This myth is fairly common among (unaccepting) loved ones of crossdressers and subsequently many crossdressers themselves. In online transgendered communities, countless times crossdressers have expressed guilt about being themselves sighting this exact myth as the source of their guilty feelings.

Myth: Crossdressing is a purely selfish act and the time spent crossdressing could be better spent doing more productive things. Fact: Crossdressig is no more selfish than time spent reading a good book, watching TV/movies, exploring a personal hobby, or any other activity of personal interest.

We’ll start out by examining the meaning of the word “selfish” and then get into why there is little merit to this myth.

Marriam-Webster definition:
Selfish (adjective):
(1) concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
(2) arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others: a selfish act

Dictionary.com definition:
Selfish (adjective):
(1) devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.
(2) characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself: selfish motives.

As these definitions indicate, being selfish involves a certain level of disregard for the welfare of others. How exactly does crossdressing interfere with or show disregard for the welfare of others? The short answer is: it does not.

Crossdressing requires an investment of time and money. It varies from one person to the next depending on personal style, depth, and duration of time spent crossdressed. Some crossdressers do so openly in the company of their spouses and/or families, and sometimes out in public. Some choose to only crossdress in private.

Now I’m going to repeat the same general paragraph, substituting crossdressing for a model train enthusiast. The point I’m making should become clear.

Building a model train set requires an investment of time and money. It varies from one person to the next depending on personal interest, depth, and duration of time spent with the model train set. Some model train enthusiasts do so openly in the company of their spouses and/or families, and sometimes at public at shows/events. Some choose to only indulge in private.

The father of one of my childhood friends was a very serious model train enthusiast. He had quite an elaborate set up in his basement, complete with a miniature town, buildings that had working lights, moving railway road-block arms, detailed geography, grass and trees, and the train even blew smoke out of its stack. The model trains themselves were rather impressive chugging by with their intricate wheel mechanisms, functional train-whistle, and passenger cars that also had working lights. The whole set up was enormous and filled up about a third of the entire basement (in a closed off room). This was 30 years ago, mind you. Some pretty serious electronic technology of the time was being utilized. I can only imagine how many hours were spent assembling everything and time necessary to maintain the the small, intricate moving parts, let alone the cost of it all. It must have been very expensive because he protected the set up with a vengeance. We weren’t allowed near it without him in the room… and he reminded us of that every time we went in the basement to play Atari (old school gaming, for you younger folks).

I was just a kid at the time, but I think it’s safe to say that no one questioned this man’s love and enthusiasm for his amazing model train set and collection. The time devoted to his hobby was probably not considered a “selfish act” by his family or friends. I wonder if his wife ever had a problem with the amount of money spent on it.

The rules are very different for crossdressers though. The time spent crossdressing is often considered a “selfish act”. Why is that? Money spent on acquiring female clothing, makeup, and accessories is often seen as part of the selfish act because it might have been “spent more wisely on other things”. Does this same logic apply to the purchase of expensive model train components?

The general reason one is considered “a selfish act”, and the other not, is because many people are uncomfortable with the idea of a man crossdressing in female clothing. People are taught to be uncomfortable about this from a young age because it does not conform to currently acceptable social norms. It’s a bit like sex – most parents are embarrassed to discuss the subject of sex with their young children. Kids are taught not to ask about or even mention it, often in a punishing tone. This embarrassment was taught to them by their own parents (and other grownups) when they were kids, because their parents were embarrassed by the subject as well. It works much the same with crossdressing – the discomfort and detest is taught and passed down from generation to generation. Unlike the subject of sex, with crossdressing there is often no “acceptable age” at which time it becomes ok to discuss or acknowledge as a normal human trait. Instead, it remains a problem with many people. The reason has a lot to do with the lack of knowledge about and social stigma attached to crossdressing. It’s a lot easier to perpetuate the negative stigma than it is to acknowledge the truth and reality.

Truth be told, some crossdressers are in fact selfish – at least in some aspects of their lives. It has little to do with their crossdressing however, but rather the kind of person the are. The same can be said about many non-crossdressers as well. The world is full of people who do selfish things. Some happen to be crossdressers. Some happen to be model train enthusiasts.

If you think it’s ridiculous to compare crossdressing with being a model train enthusiast (in this context), please enlighten me as to why by leaving a comment below. I think it is ridiculous how society treats and vilifies such harmless and perfectly normal activities as crossdressing.

