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Hi Girls,
Darlene has raised an interesting question, see her post! Anyway we were wondering if we had the ability to "magically" make the term 'CROSSDRESSER" disappear and could replace it with a "more relevent" term what would you suggest?
Love ya, Deborah

I don't mind crossdresser. Transvestite seems so clinical and sorta seems perjoritive.

Hi Deborah,

I think other folks on the CDDF have raised some very valid points about a name being a name.

BUUUT! Since you asked!

I would agree with Lisa. Crossdresser is fine with me.

Beauty

To beat a dead hourse to death I to agree with Beauty & S. Lisa Smith with saying that I do not mind the word crossdress. I find it a sort of badge of honor is some ways to be part of a group of people who do something other than being a typical run of the mill person.

Jessie

I've especially liked the label "gender gifted". It is accurate, without any negative connotations.

Hugs,

Bernice

I know some people get quite indignant about labels, but I've always had the attitude which Virginia Prince had when she came up with the term, 'Trandgendered', to blanketly describe people who ' crossed the line ', whether it be simply by just wearing the clothes of the opposite sex, for whatever reasons, right across the spectrum to those who sought to transition.

I have always believed, as Virginia does, that if we didn't come up with a term which was acceptable to all, then society would give us their own label which would in all possibility be offensive and unflattering to everyone of us.

I have never found the term Transgender or crossdresser offensive or hard to say to anyone. I have found that the medical profession more and more these days are becoming aware of the term Transgender and I often hear them say, "Where do you fit into the Transgender scene, Crossdresser or more?", and indeed all those of my friends who see themselves as crossdressers seem to be quite content to describe themselves in that light, because that's what they do, they cross dress.

The term 'Transgender' is more and more being written into statutes and law notes around the world, so it is becoming a world wide acceptable descriptive term. When the word is used now, more and more of the general community knows to what it refers.

Over the years I always had a dislike for the term Transvestite because when that name was first intriduced it was used to bracket people into a group which was seen in the old days as anti social and to the point of perversion, and indeed even in this day and age many people when they hear or see the word Transvestite they associate it with perversion and eroticism, so I see Crossdresser as a soft inoffensive term which accurately describes people who wear the clothes of their opposite sex.

I also believe that if we keep chopping and changing identifying terms, then it leads to more confusion, not only amongst the general community, but within our own ranks too. How often do we read even now of people wanting to know the difference between Crossdresser and Transvestite. I know some people get very pedantic and try to split hairs, but really one is just a more modern version of the other and I find the modern version quite acceptable, after all, a name is only just that, nothing more. We know that they basically mean the same, but adding more names only adds more confusion and that we do not need.

That's my views on the subject for what they're worth, and they're probably only worth what you paid for them. In the end whatever anyone calls me doesn't alter who I am and doesn't worry me. We live in a label orientated world, people label every thing and everyone, and me being more than just a crossdresser, the term being a member of the Transgender community has always sat very comfortable with me.

My Kindest Regards.

Sally.

Since you asked, I vote that we dump "crossdresser" since the word, for better or worse, has been burned in many a minds as a "bad" thing.

"Transvestite" has too many negative connotations to it as well.

Transgendered seems to be about as neutral as one can get -- and if one has to explain what "transgendered" means -- then its a good thing because the person will not have a premonition about us by having heard "crossdressing" or "transvestite" first!

Hi all,

I'm with Sally and Alexandra on this one. "Transvestite" is from the Latin, meaning "to dress across," so it's identical, really, to "crossdresser." The term "transgendered" is more than acceptable, being inclusive as it is, rather than exclusionary.

I also heard someone once refer to us as being "wide-gendered" (as opposed to "narrow-gendered"), but I'm not sure how well it sits with me to have someone consider me any kind of "wide."

Love,
CJ

As usual, Sally you sold this dumb blonde! I was not looking to change the current "label" just interested in what some of my sisters thought and Latin? - CJ?! gheesh, this cross dressing stuff has some kinda history to it don't it. Wow! So I guess that Deborah is not the first to discover her gift? ha ha, Well anyway thanks girls for your input and insight and your all just GREAT!!!!
Love ya,
Deborah

Thank you Deborah for taking this on under this category. I have found the many replies, from both forums very interesting. From now on instead of referring to my self as wired better I am simply gender gifted, thank you Bernice for that one. I thought that the GGs here would have some thing to say that might be of help. That is why I posted in the other category. But I guess not, I am not sure I really understand why?

Hi all.

During some research that I have been doing I came across another term that I find kind of interesting; Gender Outlaw.

Hi all,

Darlene,

"Gender Outlaw" is a term coined and popularized by (what else?) gender outlaw, Kate Bornstein. Hir concern, though, isn't necessarily with stirring the pot of all labels applied to crossdressers; it's hir contention that gender is a social option we choose to adhere to or not, rather than a binary (or bipolar) system forced upon us by nature. Kate refuses to let hirself be boxed in by conventional notions of both gender as well as transgender. Hir refusal to abide by these notions is, precisely, what makes hir a gender outlaw.

Personally, I find this a bit too radical for my own tastes. I'm worried that, if people can relate to me neither as a man nor as a woman, nor even as a transgendered person (you'll notice gender still plays a role here), then I'd be in even more muddied waters than I currently am.

For more info on Kate Bornstein:

http://www.katebornstein.com/KatePages/indexkb.htm

Love,
CJ

Yes thank you CJ. I was aware that Kate Bornstein coined the term Gender Outlaw.

I guess I must be in muddy waters because I have a difficult time seeing my self as ether male or female, but rather a mixture of the two genders, just a creation that happens to be referred to as a human being. And as such the term "Gender Outlaw" seems to fit my situation, as I don't see myself as having crossed over to any gender as the term transgender suggests.

People will relate to me according to the way I most convincingly present myself to them weather it be as a man or as a woman, or as a transgender. That is my choice and I do not have a problem with that.

I prefer to simply be seen as a person with flaws just like every one else, weather they realize it or not.

Gender outlaw. YES! I like.

Why am I not surprised!?!?

::runs!!!::