Am I a crossdresser or a transvestite? Is there a difference?

Question

I am not transexual, I do love dressing as a woman and go out in public a lot.

Answer 1

"THEY" say that one is a crossdresser if they is no sexual aspect to their dressing in female attire, and one is a Transvestite if there IS a sexual aspect to the dressing in female attire.

I, however, believe that there is no difference as I have yet to meet a so called Crossdresser who get's no sexual feelings when dressed in female attire. Why do it otherwise?........cause you like the way it ...........?? what???? (feels?, looks?, etc.?) those "feelings" and "looks" are EMOTIONS, and VISUALS. It is most certainly sexual.

Answer 2

A crossdresser and a transvestite are the same thing. Transvestite literally means crossdresser from Latin roots. However, most heterosexual transvestites call themselves crossdressers to avoid the confusion that results when people don't understand the difference between a transvestite and a transsexual. It goes without saying that homosexual crossdressers are drag queens, and people who actually change their body to a more feminine form via various surgeries or hormones are transsexuals.

Wikipedia has a very good detailed explanation of the various terminology; see the link below.

Incidentally, I think crossdressing is probably more commonplace than many people imagine. In my experience, crossdressers are very charming and surprisingly well-adjusted. I think it's the people who have such a huge problem with the issue of crossdressing who have the self-image issues. And remember that only a hundred years ago or less, women who dared to wear men's suits or slacks were also deemed crossdressers, whereas today, it's perceived as being completely normal for women to don men's clothing. Not everybody is as accepting of males who do the same, but there are enough enlightened people out there that it shouldn't be a problem for you. (And apparently it's not, since you have such an active social life!)

Answer 3

My opinion of these answers-

(Magistra_linguae) and (vtdamon) are right on the money-

(cutee200) needs to get her facts straight before she calls other people ingnorant-

But, basically, yeah- a crossdresser is a man who enjoys dressing in the clothing of the opposite sex (women) to express a "feminine side".

A transvestite primarily dresses in female clothing for sexual reasons.

They both mean the same thing, just different motives.

BTW, if a woman were to dress completely in male clothes, it would be:

(1) considered sexy
(2) a lesbian, -OR-
(3) a drag king (yes, there actually IS a term for women who dress as men).

Which just goes to prove that there is generally no such thing as a crossdressing woman- (except for the drag king, of course).

A transsexual is a person who plans to or has had surgery to look like the opposite sex. They may be male bodied, but they have a female mind.

(vtdamon) deserves the 10 pts.

Answer 4

The term Transvestite is an outdated medical term used to describe a person who desires to dress in the clothing of the opposite sex. It stems from the word 'trans' which means 'across' or 'cross' and 'vestire' which is to clothe.

The term transvestite is used today generally in the medical community to describe crossdressing as a fetish act as in transvetic fetish (DSM-IV-TR) for those that crossdress exclusively for a sexual thrill.

By reading your past questions and answers here in this forum, and seeing how you, like myself, enjoy going outside dressed en-femme, I can safely say that the more proper term of Crossdresser would fit. Yet a much better term that is not used and should be is "Human."

Answer 5

Not to be rude, but i am BLOWN AWAY by how many people don't know the difference between transvestite and transsexual/transgender!!! Transvestites are NOT people who are having surgeries and physically transitioning!! Those would be transgender or transsexual people.

The difference between a transvestite and a crossdresser is the reason behind dressing. If you do it because its fun to pretend to be a woman, then yo'ure a crossdresser. If it has sexual undertones, or turns you on, then it is transvestism.

Answer 6

hi! My source of my tips is me! I ve been doing this for years, so I talk with some point of authority on the project. anyhow, what s the version? That relies upon on the guy you re asking! Labels SUCK and propose extremely some issues to diverse people. To me a go-dresser and a transvestite is a time era for one and the comparable element. The definition might purely be person who wears the clothing traditionally assigned to an opposite gender. besides the undeniable fact that, there s a connotation it fairly is carried by technique of the time era Transvestite that doesn t exist with the time era Crossdresser, and easily that s purely simply by issues like Rocky Horror image teach and different video clips and cultures from the 70 s and so on. The time era Transvestite includes the belief of dressing to trick others into questioning you re something you re not or for sexual motives. besides the undeniable fact that the sexual motives is extremely a time era talked approximately as Trans-Fetishism (forgive the hyphen, purely seems extraordinary with out it). Then video clips and such showing crossdressing people "tricking" people into a night out by technique of making them assume they re lady is purely incorrect. That s someone being a jackass and has not something to do with crossdressing. i in my opinion experience that men get screwed of their dresser possibilities. in spite of everything, men get to possibilities fairly, an outfit with pants, or an outfit with shorts. females get the innovations of clothing with skirts, dresses, leggings, pants, shorts, capri s, pantaloons, and a lot extra. And easily their clothing is commonly far extra comfortable and easily it s relaxing. My spouse loves me in a skirt and is in charge for each thing lol. God i admire that lady. I m a guy, even in a skirt, tights, heels, shirt and so on i'm nevertheless a guy and not in any respect pretend to be different than that. If somebody sees me and thinks i'm lady, properly I m flattered yet I ll never attempt to make somebody think of that approximately me. I don t have a girly voice and am an extremely super person. (6 6" and around 300lbs) i'm a walking gorilla who wears heels that would make me 6 10". every person who thinks i'm a woman desires glasses or purely is elementary with some very tall females. anyhow, Crossdresser and Transvestite are interchangeable, yet Transvestite includes an undeserved undertone that makes maximum folk use Crossdresser if we use any label in any respect.

Answer 7

Damn some people can be so um...ignorant! Sorry anyways, your a cross dresser transvestites are he/shes they either already have or plan to get some work done, breast implants or hips eyebrow bone shave that kinda stuff. I know some of both and can tell the deffinant differance. I also know that you can enjoy wearing womens clothes and still be straight. So I hope this helped. And dont think you HAVE to grow out of it. I believe very strongly in doing what ever floats your boat so long as it is a victimless crime, (your not hurting anyone, so just do it all that matters is that you like it) wether its a phase or not doesnt matter and I am sure your not worried about that anyways.

Answer 8

'Crossdresser' and 'transvestite' are basically the same thing. 'Transvestite' is simply a more archaic term that first originated in the medical/academic community to describe the act of wearing clothes of the other sex.

I think that if a definition HAS to be made, it is that transvestites become sexually aroused when they dress up in the clothes of the opposite sex; crossdressers enjoy it, but not in a sexual manner.

Hope that helps!

Answer 9

The only difference between a cross-dresser & a transvestite is the spelling or so I believe.

Answer 10

one is the noun and one is the verb..

a transvestite is a person (noun) who engages in the act (verb) of cross-dressing.

referring to yourself as a cross-dresser would also be correct terminology.. the two words basically mean the same thing.