I know, most people do not consider crossdressing “normal”. There was also a time when most people did not consider being left-handed “normal”, or blacks drinking out of the same drinking fountain as whites “normal”. Luckily, most people have realized how idiotic those notions are. Society has, in many ways, become more enlightened and grown up. There is a long way yet to go, however. How much more growing up do you need to do?

I’ve often thought about the unaccepting families and loved one’s of crossdressers as being selfish when they ask their loved ones to stop crossdressing. It is selfish to ask someone to change who they are for you own personal benefit – in this case to ease your discomfort and/or embarrassment about their crossdressing. It displays disregard for the welfare of the crossdresser’s personal happiness. We are all entitled to the pursuit of happiness in life. There’s nothing selfish about that.

 
Related content: Crossdressing Myths

 

A lot of people seem to think that crossdressing is an addiction because most crossdressers cannot stop crossdressing even if they tried. Sadly, there is a good number of crossdressers who feel that their own crossdressing is a terrible addiction they need to rid themselves of. We all grow up learning about how “wrong” crossdressing is. It’s driven into our heads repeatedly throughout our lives.

Myth: Crossdressing is an addiction like alcoholism or any other drug dependency that must be overcome. Fact: Although crossdressing may be addictive to some, crossdressing itself is not an addiction, but rather a personal trait like being right or left handed.

Here is the word “addiction” as defined by two popular online dictionary resources:

Marriam-Webster definition:
Addiction: (2) compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly: persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

Dictionary.com definition:
Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

Almost anything enjoyable can become an addiction. Not including obvious drugs, people have become addicted to television, food, sex, gambling, the internet, gaming (video games), extreme sports (like sky diving), and working (workaholic) to name a few. Each of the mentioned “addictions” are perfectly normal, everyday activities accepted by most of society. Normal, accepted activities or not, sometimes people do become addicted and it can have devastating consequences on their lives.

Because people have the potential to become addicted to playing video games, does that mean that a video game enthusiast is automatically an addict? What about a hard core football fan who eats, lives, and breathes football – would they be considered an addict because of their extreme love of the game and all things related? I think in both cases, to cease the desired activity of choice would cause withdrawal, perhaps even “severe trauma”. How many football lovers do you know could just give up the game? If they cannot give it up, does it make their “addictive” behavior a destructive force in their lives?

If an activity does not consume a person’s time and resources to the extent that responsibilities are neglected and/or physical harm is caused, is there truly a problem?

Sports, gaming, and watching television are each well accepted activities in today’s society. With few exceptions, none of these activities are seen as addictions or destructive behaviors simply because people indulge. It is unlikely that people who enjoy these activities posses the will power to just give them up and stop forever. In most cases, there is no reason to do so anyway.

So why then do so many people consider crossdressing such an evil addiction? It has been established that crossdressing, like any other activity, can become an addiction to some, but why consider crossdressing an addiction, period? Is it because it is a social taboo? Is it because it makes some people uncomfortable? Is it because of all the other idiotic crossdressing myths put together?

Here’s my theory: Those who classify crossdressing as an addiction simply don’t like the idea of crossdressing, period, and think that vilifying it and shaming people will make it go away. Sadly, in some cases this tactic does work and people will be shamed into giving up crossdressing. With enough reinforcement though, you can pretty much shame any confused person into anything.

As I stated in the opening paragraph of this myth, some crossdressers classify crossdressing as an addiction. They believe they are addicted, it is no good for them, and feel the need to quit. I once fell into this category, but only because my mind had been filled with all the negative garbage and lies about it. Wouldn’t it be interesting if football was the big social taboo and football fans were constantly made to feel bad about themselves for their love of the “evil” game. If that argument sounds silly to you, then perhaps I made my point.

Crossdressing, on the whole, is no more an addiction than anything else people do and enjoy because it is a part of who they are. If you disagree because crossdressers can’t stop, then keep in mind the football fan who can’t give up football. The only major difference is that society frowns on one, and not the other. Neither are destructive behaviors in and of themselves.

Consider this: Most people love chocolate. If you don’t care for chocolate, then pick another food that you really enjoy – chips, pretzels, ice cream, pork, steak, whatever. I’m going to use chocolate for this example, but please substitute your own favorite food or snack.

