity shift and, if male, maintain a male identity but with a feminine/female expression. Also, transvestite is a very old clinical term that has a clear root - trans = change; vestite= dressing or clothes (perhaps actually vestis). It seems to be making a comeback, but in the past it was often viewed as derogatory in some cultures.

In a word, there really does not seem to be a precise definition of either term. Even in science where more precision in terms is expected there are a lot of terms that appear to be exact, but are not. Even transgender is a bit garbled. Its usage as an inclusive, broad category has slowly become more of a synonym for transexual which seems to be fading in popularity. Even transexual has changed to refer to a person who is in transition and when transition is completed the proper term is man or woman, as the case may be. Much of this simply reflects the fact that all of the different forms of transgender (broad, inclusive use) have very poorly defined boundaries and the terms tend to be more arbitrary divisions in a continuum or spectrum that really is not easily subdivided into units.

My advice would be to generally stick with crossdresser as it avoids the derogatory character of transvestite in the past, but also be very aware of how the terms are used in your local culture and use that as an accompanying guide.

- - - Updated - - -

Wow, looks like Teresa and I pretty much echoed each other and we were both answering at the same time. Each of us have some interesting variations that appear to reflect small cultural differences in the UK and the US. Fascinating.

[Teresa]

Grechen,
I still say you solve this basic problem by making your reply a sticky !

I've never thought about certain cultural differences , ,the bottom line is they are all the same clothes and mostly very enjoyable to wear and forget the labels !

[Allisa]

When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's a Transvestite was a homosexual male who dressed as a female,period. Wrong, narrow minded, miss informed what ever, that is the way it was so to me the term is derogatory as that is the way it was used as I aged. And yes it has been done to death,sorry the horse is dead leave it be.

[Sherrii]

Hi Dede, Not all here will go along with my definitions but this is what I think. A crossdresser wears cloth of the opposite sex while not trying to pass, just likes wearing the clothes and the look and feel. A transvestite tries to get the total look and maybe pass. While a transgender is a person who has changed totally to the opposite sex in dress and mental outlook. There is a lot of overlap and difference of opinion on this subject too. Sherrii

[Diane Taylor]

I'm NEITHER. Labels never interested me. Why worry about a label?

[Charlotte7]

Dede, sometimes I'm a cross dresser who transvests, and other times I am a transvestite who cross dresses. As you say you're new here, but stick around and you'll see that some here become obsessed with labels and sub divisions and then divisions to those sub divisions. But, at the end of the day, the one thing that we all have in common is that we like to wear ladies clothes.

[CONSUELO]

They mean the same thing. The older term transvestite is just derived from the Latin and literally means cross dresser. As always society loaded other meanings onto the word Implying other sexual traits or preferences and then the word was shortened to Tranny, which was used as a pejorative. Hence the community prefers to use cross dresser, which is a term that has yet to have pejorative connotations associated with it.

Just use whichever term you like. I always call myself a fetishistic transvestite as I have come across that term in the literature and it seems to describe me.

Is it a "label"? I don't care. It is a descriptive term and that is all.

[Helen_Highwater]

Dede,

AS others have eluded to Transvestite was a term used certainly through the middle/end of the 1900's. Society viewed things differently and Tranny was really a derogatory term. It was associated with effeminate men who dressed as women. Things such as gender fluidity had yet to rise up in the public consciousness. Because it had such negative connotations over time it fell out of favour within our community and crossdresser gained in popularity.

In much the same way as gender is no longer considered a binary, more a sliding scale, so those who CD do so for a wide variety of reasons some content to dress and stand in front of the mirror, others who seek to express themselves out in public trying to look as female as they can, others content to throw on a frock and just head out as a MAID, Man In A Dress.

As there are so many differing reasons it's now considered easier to lump us all under the Trans(gender) umbrella term.

This makes life much easier for those who go out dressed as those outside our community have a single handle to grab on to. When it comes to thing such as bathrooms and store changing rooms classing someone as trans gives the muggles a definition they can sign up to. Stores and other organisations can write policy documents that refer to Trans people. It's a single all encompassing term that helps them keep things simple.

That is a great step forward for our community. There are now rules protecting our behavior from discrimination when we go out.

I would say call yourself what you like behind your own front door. The moment you step out, you're Trans if any one asks.

[Micki_Finn]

There have been many threads on this and no consensus. I’m personally of the opinion that “transvestite” is a more archaic term with strong derogatory undertones, and therefore prefer crossdresser.

Also, since people who are gender different have started using the term “transsexual” which is frequently shortened to simply “Trans”, crossdresser I feel eliminates confusion.

[Beverley Sims]

Two words with a similar meaning, changing times have chosen crossdresser.

African Americans have been tagged with many names over the years to suit the times and changing views of society.

Other groups have also been renamed for the same reasons.

