Transvestia

this country; and what would have been thought of Martha Washington if she had appeared in a man's shirt and tight britches and boots like women do to- day?

Persons, males especially, since social require- ments for females are a great deal more lenient, who find themselves in this group have a hard time of it. Society does not realize that gender deviance or personality variance are not the same as sexual de- viance. Such little boys are called sissies when small and when adolescent or beyond are classed with the homosexuals and thus called, "fairies, queers, perverts, etc.". Life can be pretty miserable since the individual involved knows perfectly well that he likes females sexually speaking but also that he en- joys many of the prerogatives of females. That is he has an urge to express feelings and attitudes, to wear and to do and to experience some of life in the manner that females of his culture do. Thus he lives an isolated, lonely, fearful, guilt ridden life because he is aware of the conflict between what he knows himself to be and what society would brand him if it knew of his true feelings. More- over he cannot confide in anyone because the average person equating sex with gender would not understand. Going to the medical literature is of scant help be- cause a) there is very little on the subject, and b) the average psychiatrist is about as ignorant of the difference between sex and gender as the layman. The individual seeks a way out for his inner femme- self through the medium of feminine clothing. In childhood this comes from mother or sister when they are not around, and in adult life from a wardrobe of his own bought surepticiously and hidden away in the garage or carried in the trunk of the car to be got- ten out and worn only when the family or wife is away or when the owner is out of town on a trip.

This is where I found myself when I was married the first time. I burned all my feminine things the day before I was married. It didn't work! After a

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