Stop eating chocolate forever. Never pick up another piece of the dark, delicious treat ever again. You’ll still see all those commercials for chocolate candy bars, candy coated chocolate, chocolate ice cream, milkshakes, soft, hot homemade chocolate chip cookies, etc. People will still enjoy chocolate in front of you, but you must never touch it again. If you do, then you obviously need professional help because you’re clearly addicted and this destructive behavior needs to be overcome. ;)

Funny how no one hates chocolate lovers or sports enthusiasts. Why then crossdressers? What on earth did we do to deserve all this? God forbid we’re allowed to be ourselves.

 
Related content: 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.

In discussing this myth, I am reminded of an old TV show my father used to watch when I was much younger: M*A*S*H. This very popular TV sitcom of the 70′s and early 80′s was set in the Korean War. The character of Klinger regularly dressed in women’s clothes in order to display that he was “mentally unfit” for duty (i.e. crazy) in an attempt to gain (Section 8) discharge from U.S. military service. Although many found this character’s antics and attire amusing, the notion that crossdressing makes one “mentally unfit” is far from reality.

Crossdressing falls outside of what is currently socially acceptable. What is socially accepted and what is not, does not draw the line between sane and crazy. It pains me to no avail that much of society thinks terrible things about me because I am a crossdresser, but I am most certainly not crazy or mentally ill.

In regard to my own mental health, I’d like to share an interesting story. Long ago I was diagnosed with having severe chronic depression, which is classified as a mental illness. I grew increasingly dysfunctional and suicidal to the point where I was placed in a psychiatric hospital against my will. It was a truly dark and painful time for me. I tear up even today when reflecting back upon it.

Although I managed to function and survive on my own after a period of hospitalization, living with constant depression was just the status quo for me. It took more than 20 years after my initial diagnosis to figure out what was at the heart of my long-lasting struggle with chronic depression. Most of my troubles stemmed from the fact that I was living my life as a great big lie. In other words, I was a crossdresser trying my hardest to live my life pretending that I was not. Any trained psychiatric professional will explain that it is not healthy to live one’s life pretending to be something that they are not or denying themselves perfectly normal and healthy experiences (even if those experiences may not be considered socially acceptable).

I find it ironic that a lifetime of trying to suppress this integral part of who I am and pretend to be a “normal guy” would be at the heart of my mental illness. Once I finally accepted who and what I am, the great burden of confusion, guilt, self-hatred, low-self esteem, and a plethora of other emotional difficulties that contributed to my severe chronic depression all but faded away.

After figuring myself out, I went back to see the psychiatrist that had me institutionalized 20 years prior. I explained something I could not bring myself to confess years before: that I am a crossdresser. Over a series of sessions, he saw the connections between specific problems in my past and my trying (pretending) to exist as a non-crossdressing or “normal” guy. In essence, trying to live my life in a way that society might see as mentally healthy, is the very thing that lead me into my dark years of mental illness.

Although I still deal with reoccurring bouts of depression from time to time, it is a lot more manageable now that I have accepted and become comfortable with who I am. I now love rather than hate myself. The difference is truly night and day.

The pretending thing is a pattern I’ve noticed in many others in online crossdressing communities. The specifics are different, but the general stories are very similar. Crossdressers routinely try to live their lives pretending not to be and it causes some pretty serious negative complications in many of their lives.

It would be so refreshing if society would stop treating us so poorly and be more accepting of differences in people. There would be no need for such confusion among otherwise very normal, well rounded and completely sane people.

Crossdressing is not a mental illness. It is not a sickness, perversion, disease, affliction, condition, the work of the devil, or any of that other garbage many people seem to associate it with. It is simply who we are, and the only real problem with that is in how we’re treated by much of society.

I think that a lot of crossdressers do end up dealing with mental illness though, for many of the same reasons I did. Trying to suppress who I am was truly maddening and a terrible waste of so many years of my life. Never again though. This is who I am and love my crossdressing life. I’d be crazy not to. ;)

 
Related content: 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.

