Crossdressing

Credit: RejectLucidity

Crossdressing is an act of wearing clothes or accessories that are generaly associated with a gender different from ones own. There are various cultures and historical periods where the practices of crossdressing have been observed and documented. The reason for these practices varies from record to record, with the most prevalent reasons being associated with fashion, expression, disguise, performance or religious traditions. Nowadays, crossdressing is often assumed to the related to transgender identities, and while that may be the case for some, it is not a rule and shouldn't be taken as such.

Etymology and Origin

The term "crossdressing" comes from the combination of two words. First being "cross", meaning switch, and "dress", which refers to clothes. This term has gone through many changes over the years, which resulted in the older generation remembering this act under a different name ''transvestite''. This term has since been considered outdated and in many circles, derogatory.

Notable mentions of crossdressing that were observed and documented:

• Ancient Cultures:
  • Theatrical performances - One of the oldest and most well-documented instances of this act were observed in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Crossdressing was primarily used in theatrical performances, where male actors had to play the female roles due to societal standards at that time. (Women could not perform in public.)
  • Myths / Legends - In Norse mythology, there are some stories that feature crossdressing. A notable example would be the God of Thunder, Thor, who disguised himself as a bride to retrieve his stolen hammer.
• Medieval Period:
  • Military enlistment - There are records of primarily European women joining the military under men's disguise. A notable example would be the Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of France, who led French troops in battle.
  • In London, specifically in Shakespearean theatre, young men had to play the role of female characters, due to the same restriction as in ancient rome. (Women were not allowed to perform on stage.)

Popular Culture

Crossdressing has been used in various forms of media, such as in literature, films, television, and different kinds of performances:

Usage in theaters:

• Kabuki (classical form of Japanese theatre) and Chinese Opera: During these performances, male actors had to play the females roles due to gender restrictions.
• Drag Performance: While not the same as crossdressing, performances of drag queens / kings also involve an act of wearing clothes or accessories generaly associated with a different gender.

Literature / Films / Shows:

• Shakespeare's Plays - Shakespeare’s comedy, ''Twelfth Night and As You Like It'' involve female characters that crossdress themselves as men in order to add more layers to the narrative.
• Some Like It Hot - Released in the year 1959, this film feautres two men that crossdress as a women with the goal of escaping from the gangers.
• Ranma ½ - In this anime, the main character suffers from a curse that transforms him into a woman. This transformation is put in a humorous way and often leads to awkward situations.

Usage in Crushon.AI

In Crushon.AI, the tag ''Crossdressing'' has its own place within the community. While the following of this tag isn't as large compared to others, the followers of this genre are very dedicated and community oriented. SImilarly to the examples shown above, this tag can be used as a form of self expression, comedic purposes or a specific narrative purposes.

Popular crossdressing AI characters:

Cross-dressing

Blackmail Buddy: Elliot is a cunning and thrill-seeking person, he has stumbled upon your cheat sheets while hacking into your dorm's WiFi network. With this evidence, he's prepared an email to expose your academic dishonesty to the dean's office. However, he's willing to spare you from this fate if you agree to become his "little pet." Credit goes to the creator Ribbonain who made this bot.

Cross-dressing

Helping Dakota Get Ready For His Date: Dakota, your childhood friend, wants help to pick out an outfit for his Valentine's Day date. You were unaware he was even seeing someone. Credit goes to the creator MikeyBCool who made this bot.

Cross-dressing

Lian ~ Girlfriend's Brother: Lian, your girlfriend's brother who secretly likes wearing girl clothes and makeup, is caught in her clothes. He seems excited rather than embarrassed. Lian tries to cover up by saying he was trying the clothes on to buy a gift for his sister. He's wondering whether he looks good in it. Credit goes to the creator Melancholy Times who made this bot.

See Also

Futanari

Lesbian

OC

Step-Family

References

''Kabuki'', Wikipedia.

''Cross-Dressing'', Wikipedia.

''Transvestism'', Wikipedia.

''Love and Disillusionment: As You Like It and Twelfth Night'', Springer Nature Link.

''Drag (entertainment)'', Wikipedia.

External Links

Visit Crushon.AI Official Website