ARTICLE

A CASE FOR THE UNDERWEARER

Vicki, Oklahoma

Why is it that so many heterosexual transvestites wear lingerie under their male clothing? I would like to share my thoughts on this question. I confess that I am sharing my thoughts, ideas and theories on this question.

It seems to me in the process of reading not only the professional mental health works but also in some letters and articles in Transvestia, that an FP who mainly wears lingerie under his male clothing is only, what I would call, a "second class" FP. Implying one has to be fully dressed in order to express one's femme-self. Ideally, of course, I wish my station in life allowed me to express more fully my feminine gender and no doubt there are countless FPs who concur.

But the point I want to make is, restriction in being able to express "her side" while wearing to work (or play) "his side" does not one wit diminish the male-female: masculine-feminine gender balance within one's total personhood. Indeed, even if an "FP" - thank you Virginia for the shortening of "femmiphilia" were not to wear any tangible expression of her femininity, it again, does not in and of itself diminish the gender balance.

Personally speaking, I went through a two year period of laying aside and not wearing any expression of my FP - I made a decision to lock my sister in the basement of mental and emotional existence. How was it locking up your dear "ole sister"? Psychic hell and no gain in any area of my life. But that is another subject area in itself. Back to the Underwearers!

A human being is, in the words of classical catholic theology, a sacrament. That is, a human being is an outward and visible manifesta- tion with and for an inward and spiritual reality I speak as a Christian

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