Masturbation
Most crossdressers experience a period of time in their life in which crossdressing often leads to sexual arousal and masturbation. In most cases, the arousal phase is temporary. It starts around puberty and fades away over a period of time. I think there may be some general knowledge of this among non-crossdressers. Did this arousal-while-dressed phase contribute to the notion that crossdressers are perverts? To take this in a slightly different direction, wouldn’t anyone who ever sat in front of their computer masturbating to porn also be considered a pervert? Porn is arousing to most, is it not? I won’t even get into the various types of porn people get off to. Is everyone who masturbates considered a pervert? May as well rename planet Earth to Planet Pervert if that is the case. You can nix crossdressers from the pervert list since the arousal phase is usually only temporary. After that phase has passed, it would effectively mean that crossdressers are the exact opposite of pervert… if “pervert” is coming from the idea of arousal and masturbation.

The media
There has been bad publicity of crossdressers on TV. An episode of the show “Cops” comes to mind, in which a crossdressing trucker is ripped off by a prostitute and gets tackled while being chased by the police after an altercation. Perhaps scenes like this embed in people’s minds that crossdressers are perverts. What about non-crossdressers who pick up prostitutes and may or may not end up on TV shows like Cops? Aren’t they then perverts as well? Wouldn’t anyone who ever picked up a prostitute be considered a pervert, period? I’d say we’ve got a hell of a lot of perverts in (political) office right now if that’s the case. Why would this perversion be limited to a crossdresser if it seems more based on being caught with a prostitute? Does one’s attire while being with a prostitute create the divide between pervert and non-pervert?

Prostitution
Some crossdressers have been known to be prostitutes. Does that make ALL crossdressers everywhere prostitutes? Maybe we should explore this twisted logic in a different light: Some women have been known to be prostitutes. Does that make ALL women everywhere prostitutes? Maybe only crossdressing prostitutes are perverts but the female prostitutes are not? Care to explain this logic in a way that doesn’t sound stupid? Good luck.

Freaks
Every once in a while one might spot a very outgoing, not-quite-right-in-the-head “freak” while out and about… one that also happens to be a crossdresser. Maybe this strange person makes strange comments and looks at people in a strange way while hopped up on some strange substances. Call them a freak or weird-o or whatever. Might this have people thinking that crossdressers are perverts – because of a freakish crossdresser found here or there? I suppose that only crossdressers are freaks and non-crossdressers are not? I’m not sure about you, but I’ve met PLENTY of non-crossdressing freaks – people who have truly freaked me out and just started talking to me out of the blue in a very not so ordinary way. They’ve always been just plain men or women, not crossdressers. While at a party once (in guy-mode), a drunk man kept touching my hair while talking to me. Repeatedly he touched my hair while complimenting me on it and would not leave me alone that night. It was very difficult to get rid of this guy without creating a scene (which I was trying to avoid doing). He had a mustache and dark hair. Oddly, I did not come to the conclusion that all men with dark hair and a mustache were freaks or pervs. Should I have?

The shame factor
I think some people throw the word “pervert” out there to shame a crossdressers into not being a crossdresser anymore. This selfish tactic may be used when a wife finds out about her husband being a crossdresser, or when a crossdresser comes out to friends or family. Calling a crossdresser a “pervert” in order to shame them into being “normal” is like calling a police officer a “pig” in order to shame them into not giving you a ticket. It will only cause more problems, if anything. Though some crossdressers will feel a sense of shame when a loved one calls them a pervert, it will not change who they are. It only serves to make the crossdresser feel bad about themselves simply for being different, and often leads to deep emotional difficulties in their lives.

Why?
There are at least a dozen more theories I can explore on this, from TV clips of rather outrageous drag queens at Mardi Gras to homophobic attitudes that crossdressers are trying to fool straight men into liking them (which is another myth all together). Who started the myth that crossdressers are perverts and why? I believe the why is out of a lack of knowledge combined with pure hatred. In terms of who, unfortunately most people who are naive to the realities of crossdressing will believe whatever negative garbage they’re fed by people even more naive than they are. The baseless lies are passed down from generation to generation: from parents to their kids, from hate-filled religious “leaders” to their congregations, and person to person in general conversation.

While it is true that some crossdressers are perverts, it is also true that MOST crossdressers are very good people: loving fathers, husbands, brothers, community leaders, doctors, teachers, etc. who are not perverts at all.

I’ve met a lot of people in my time and many have called me friend. In the last decade, there have been several people who have looked up to me as a mentor and someone they trust. I’ve listened to their problems, offered them advice, helped them when they’re down on their luck, etc. I wonder – if I told all of these people who’s lives I’ve made a positive difference in, that I’m a crossdresser… would they immediately throw out all the good they’ve come to know in me and deem me a pervert? Perhaps I should test that some day and find out.

