The terms transvestite, cross-dresser, and transgender are often misused. It is important to know the difference between these terms to show respect and understanding for gender identity.
Gender identity is socially defined, and not biological. Wearing clothing associated with the opposite sex is a fetish that can cause emotional distress and social impairment.
Definition
A transvestite is a person who enjoys wearing clothing associated with the opposite sex. They may not be a transgender person, but they do often feel uncomfortable in the gender assigned to them at birth and wish, whether successful or not, to realign their gender and sex. This is called gender dysphoria. Usually, transvestites are men who enjoy filling male roles and dressing in women’s clothes, but they can also be either gender. Many transgender people don’t like to be associated with this term because it can imply that they are cross-dressers or aren’t “transgender enough.”
However, it is important to distinguish between transvestite and someone who dresses for performance, such as a drag queen or king. The latter usually wear exaggerated makeup and clothing for a sexual fetish or to entertain, and they may not identify as female or man. They also don’t require hormone replacement or surgery to be who they are. The former, on the other hand, do.
History
The word transvestite was coined in 1910 by Magnus Hirschfeld. This early twentieth century German sex researcher believed that there were three genders: male, female, and the “third sex.” Hirschfeld included cross-dressers and homosexuals in this category.
Today, transvestite is an antiquated term that has been replaced by the more accurate term transgender. Many people who dress in clothes that are traditionally meant for the opposite gender prefer to be called transgender rather than transvestite.
A transvestite is someone who derives sexual pleasure from wearing clothes that are typically associated with the opposite sex. This is different from transsexuality, which involves a desire to permanently change one’s gender. Some transvestites are simply cross-dressers and don’t have a desire to change their sex. Others have a more permanent desire to be the opposite sex. The distinction between these two categories is important to recognize because the terms are not interchangeable. In some cultures, the practice of wearing clothes that are traditionally meant for the opposite sex is part of religious and cultural tradition. For example, some men who wear women’s clothing serve as priests in religions derived from west Africa.
Psychological aspects
People with transvestic disorder experience recurrent fantasies and intense urges to cross-dress. They are greatly distressed by this behavior and it interferes with their functioning at work, with family, or in social interactions. They have been experiencing these feelings for 6 months or more.
This is different from gender dysphoria, a feeling of distress that your birth-assigned sex does not match your personal identity. It is also different from transvestism, in which you feel that you should be the opposite sex. Most transvestites are men who dress as women. They may also engage in female-to-male sex, or FtM.
It is important to understand the difference between transgender, transvestite, and cross-dresser. It is often incorrect to use these terms interchangeably, and many people misunderstand the differences between them. For example, a cisgender man who dresses as a woman for entertainment purposes is known as a drag queen, not a transvestite. This can be offensive to the transgender community, and it is also inaccurate.
Legal aspects
Transvestite is the term used for people who dress up in clothing of the opposite sex. This is a form of fetishism that can be found in both men and women, and it typically involves a sexual element.
Some people mistakenly think that transvestism is homosexual, but this is not the case. It is a separate kink, and it can have comorbidity with other fetishes such as foot or stocking fetishism.
While legal discrimination against gay people has long been around, the issues facing trans people are just now becoming more prominent in the media. Some states have passed laws that require surgery or otherwise limit the rights of trans people, such as those that force them to use women’s restrooms.
It is important to understand the difference between transgender, transvestite, and cross-dresser, so that you can be a more informed ally to the LGBT community. It is also helpful to ask someone their pronouns as a sign of courtesy and respect for their gender identity.