“The Manufactured Product”

[Virginia]

Darlene, honey, in all honesty I don't think I have the background in human development that CJ and Cathy and Sally and et.al., have. I will blunder through my explanation. I guess what I feel in comparison to where I think we are and where we have come from is basically that we, today, understand more about the why we have this "gift" and what the possibilities are that we can do with it. Heretofore, I don't think our "historical" brethren had a clue. Maybe there were actually no crossdressers, only transgendered persons and they definitely had no idea what to do about it. My friend Brandi who is the textbook GID poster girl is going to have surgery in September and I am so happy for her. I watch her when she is just being herself and does not know I am watching. She is a woman, she has all the little moves, characteristics graces, etc that most ovetly feminine women have! Those are ingrained they are not nor can some of them be learned. She was born with a penis and now that will be changed by the state of modern medicine! What is the old saying?: "I think, therefore I am!" I think that we have a gift, that of being capable of exuding feminine aspects of our personality. Kindness, gentleness, love, empathy, etc. Do all males have this - hell, I don't know, I know that I do, but as has been pointed out I (whoever "I" is) has the ability to repress it almost at will, is that good or bad? Again that is up to each individual who may have the "gift." I will say this, and I do not wish to prejudice my case, but when Virginia dresses and goes out she feels good, I feel good, she likes the feelings and just enjoys being herself - most times she passes, but if, IF she is outted and confronted and God Forbid some physical confrontation arises, just below the surface of this subtle, gentle female is something that you don't want to f... with!
The statement in my high school year book (no it was not written on stone tablets!) "It is not good to wake a sleeping lion!"
Can I control one over the other, yes I can control the male but when Virginia wants to dress and go out - that is what we do!!!
I guess that in answer to your question (sorry for the above round about answer) YES! I do think we are different from our "Historical brethren." We are different because we are beginning to understand. One of my favorite verses from the Bible: "Wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom, BUT with all thy getting, get understanding."
Love ya, Sis
Virginia

[Kathy]

We have all heard the expression "trust your instincts" or, how about "trust your gut" or, even "listen to the voice inside you". I guess I was fortunate to have learned to trust my instincts fairly early in my life. I listen to that little voice as it guides me through all aspects of my life, including crossdressing. It has never caused me to do anything I have regretted. The only times that I have really gone wrong were times when I ignored the kick in my gut and gone with my brain (Ego?) instead.

Yes, there were times in the past where I strongly considered hormones or blockers or other forms of feminization of my body. But, each time, that little voice said "no, that isn't right for me". That is how I have determined how much or how little of my male or female self to show or repress at any given time.

Now, many people never learn to trust their instincts. They are the ones who will tend to go too far or, perhaps, not far enough. They will never find their balance until they learn to trust their own instincts.

It doesn't really matter to me how you label it. Whether you call it the anima or the unconcious Self or whatever. Your inner voice will never send you in the wrong direction. That's how I have found my balance. And, I only lose my balance when I ignore my own voice.

Love,
Kathy

[Virginia]

Kathy, honestly I am not following or God forbid stalking you,
BUT, honey, I want you to go back and reread what you just wrote! I do not know how to transfer the paragraphs from previous posts. You wrote and I quote:

"That is how I have determined how much or how little of my male or female self to show or repress at any given time."

Wow! My interpretation of this is (and I may be dead wrong - please correct me if I am and perhaps you have not even thought about it this way and PLEASE there is nothing right or wrong with what you have written, I am just seeking understanding and you may not even be able to provide it) Now how to phrase this without offending you??? Uh!? just how many people are in there?? The "I" you speak of determines how much of the male or female to expose?? That is at least three different "selfs" is it not. The "I" controls who gets to express themselves and to what extent?? I am NOT casting dispursions on your presentation, I am just curious to know if that is how you see your self?? Again there is for me no right or wrong here, just curiosity and yes I know it killed the cat - but the analogy to that is that "satisfaction brought him/her back!"
Love ya,
Virginia

[Kathy]

LOL!

Hi Virginia,

Not sure if I can make sense of this for you but...

I really only see myself as one "Self". Perhaps I could have stated it better if I had referred to the "male" & "female" as aspects of that "self" that I either release or repress, in differing amounts and combinations depending on what feels appropriate at any given time.

Now, how's that for being clear as mud?

Love,
Kathy

[Virginia]

Hi,
I just read and responded to Cathy Anderson's post about the "Self" and according to her interpretation of Jung, that the Self is a neutral, non sexual "us." That the "Ego" will be or is always submissive to the the Self. Now my question is back to your statement (God, this is getting so much over my head) Do we not agree that male and female are different?
Then we who are somewhat beyond crossdressing in that we sense and exude female characteristics, i.e., empathy, gentleness, love, understanding, etc. but are "probably" male both in physical and mental capacity does it not reason that there would have to be two egos within us? Both subject to the "Self?" If Jung is correct and the Self is neutral sexually and controls the ego we as crossdressers have within us three (what would you call them???) "entities???!!! Both a male and female "ego" that are both submissive to the Self!
Ok, I need a break now!
Love,
Virginia

[Loretta Ann]

We have all heard the expression "trust your instincts" or, how about "trust your gut" or, even "listen to the voice inside you". I guess I was fortunate to have learned to trust my instincts fairly early in my life. I listen to that little voice as it guides me through all aspects of my life, including crossdressing. It has never caused me to do anything I have regretted. The only times that I have really gone wrong were times when I ignored the kick in my gut and gone with my brain (Ego?) instead.

Yes, there were times in the past where I strongly considered hormones or blockers or other forms of feminization of my body. But, each time, that little voice said "no, that isn't right for me". That is how I have determined how much or how little of my male or female self to show or repress at any given time.

Now, many people never learn to trust their instincts. They are the ones who will tend to go too far or, perhaps, not far enough. They will never find their balance until they learn to trust their own instincts.

It doesn't really matter to me how you label it. Whether you call it the anima or the unconcious Self or whatever. Your inner voice will never send you in the wrong direction. That's how I have found my balance. And, I only lose my balance when I ignore my own voice.

Love,
Kathy

Very well said Kathy. I am in total agreement with what you have printed here. Unlike you it took me many years to learn that lesson.

It is the inner voice that should guide you and I don’t think it has a gender or a sex. I don’t think it needs to.

Love Darlene.