Why do cross dresser, androgynous and transgender people get linked into one gro

"See I really don’t quite fit into any group." Hippie

You fit into the "I am a manly man who wears women's clothing 24/7" group. 🥳

It's a short enough life that you don't need to stress yourself out over this. Revel in it.

I asked this question in hopes to get a discussion going and keep people active

I think the majority of us do not feel we fit in a particulal group. My group would be constantly changing. I thing we all fit under the same umbrella though. I do not understand the recent backlash against trans people. Why do so many people care how others present themselves? Some guys wear their pants with their butt hanging out. Not for me but I sure don't give a crap either. I am conservative but life is too short to spend all your time judging others. Idiots ! I think some men are that way because they have repressed feeling of how they feel themselves. I can't imagine either sex not woundering how it would feel to represent as the other. Feels pretty good to me.

You made some good points there

Hippie,

I can understand from where you are coming.  For years, I have struggled with how best to describe my view of myself and how I present to myself to society at large.  While I recently have begun to see myself as transgender, I am not transgender in the normal (statiscal definition) view.

My gender identification is male.  I am a man, and am proud to be that man.  I do not desire to be a woman.  However, my gender expression is more feminine in nature, but more properly a mixture of both masculine and feminine.  I generally prefer to wear feminine clothing especially in the casual and professional realm.  Yet, I do not wear make up (aside from nail polish on all of my nails).  I also sport a military short hair cut and neatly trimmed mustache and goatee, both of which my wife absolutely loves.

I also have very deep feelings that I should have breasts.  My natural bust line is a small B cup, and as a result I have found that I more comfortable wearing a bra for support full time especially during physical activity.  I also generally wear forms which properly fill out my bra to give me a solid B cup or small C cup bust line as my bras are more comfortable with forms.

But to add more confusion to the mix, I absolutely love the image that I cut wearing semiformal and formal menswear.  This is especially true when I am able to provide an escort for my beautiful wife.

So in closing, I will say that I have never like the labels that you described in your post, and for many of the same reasons.  And as such, I have endeavor to present myself as me, and to describe myself as authentically as possible.

MacKenzie Alexandra

Hippie, I think they  group us all together because it's simply easier for them that way.  They aren't so much into trying to understand all the differences in us, so they just group us all together as "undesirables"?

And, PLEASE everyone, lets not take this into any political rants here!  You know what'll happen then, right?  ( nothing good )

Stevie

We all know how political talks go. They never end well.

Your said this beautifully. You said it better than I ever could

Two main reasons, convenience and ignorance. It is easier to clump things together then it is to make up more and more categories. I think ignorance is a larger factor as most people really do not understand that there are differences in the various type of people, but are ignorant of the fact that crossdressers are not necessarily transgender, and gay/lesbians are not either.  Few in the general population. have a clue about gender issues in general, let alone all the subtleties.

People have a natural tendency to categorize things, and want labels for everything. In biology we call in pigeon holing...trying to fit everything in neat little boxes. In reality just about everything is on a continuum with subtle gradations between groups or categories instead of distinct changes.

Everyone puts things in boxes. It's the only way we can make sense of the world. Every tree is different. And while you may recognize a tree in your back yard, you can't recognize all trees like that. You get certain characteristics of trees, and if what you're looking at meets those characteristics you "put it in that box." If it meets most criteria, (a pine tree has needles and says green all winter) you may expand your box. This way I can look at a tree I've never seen and still tell you it's a tree.

Of course, one box doesn't define the object. I am a father, an ex-husband, a brother, an uncle, a grandfather, an IT professional, and a crossdresser among others. Putting me in a box to define me is like the blind men and the elephant. Each is right in their perspective, but that doesn't define the complete picture.

I think the categories that are defined are heterosexual cis-gendered individuals and all others. Those who stray a little too far outside those categories are "discarded from the first box" and therefore lumped together in the "all other box."

But the box really shouldn't be an all-defining category. It should be a grounding point from which further discussion can ensue. For example, some crossdressers are just happy to wear certain items of women's clothing. Others will dress fully but not go out. Others have the need to be in public spaces, whether or not fully dressed. Just putting me in the "crossdresser" box doesn't tell you enough about me.

It's for this reason I don't worry too much about the box labels. These are not the be-all, end-all points. They are simply jumping off points to start a conversation about our complicated selves.

I would consider myself a traditional conservative - but not what the current main stream seems to have become - but I have mellowed towards the centre with older age.  Regardless, my brain works fine....   That's an awfully broad brush your painting people of a group with.  Kinda sounds like the attitude of the people you're ranting on a bit, doesn't it?

It is a difficult question.

People on this site struggle with trying to define themselves.

I am not concerned about labels.

But what does concern me is the hate in this world.

I can blend in but I am more aware of my surroundings when I go out because of the increase in hate and violence.

Alanna

Not at all. I tried to answer Michelle's question factually, backing it up with a way to read the science.

Explaining why things are as they are should be our goal. Dispelling deep-seated myths (people get more conservative over time) maintained by corporate media helps us all.

I agree with a long ago member here who said (correctly in my opinion) - labels are for cans, not people”. The world is a far better place when we don’t try to identify with “group identities” but as the wonderful unique individuals we are. And are judged only by the content of our character, not by appearance, heritage or any other thing. Just my thoughts of course!
Cyn