Have you ever felt misunderstood?
Sadly, there’s a lot of ignorance out there! That’s why in this blog post, I want to debunk common myths about crossdressers and transgender women.
Let’s start with one of the biggest misconceptions that’s unfortunately still hanging around:
Myth: Transgender women, crossdressers, and drag queens are all the same.
While all these are valid ways of expressing one’s gender, they represent distinct groups, and it’s important not to use these terms interchangeably.
To clarify, here’s how the GLAAD Media Reference Guide defines some common transgender terms:
- Transgender women – People who were assigned male at birth but who identify as women. Many transgender women are prescribed hormones or undergo surgery, but transgender identity is not dependent upon medical procedures.
- Crossdressers – Men, typically heterosexual men, who occasionally wear clothes, makeup, and accessories associated with women. This activity is a form of gender expression and is not done for entertainment purposes. Crossdressers do not wish to permanently change their sex or live full-time as women.
- Drag queens – Men, typically gay men, who dress like women for the purpose of entertainment.
- Gender non-conforming – A term used to describe some people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity. The term is not a synonym for transgender or transsexual and should only be used if someone self-identifies as gender non-conforming.
- Non-binary and/or genderqueer – Terms used by some people who experience their gender identity and/or gender expression as falling outside the categories of male and female. The term is not a synonym for transgender and should only be used if someone self-identifies as non-binary and/or genderqueer.
Now that the record has been set straight, let’s look at some of the most common myths about crossdressers and transgender women.
7 Myths About Transgender Women
- Being transgender is a choice.
- Transgender people are gay.
- Transgender women aren’t “real” women.
- Your sex is defined by your chromosomes and/or hormones.
- You have to have surgery to be a “real” transgender person.
- You aren’t transgender until you start hormone therapy.
- Kids and teens are too young to know if they’re really transgender.
7 Myths About Crossdressers
- Crossdressers are gay.
- Crossdressers are perverts.
- Crossdressing is a psychological problem.
- Crossdressing can be cured.
- Crossdressers want to change their sex.
- Crossdressing is a destructive addiction.
- Crossdressers can’t be good husbands or fathers.
Have you heard any of these myths before? They’re frustrating and hurtful, aren’t they? It’s time for the world to wake up and realize this truth:
Your gender is who you are on the inside. There are countless ways to express your gender, and all are completely valid!
To help spread this truth, check out these excellent resources from GLAAD below. They’re a great way to increase awareness about transgender issues.
Recommended Resources from GLAAD
Now let’s hear from you…
What’s the truth that YOU’D like to set straight? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments below!
Love,
Lucille
I sometimes tell my friends I’m one one of the greatests actresses whom have lived cause everyone thinks I’m a male.
I wish it was understood by other people that transgender or transsexual is all about gender, and not about sex.
I guess some of these stereotypes could be plausible if the person feels them. It really depends on the individual, not the whole of CD’s and transwomen. I suppose if a crossdresser wanted to truly stop crossdressing, they could find a way. If a transgender woman is gay, then she’s gay. Kids and teens have a lot of growing up to do as I did when I was growing up, but grown ups are just as confused as kids at times and kids can be just as smart if not smarter than grown ups. Wisdom isn’t subject to age. Also I think that a crossdressing father or husband is one that likes to wear womens clothes. Whether he’s good or bad will depend on his actions… and how often he ends up in the doghouse.
Hi,
Thanks for posting. It validates what I have come to realize about myself, that I am smack dab in the middle of the gender identification scale, loving my male self as well as my female self, and expressing each as it occurs to me to do so. So the label would be hetero crossdresser, I suppose. I wish it were more socially acceptable, but I can’t change who I am (nor do I want to), so I continue to be careful as to who knows who and what I really am, and who gets the ‘surface’ me.
I do so agree with the “myths” about transgender/crossdressers. When I was a bit younger, my mom found some of my girly things, freaked out, and sent me to counselors to try and “fix” me. I still like to be the woman within. There is nothing wrong with that. I am still the same person, just with a little twist is all. I am me, and quite comfortable with that. There are people out there that do understand girls like us. I know of some. The help we get here from Lucille really helps out alot. Dont loose the faith girls!
People just don’t realize that you can’t fix us but you can break us and that is never a product of love or care. I’m glad you came through it as you should be.
I appreciate you posting the list clearing up the myths. I feel a little reassured. ^_^
Though…as far as what exactly constitutes TG women, I think it’s kind of a weird gray area. Some laws insist on surgery or HRT, for the woman’s true gender to be accepted (legal name change, title 9, etc)…and some people are so dismissive of TG women’s circumstances that they just go along with a written policy instead of trying to empathize 😛
Well said David people often don’t automatically think when dealing with complex issues and that is the Achilles heel of society.
I will NOT be labeled by anyone. There are 2 of us living in my 1 body and we get along very well, we have different personalities and I do swap from one mode to another. I is hetro and one is bi, one is extrovert and one is extravert, they get along so well and have real meaningful conversations and make many decisions together.
I would like to be one or the other sometimes but have come to realize what a gift it is to have this wonderful relationship that no one can break.
I love my life, religion leads to the most bigoted people on the planet regardless of which one you adopt if you practice it hard as it drives you to a single group mentality.
I believe in God and treating all as equal plus helping other when I can and that does not just mean giving to a charity and feeling good.
want to wish everyone happiness in this special time
Well stated Kate wise thoughts. Thank you for sharing them with us.
I have been transgender for many years, ans just in the last 18 months transitioned full time to living as a woman. There are two myths that I would like to debunk. The one that says that being transgender is a choice. I know personally that it is not, plus it has been proven scientifically that the brain of MTF transgender women is very similar to that of a genetic woman. I agree with Salina, Joanna and Sandra about it being a sin. One of my sisters professes to be christian and was very upset when I informed my family that I was transitioning and tried to preach to me about it. It made me angry but I replied to her with scientific facts. It still makes me angry to hear these so called christians spouting hate and discontent about the LBGT community.
I am MTF and a wiccan witch. And our religion supporters to its members correctly. If you realise yourself a woman you are for wiccan society a woman. Despite whom you was born. And had SRS or not.
God wants us to love one another. Sin when it occurs is between that person and God not each other. At least that are my thoughts.