Transvestites, Transgender, and Social Intolerance

So what is the lure of transvestism, does it fulfill a need, or satisfy a desire? It is essentially an expression of femininity, a femininity we all have but most men endeavour to suppress. That doesn’t mean that all men wish to wear women’s clothes, any more than all women like to wear women’s clothes, but it is the physical expression of that femininity. It is the opportunity to wear makeup, to change ones look (something women do regularly) to make oneself pretty, to wear soft clothes, to be gentle and free of that all-embracing, choking, masculine swagger. Men mock the apparent female obsession with shoes, this is only because we do not wear them. If we did, and we began to understand the transformative feeling of self-confidence that can come from stilettos or pair of killer heels, then we would laugh less and appreciate more; and this is not a flippant digression because it is all about self-confidence. A great many transvestites would say that it is only when dressed that they truly feel to be themselves, that they are relaxed and at last confident with who they are. Isn’t this what we want people to be, don’t we want to know people for who they truly are. Not being able to express your own personality, your essence, having to lie and live a pretence will ultimately just make us angry, frustrated, and bitter, feelings we ultimately take out on other people, often those we love; and would men be less inclined to fight if they thought it would smudge their makeup or rip their tights, somehow I think they would.

So why does society fear it so much? Why should it be considered to stand aside from the normal pattern of behaviour. After all, I was only born a man by an accident of birth. It had nothing to with me and I had no say in how I was raised. Someone who is a transvestite, or indeed a transsexual, isn’t looking to undermine society. Yet by their very existence they do. Society is based upon the notion of the nuclear family, it is considered to be the glue that holds society together, anything that loosens the grip of the nuclear family is looked upon warily. Hence, the reluctance to fully embrace the concept of gay marriage. Indeed, there is no such thing as gay marriage but merely a civil union or partnership. Marriage has to be between a man and a woman. Whereas Governments can legislate in favour of the transgendered and gay community, they cannot change, or do not have the will, to change, those attitudes prevalent in society that make behaviour that is outside the mainstream frowned upon and worse by society. The best we can hope for is tolerance, acceptance, however, is still a long way off. That is why drunken thugs can still feel it is acceptable to attack transvestites in the streets.