transvestism and gender as expression

[cd332.livejournal.com]

I just thought to post the following here purely as a way to add to the voice of transvestites within the T* community. Again, like my other posts, they are not meant to be argumentative. They are just my running thoughts and small discoveries as I come to grips with the notions and concepts of being a mtf transvestite:


I can't speak for all transvestites, but one of the things that have occurred to me over the weeks, is that there is a marked difference between transvestites and hormone/surgery-destined transgender folk. Honestly in all the excitement and reassertion of who should lay claim to the throne beneath the almighty T* umbrella, I have neglected to pay attention to differences. Here is what I think:

For transvestites, gender is an expression, not a lifelong sentence.

What does this phrase mean? For me, an expression could be fleeting. It could be something you can turn on and turn off. (I personally see it in terms of an artistic expression.) I think it's important to understand this distinction, because even though I think transvestites do face discrimination and an equal amount of problems, violence, and lack of understanding in society AND communities, I also believe that to put transvestites in the same group as hormone/surgery-destined transgender folk may negate from the seriousness of the latter's situation.

Many transvestites like myself value our "other" self as a part of our identity. Look at the word itself: It is only transgressing in costume and dress. The hormone/surgery trans folk, on the other hand, are looking to replace the other self with a realization of their true self. It's definitely a greater calling and demands a higher level of commitment.

That's not to say transvestites don't face their own set of problems. We do.

more thoughts on transvestism