If you happen to be a non-crossdresser who once believe that we’re a bunch of perverts, I hope you understand a little better now. If you still believe we are a bunch of perverts, then why? We just want to be accepted in society and live our lives without being labeled as such terrible people. If you think we’re perverts simply because we’re different, then I’d say YOU’VE got the problem, not us.

 
Related content: Crossdressing Myths

 

It is a popular misconception that because a man dresses like a woman, he wishes he was born as a woman or wants to have sex reassignment surgery (SRS). This is often the second question asked when crossdresser comes out to someone – just after being asked, “are you gay?” Myth: If a man dresses like a woman it is because he wishes he was one and plans to have SRS. Fact: Most crossdressers do not want to be a woman or have SRS, but rather crossdress in order to explore and express their feminine side.

As I’ve stated before, crossdressers are as diverse as non-crossdressers. There is no one good representation or model of a non-crossdresser that is representative of all non-crossdressers, just as there is no single crossdressing methodology that can represent all crossdressers in how they feel or think. I don’t have specific percentages to offer, but based on my frequent interactions in online crossdressing communities, most crossdressers do not wish they were a woman or have any intention of going though SRS.

There are those who feel that the sex they were born as (male) does not fit the person that they are inside (female). In other words, some men feel like they are a woman (in essence) trapped inside a man’s body. When these men dress like women, it is usually not just to express their feminine side, but rather to express that they are truly feminine, period. To me, this almost isn’t even in the same category as crossdressing, although technically it does fit in terms of a male (or one with male genitalia) dressing as a female (at least until SRS has taken place). This makes up a only small number when compared to crossdressers who do not want a sex change. Of course, after SRS has taken place, “crossdresser” would be an inaccurate description of their attire.

I have also found some instances of crossdressers who did not initially feel as if they were born into the wrong body, but later in life came to this conclusion and began the journey to SRS. There are personal discoveries that take place as one learns more about oneself throughout life. This is not unique to people in the transgendered community. Many people of all walks will have personal discoveries in their lives that will dramatically change how they live it.

Most of the crossdressers in online communities that I frequent are very similar in one major respect: they are men who identify as being male, but also need to express their feminine side and do so through crossdressering. Most crossdressers seem to enjoy being able to live as a man and transform into the appearance of a woman when they want (the amount of desired man-time vs. woman-time varies depending on the crossdresser).

Believing that a man wants to become a woman just because he crossdresses is a very naïve way of thinking. It is like believing that motor cycle enthusiasts want to become Hell’s Angels just because they ride a motor cycle. Some of them will want, and choose to do just that. Most will not, nor is it ever a consideration for them. As for me… I wonder if the Hell’s Angels are accepting crossdressers these days. I bet I could pull of an awesome biker chick look. :)

Update: In regard to the biker/Hell’s Angels reference, I urge you to read Cathii’s comment below. Cathii is a transsexual and was kind enough to offer important corrections to points I made about transsexuals.

Seriously, it’s time to educate people about the realities of crossdressers and put to rest these senseless myths. This particular myth is not accurate of the majority of us and people are drawing conclusions based on a lack of knowledge about the subject. Why is there a lack of knowledge on this subject? Why is it such a taboo to teach in school or even bring up in conversion… and I don’t mean as a joke or something to poke fun at. Seriously – what’s the problem, folks? What am I missing?

 
Related content: Crossdressing Myths

 

This is probably the granddaddy of all crossdresser myths: crossdressers are gay. More often than not, it’s the first question asked of a crossdresser after coming out to (or being outed by) a non-crossdresser – “Are you gay?” It does get tiresome after a while. Myth: Crossdressers are gay because they dress in women’s clothes. Fact: Most crossdressers are straight, but some of them are gay. Ever wonder where this myth came from in the first place? I’ll explore that later in this article.

