Cross-Dressing. Why?

[naomi24]

I can understand homosexuality, I can understand trans-gender, but I simply cannot understand why heterosexual men indulge in cross-dressing. Any thoughts that may enlighten me will be welcome.

[ummmm]

Jim //I knew it would invite questions (although people certainly took their time noticing!)//

I noticed straight away. I just didn't care/think about it/give it a second thought...yada yada :-)

[jim360]

If someone wants to react to a man wearing women's clothes (although, as Izzard once said, they are actually my clothes since I bought them), then that's also their business, providing they do it in private...

Thanks ummmm. Not caring is the best response of all, I suppose.

[naomi24]

Jim, //I knew it would invite questions (although people certainly took their time noticing!)//

I assumed it was your girlfriend until someone else said something.

[Zacs-Master]

I had my suspicions but thought it might be your mum.

[whiskeryron]

Does anyone think that a bank robber wearing ladies tights on his head could be called a cross dresser ?

[jim360]

Hmm, it's maybe slightly disappointing to be mistaken for someone who's turning 60 next year... Still, I suppose the point is not to be transparently obvious so I'll take it.

But anyway.

[retrocop]

As a matter of interest what does your mother say to you about cross dressing. Is she supportive?

[jim360]

I'd rather not discuss that, it's a family matter, although it's a fair enough question.

[retrocop]

Fair enough. Sorry I asked.

[jim360]

Don't be sorry for asking.

[pixie374]

Exactly ummm... Jim, I doubt anyone was actually surprised. You've been open enough about it for a very long time.

[Hypognosis]

// (page 5?)
jim360
Incidentally, Naomi -- and others -- I'm not offended by people asking questions. What bothers me far more is the people who don't even bother asking.
11:49 Fri 11th Mar 2016
//

I didn't ask but, at the time, thought it fell into the category of "none of my business".

Like naomi, I noticed the avatar as soon as you changed it; assumed "jim's new girlfriend" but, on closer inspection, decided against that. I have no idea why I leapt to the conclusion it might be you, other than "who else might this be?"

[jim360]

Welp, guess more people noticed than I realised. In which case, thanks for not caring! And I do mean that.

[Hypognosis]

Not caring or not minding? Not the same things, jim.

(I am genuinely unclear whether you are chiding, there, or just saying "thanks for nothing", or similar).

[mibn2cweus]

As one who has always had a fascination for how things work, one of life's most important lessons for me has been learning that in the pursuit of understanding why people make certain choices, it's not necessarily reasonable to always assume that a process of reason invariably applies in a person's decision making process. Nor have I ever considered "why not" or "because I/they feel like it" adequate explanations that satisfy my desire for mutual understanding in having asked the question, "why".

I have however fallen guilty myself on occasion of providing a similarly simple answer to the question "why" regarding certain behaviours fully believing (or at least hoping) no further explanation would be required, the answer being . . . "because they can".

[ummmm]

'I don't care' actually sounds a bit harsh. Jim, if we were friends in real life I would care, I just wouldn't judge or have any negative thoughts about it.

[Old_Geezer]

Process of reason ? It's more like the subconscious comes up with how one feels, leaving the conscious the job of justifying the decision that it is under the illusion it decided upon.

[jim360]

I didn't mean it negatively, or grudgingly, or anything like that. To my mind "not caring" isn't necessarily negative. I suppose here I meant something like "not regarding it as an issue worth bringing up" or something like that. I meant it to be a genuine expression of thanks, anyway.

[woofgang]

Good point OG and one that I can relate to. I think sometimes “because it feels right” “because I need to” "because I want to” are the only honest answers we can give.

[mibn2cweus]

^ or . . . "I don't know."