Definitions please

[Rony]

Is there a difference between Transvestite and Crossdressers, If so can someone give me a clinical definition.
I ask this because my SO mentioned that there is a Transvestitie who frequents our locale thrift store, an how he shops, i.e He will take several item in to the dressing room, some will be mens but descreetly many will be womens.
Just curious, personnelly I view myself as a crossdresser, I prefer womens underwear (panties) and when I can wearing Thigh high and skirt and bra and s hirt/blouse.
Thanks

Rony

[Paulie]

There are differences between the two.... although I think there are others on the forum that could answer your question much better than I.

Generally, most transvestites will be living more full time as a woman in apperance and are more inclined to have breast implants, etc.

From the sounds of the person you SO has seen, I would have to say it's much more likely that he's a CD also.

[DonnaT]

Actually, there is no difference between the two terms.
Trans means to cross
and vestite is to dress

The reason there are two terms is due to the fact that many started to deem the term transvestite to also have the trait of homosexuallity. Many dictionaries included such definitions. And the term became known as a derogitory one.

Accordingly, Virginia Prince, of Tri-Ess fame, supposedly coined the term crossdresser to reflect/define heterosexual "transvestites".

So, the terms really mean the same thing.

[Paulie]

Donna always has the technical answers!

I was more thinking of the way society has defined these labels. But, how often is society right! LOL

[Sally]

I think we can safely say that the meaning of the word Transvestite has altered several times since it was first coined by the German physician and sex researcher, Magnus Hirschfeld, back around 90 years ago. The word was constructed originally from the Latin ‘trans’ meaning across or over and ‘vestere’ meaning to dress or to wear. Hirschfeld originally used the word Transvestite to describe people who habitually wore the clothing of the opposite sex. Back in those days the distinction between Sex and Gender hadn’t been made and back at it’s time of origin he used the word Transvestite to cover both men and women who wore the clothes of their opposite sex, bi-sexual, homosexual and asexual preferences. Hirschfeld worked on the frame of what we’d term a three tier gender framework. Back then he believed in male, female and all other.

Hirschfeld himself wasn’t particularly happy with the term but as we know, labels are a fact of the world, and if people don’t give themselves one which sits comfortable with them, then in all likelihood society will apply one which may not be to the persons liking.
So, if we study Hirschfeld we see that he applied the name right across the spectrum of people who purported to not fit in with what was regarded back then as the norm in society.

Because of the generalization of his application of the word it may be safe to say that the community came to use the word as a generalization of people who were seen to be ‘different’, plus those who were seen in those days as perverted and weird, as was the case through the 1920’s/30’s/40’s/50’s/60’s/70’s.
The word today is practically extinct, and as time has gone on it’s been replaced with words which more accurately describe a persons activities, needs and make up, and also words which don’t carry as much stigma as Transvestite did years ago when the community was so fearful of people who they labeled as ‘different’ and all bundled together under the one label.

I would venture to suggest that older people who grew up in the 1930’s/40’s/50’s may still have the term Transvestite stenciled in their brain, and also may most likely still apply the same meaning to it which covered all people who walked outside of the ‘line’, but really it was no more than an overall generalising term to describe people who these days now have their own defining terminology of where they believe they fit in the ever widening spectrum of Sex, Gender, Sexuality and Sexual Orientation. There’s probably as many labels now as there are people, because in the end we’re all different as individuals and we can be whatever we want to be, but first and foremost we’re all human beings just trying to live our lives as best we can and sometimes under difficult circumstances.

The way it is, is the way it is, and words will never change who we are.

Kind Regards,

Sally.

[Christie]

Hi Girls
Whether you use the more modern term "crossdressing" or the latin term "transvestite" both refer to clothes NOT sexual orientation. Technically both terms are correct as Donna says..the new has simply superceded the old. Neither provide any hint as to the gender or sexual orientation of the individual. Although it is said that 90% of CD's are hetrosexual I guess you can have a gay CD but you can also have someone who is 100% gay who wouldn't be seen dead in women's clothes.

I must admit I do prefer the new term, although the general public still assume that if you have a skirt on (and you are not Scottish) then you must be gay. I guess in around 100years we will educate them..but most of us will be gone by then so we just have to live with their ignorace.

[Lydia]

We return to semantics - a favorite topic of mine. "Transvestite" and "crossdresser" are just words that refer to a particular mode of dress. But consider the reaction (= semantic response) of the person who reads or hears these words. To one, "transvestite" simply means a person wearing clothes that do not match the usual ones worn by members of his/her sex. To another, the word conjures up a vision of a garishly attired male prostitute - a "shemale." Thus to avoid misunderstanding, the word "crossdresser" was invented - which in itself can be interpreted in different ways.

I am reminded of the classic statement by Bill Clinton: "It depends on what 'is' is." There was more to that simple statement than appeared on the surface.

Hugs - in the strict sense of the word.

Lydia

[Gaven McLaren]

The biggest difference most of the time I have noticed it matters which side of the Atlantic you live or grew up on. In the US the more common term is crossdresser.