RANSVESTIA

dealing with one's femme-self. Indeed, I might also be so bold as to contend that the limited wearing of lingerie under male clothing, can be of psychic value for an FP's mental health, in terms of being remind- ed of our unique personality balance in gender expression. I can only speak for myself but when I decided to allow "her" to live (even in a limited fashion), "we" experienced a greater sense of well-being. Oh don't get me wrong, I wish we lived in a society and culture which allowed gender expressions without artificial and restricting stereotypes but alas, thus it is not in our society.

In case you are wondering if I have ever "fully dressed," the answer is a few times - what glorious times they were! But the greater proportion of my everyday life is simply that I am Me-He-She and the only day-by-day practical means to actualize this gender balance is through the minimal wearing of lingerie under the outer masculine male clothing. An underwearer FP is somewhat like being in a marriage relationship in terms of (1) objective reality: wedding ring, state and church marriage license; and (2) subjective reality: mutual experience of being in love with each other and no matter where one goes the married person realizes at all times that he/she is married and their wedding ring is the symbol of that unique relationship. The FP he/she relationship is one of mutual interdependence in gender balance with the "he" in his clothing and the "she" in her lingerie.

I believe the Underwearer is just as much an FP as is the FP who is able to more fully allow an outward and visible expression of himself. An FP Underwearer who is wearing only pantyhose, or panties, or anything else she feels like wearing, is experiencing the moment by moment reality of the masculine-male with the feminine walking together through life. Sometime, there will come a time, or times, when she can "blossom" and he can take a coffee break elsewhere; yet, here again, there is that unique balance of reality testing in which the im- portant distinction between the male-masculine and female-feminine have their independence but also their dependence on each other, in gender expression and experience.

Think about it: a heterosexual transvestite is an FP whether fully or partially "dressed" it's not the amount of clothing but the psychic orientation that makes the real personality difference.

The following are a few suggestions which might be helpful for the Underwearer to consider; particularly for the man who is just becom- ing aware of his femme-self.