• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Where's the wrong in cross-dressing?

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
I know, another 'clothing-related' thread on my part! But clothing norms do seem to play a large part in cultures and societies around the world, and that interests me.

I'm defining 'cross-dressing' here the same way that Wikipedia does in its opening sentence on the topic, to wit: 'Cross-dressing is the act of wearing items of clothing and other accoutrements commonly associated with the opposite sex within a particular society.'

If you feel there's wrong in it, why is that?
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I see no problems with how people dress. Obviously neither do so e members of our local rugby club

20180819_182815.jpg
 

BSM1

What? Me worry?
Over the last few years we have met a young man who has an alter ego that dresses in women's clothing. He is very intelligent, not gay, nor a drag queen and his make-up and taste in clothing is impeccable. He is very open and visible in his community. After we got to know him better we had a very long and interesting discussion with him. He explained that he had the desire to look this way as almost an art form since childhood; and he does it well...if that can be said. Although I admire his commitment and courage, I simply don't have the legs to pull it off...just sayin'.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
It's disruptive to the social organization and understood sex roles. It frightens and angers those with conservative wiring, and could lead to authoritarianism and repression.

...Just playing devil's advocate, here. Hold the brickbats, please.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Culturally it was not so long ago that women were scorned and castigated for wearing pants which are men's clothing. Today no one or almost no one outside of fundamentalists thinks twice about that. It's time for men to have the same right as women do. The only qualification is a modicum of fashion sense.

I brushed the edge of it when I bought and wore some purple t-shirts and had a "you're wearing purple???" (as in women wear purple but not men).
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I know, another 'clothing-related' thread on my part! But clothing norms do seem to play a large part in cultures and societies around the world, and that interests me.

I'm defining 'cross-dressing' here the same way that Wikipedia does in its opening sentence on the topic, to wit: 'Cross-dressing is the act of wearing items of clothing and other accoutrements commonly associated with the opposite sex within a particular society.'

If you feel there's wrong in it, why is that?
I think it is confusing for a lot of people who rely on the 'signals' that clothing styles and accessories are normally used to convey. Humans are social animals, and as such we are very keen on giving and reading subtle cues that people use to establish their place in the social order. When people start deliberately misapplying these cues it causes other people a lot of confusion, and some people a lot of anxiety from not knowing their 'place' in the social order. And I think this is especially true when those cues are related to social-sexual positioning, as that increases the level of confusion and anxiety for a lot of people.
 

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
I think it is confusing for a lot of people who rely on the 'signals' that clothing styles and accessories are normally used to convey. Humans are social animals, and as such we are very keen on giving and reading subtle cues that people use to establish their place in the social order. When people start deliberately misapplying these cues it causes other people a lot of confusion, and some people a lot of anxiety from not knowing their 'place' in the social order. And I think this is especially true when those cues are related to social-sexual positioning, as that increases the level of confusion and anxiety for a lot of people.

So these people (you?) would be against (or have been against) women wearing trousers (in those parts of the world where that is not a gender norm)?
 

PureX

Veteran Member
So these people (you?) would be against (or have been against) women wearing trousers (in those parts of the world where that is not a gender norm)?
They were, when it happened, and they had a good reason to be. Stirring up confusion and the resentment that tends to go with it for the sake of ego (see how 'different' I am!) generally gets the reaction that it deserves.
 

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
They were, when it happened, and they had a good reason to be. Stirring up confusion and the resentment that tends to go with it for the sake of ego (see how 'different' I am!) generally gets the reaction that it deserves.

And yet look where we are now. It's generally widely accepted. Sometimes social conventions just need challenging a bit and they'll change and the world generally will be the better for it (in terms of people having more freedom).
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I know, another 'clothing-related' thread on my part! But clothing norms do seem to play a large part in cultures and societies around the world, and that interests me.

I'm defining 'cross-dressing' here the same way that Wikipedia does in its opening sentence on the topic, to wit: 'Cross-dressing is the act of wearing items of clothing and other accoutrements commonly associated with the opposite sex within a particular society.'

If you feel there's wrong in it, why is that?

I don't see anything wrong with cross-dressing, but a lot of women I know just wear a t-shirt and jeans or many of the same things I wear.

I like to wear things which are comfortable and utile, as well as something that doesn't attract attention - something plain, drab, and uninspiring. So, if I were to cross-dress, it would just be t-shirt and jeans.
 

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
I don't see anything wrong with cross-dressing, but a lot of women I know just wear a t-shirt and jeans or many of the same things I wear.

I like to wear things which are comfortable and utile, as well as something that doesn't attract attention - something plain, drab, and uninspiring. So, if I were to cross-dress, it would just be t-shirt and jeans.

That people wear what is most comfortable or utile to them, I think that is what is important. And if they wish to attract attention by what they wear, why not!
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
That people wear what is most comfortable or utile to them, I think that is what is important. And if they wish to attract attention by what they wear, why not!

But thinking further on this, I've heard some women complain about high heels and how they're uncomfortable after a while. And why do women's clothes never seem to have pockets? That would be my biggest complaint. That seems to be why women carry purses everywhere, because their clothes never have pockets. I need pockets.

I can sympathize, though, especially since women's clothes are more expensive. That seems unfair. I wouldn't blame women if they wanted to boycott buying clothes.
 
Top