[Ressie]

One is in English, the other in Latin. Same words different languages. Neither has anything to do with sexual preference unless it's a regional thing in different parts of the world.

Yes, you can simply say "I cross dress" rather than labeling what you are! But I like to use the word transvestite too. It's more fun.

[alwayshave]

Trans in Latin means across and vestire means clothes. across clothes. Seems the same as cross dress.

[Ineke Vashon]

I like to keep the K.I.S.S. principle in my mind. I do not see myself as a crossdresser, I am not a transvestite. I am a normal man who thoroughly enjoys wearing women's clothing.:battingeyelashes:

Ineke

[Rachelakld]

In New Zealand, in the 80's and 90's, lots of men would go out on to the streets, in see through nighties, late in the evening, to earn money from sex.

The media termed them "Transvestites" in every story (never cross dressers)

So due to the negative image here of that term, I prefer Cross Dresser.

[franlee]

One is in English, the other in Latin. Same words different languages. Neither has anything to do with sexual preference unless it's a regional thing in different parts of the world.

Yes, you can simply say "I cross dress" rather than labeling what you are! But I like to use the word transvestite too. It's more fun.

There is no better way to say it and I feel the same way!

[Charlotte7]

I prefer the word crossdresser, but that preference doesn't stop us here celebrating our Tranniversary in late September which is the date that I came out to her all those years ago. Truth to tell, it's a great opportunity for me to slip something grand on, and then have a good feed and a nice bottle :)

[DaisyLawrence]

In relation to my biological sex I crossdress so am a crossdresser (I am an English speaker so have no desire to use the latin alternative to a perfectly good English word so transvestite is history, literally).

In relation to my gender identity I am NOT a crossdresser. I am a dresser insofar as I don't go around naked. Now as it happens my clothes are generally purchased from ranges designed for biological women BUT that is irrelevant. My biological sex is also irrelevant because you are not going to see me naked so the only things that matter are my clothing and my gender identity and on that understanding I am not a crossdresser at all (or a transvestite) I am simply another person. No labels needed.

I'm not saying this subject comes up a LOT but is anyone else getting a sense of deja vu?

[Dede_M]

Thanks all.

Was not expecting an answer but opinions.

I’ll repeat my apology from the opening post about my suspicions that this is a popular subject and support the call to make it a sticky.

[Roxanne Lanyon]

Sweet girls, this conversation is turning into a vortex of meanings, all going down into the sea! Do we need to come up with another word, to further confuse matters? Honies, I am a crossdresser. It is what I was called back in the 60's when I began, and , dear ladies, it is what I am now! And, for the life of me, Roxanne loves it!

"My Soul is Feminine"

Roxanne Lanyon

[LilSissyStevie]

The term transvestite was coined by sexologist and pioneer LGBT activist Magnus Hirschfeld in the early 20th Century. I guess he thought it was better than the common epithets hurled at men wearing dresses.

[Patience]

Maybe we should start referring to it as the "T" word?

[Barbara Jo]

Transvestite and cross dresser both mean the same exact thing of course .
I have always said, ( half joking and the other half seriously ) that a cross dresser is just someone who will not admit that they are a transvestite .
Remember what Shakespeare said about that rose. :)

Anyway, neither term applies to a TS.

[Debs]

Accept what you are, don't try to mold yourself around other peoples thoughts, make them see you, as for gender, let it evolve around you, don't try to push it in any direction, it will change with time

[GeorgeA]

I was a transvestite until I joined here and became a crossdresser, as it seems to be preferred here. Now I'm a MIAD and agree with Daisy's definition. It's a very sensible comment.

[IleneD]

Ummmmm......... YES

[Hell on Heels]

Hell-o Dede,
It’s good to know that you weren’t expecting an answer. If you were, I imagine you might be quite confused right about now. Honestly it’s up to you to decide for yourself which term you may prefer (if either?), and it doesn’t appear that anyone is really gonna give a hoot if you refer to yourself as one or the other. (or a fire truck for that matter!)
One thing to consider though...I really have know idea how you found your way to this forum, but you may have noticed it is titled Crossdressers.com, and you decided to become a member. Soooo???

And Daisy, I thought you said “I’m an English speaker”, and then you throw a deja vu at us. What the Hell? Parlez-vous français aussi bien que l'anglais?

Much Love,
Kristyn

[Kitty Sue]

I like both. But when I am feeling sexy and a little frisky I prefer if the man:dom: I am with refers to me as his little "tranny or transvestite:daydreaming:."

[Periwinkle]

Lots of people similar to me on the internet call themselves femboys, so I mainly use that or crossdresser if I choose to even explain what I do. :heehee:

[HollyGreene]

They mean the same thing.
"Trans" is Latin for "across".
"Vestis" is Latin for "garment".