The myth that (all) crossdressers are gay is due to lack of knowledge. Our schools teach a plethora of information spanning a wide variety of subjects. Oddly, the natural human gender spectrum is left out and only the existence of two basic genders is covered. Why is that? Gender realities are nothing new to doctors, scientists, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals. In most western societies, knowledge of the full gender spectrum is nowhere to be found in the education system (pre-college). Unfortunately, many people believe this topic is something to “protect” children from, rather than encourage or even allow them to know the truth about. Therefore, the facts about crossdressers remain a mystery to most non-crossdressers. Sadly, many crossdressers grow up in a state of confusion about themselves because this information is not taught or offered anywhere. With the terrible social stigma affixed tightly to it, it’s not easy for crossdressers to figure this out for themselves. It took me more than 3 decades of my life to work it all out for myself because of this.

Given the lack of education regarding this, people are left to their own limited reasoning abilities in a subject they know nothing about. For many non-crossdressers, the process plays out something like this: “If a man dresses like a woman, he must be trying to fool and attract other men and therefore be gay.”

There are many variations of this perverted reasoning, but the general idea is usually the same. Irritating as it is, I can understand why naïve people work it out as such. They have no real knowledge to draw upon, so they take what little they know and draw their own (incorrect) conclusion. This false line of thinking is passed on to others through conversations and discussions when the topic surfaces. Because there is a certain logic to this assessment, however inaccurate, it becomes reinforced and solidified in people’s minds. The myth is perpetuated in favor of the truth. Many people will even try to fight and argue against the truth when confronted with it.

To help enlighten those who are curious about crossdressers, and perhaps even crossdressers who find themselves confused as to who or what they are, try to think of being a crossdresser just like any other personal genetic trait. Take people who like peanut butter for example. Are all peanut butter enthusiasts gay? That sounds pretty ridiculous, right? It sounds about as ridiculous as the notion that “crossdressers are all gay” does to most crossdressers. Back to the peanut butter example: most people who enjoy peanut butter are not gay but some are. Most people who enjoy peanut butter are right-handed, but some are left-handed. The same applies to crossdressers. Most crossdressers are also right-handed but some are left-handed. Being crossdresser has no bearing on one’s sexual preference, which hand they write with, or whether or not they have a taste for peanut butter. It is but one of many naturally occurring personal traits people may or may not have built into their genetic make up. Unfortunately, crossdressering just happens to have an undesirable social stigma attached, and for no good reason other than lack of knowledge and education.

As with people who enjoy peanut butter, there are many differences in crossdressers. Crossdressers are in fact as varied as non-crossdressers. Most are straight, but some are gay or bi-sexual. Most do not want a sex change, but some do (these are best classified as transsexuals and not crossdressers). Many crossdressers are monogamous, but some are promiscuous. Most crossdressers are not perverts, but some are. When it comes to personal style in crossdressering, pretty much anything goes. Some just like to wear women’s underwear, and will do so under their man-clothes. Others will dress partially or fully in women’s clothes, but not wear makeup or try to otherwise to appear female. Many crossdressers go to great lengths in an attempt to appear fully female. Take those examples, throw in a bunch more, mix them all up, and you might get an idea for the great number of personal style variations there are. Believing that crossdressers are all the same is as absurd and accurate as believing that all non-crossdressers are exactly the same.

When the education system decides to begin enlightening people with the facts about gender variations, these myths and clichés will fade away as did the notion of the world being flat. People will grow up learning the truth rather than stumbling onto something they don’t understand and concocting the wrong assessment of it. Crossdressers will grow up understanding who they are rather than potentially spending years in confusion and/or hating themselves. The social stigma associated with being a crossdresser or a transgendered person will start to fade away. Once people are educated with the facts and know the truth, the idea that all crossdressers are gay (along with a variety of truly negative myths) will be a thing of the past.

Seeing how the American education system currently has the backbone of a jellyfish, maybe we should just ask the MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman to put this one to rest for once and for all. I’m sure they can do something with their dummy “Buster”, a remote controlled junk car and some pyrotechnics to help dispel this myth. I’m seriously thinking of writing them about this just to see where it goes. I think it might make a very interesting show segment. The “crossdressing myths” graphic up top was designed as a parody of the MythBusters logo, by the way.

How long will it be before our education system gets their collective heads out of their asses and acknowledges that this subject is important and worthy of inclusion in the curriculum? Given how western society (mainly American) has such a problem with anything having to do with sex or (gasp) gender, it may be a while. What are you going to do to change that? You can always choose to do nothing and just sit back and enjoy all the negative clichés and myths. Progress will only be made when people choose to bring it about.

 
Related content: Crossdressing Myths