crossdressing
Wearing opposite-gender clothes
Crossdressing is wearing clothing typically associated with the opposite sex.
The practice may be for entertainment, self-expression, sexual arousal, or simply comfort.
A man wearing women's clothing is the more common image, though women crossdress too—less remarked upon since women's fashion already borrows freely from men's.
He was crossdressing long before he came out as trans.
Resistance through fluid
- costumeClothing for portrayal
- outfitSet of clothes worn together
- wardrobeGarment storage furniture
- attirePersonal garments collectively
clothing · fashion · style · presentation · ensemble · getup · apparel · garb
Resistance through fluid
- cabaretLive entertainment venue
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- lip-syncSilent vocal mimicry
- stageRaised performance platform
show · revue · impersonation · act · routine · extravaganza · pageant · ballroom
Pretending to be another
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- incognitoWith identity concealed
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- concealmentAct of hiding something
subterfuge · passing · undercover · infiltration · pretense · alias · costume · trickery
Transgressing conventional sex categories
- androgynyCombined sex characteristics
- genderfluidVariable gender identity
- nonbinaryOutside male-female categories
- transgenderGender differs from assignment
genderqueer · femininity · masculinity · bigender · two-spirit
Conveying one's inner world
- queerUnusual or non-normative
- communityCollective of connected people
- subcultureGroup with alternative norms
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
acceptance · coming-out · closeted · liberation · diversity · nonconformity · authenticity · persona
Cultural or social prohibition
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- stigmaMark of dishonor
ostracism · misunderstanding · stereotypes · fetishization · judgment · intolerance · ridicule · harassment
Trousers ending below knee
- petticoatsUndergarments beneath skirts
- mollySmall ornamental aquarium fish
- chevalierFrench noble warrior
- castratoEmasculated male vocalist
drag
Resistance through fluid
attire · clothing · fashion · style · presentation · ensemble · getup · apparel · garb · dress-up
drag
Resistance through fluid
- cabaretLive entertainment venue
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- lip-syncSilent vocal mimicry
stage · show · revue · impersonation · act · routine · extravaganza · pageant · ballroom · voguing
impersonation
Pretending to be another
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- incognitoWith identity concealed
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
concealment · subterfuge · passing · undercover · infiltration · pretense · alias · costume · trickery · ruse
genderbending
Transgressing conventional sex categories
- androgynyCombined sex characteristics
- genderfluidVariable gender identity
- nonbinaryOutside male-female categories
transgender · genderqueer · femininity · masculinity · bigender · two-spirit
self-expression
Conveying one's inner world
- queerUnusual or non-normative
- communityCollective of connected people
- subcultureGroup with alternative norms
pride · acceptance · coming-out · closeted · liberation · diversity · nonconformity · authenticity · persona · ballroom
taboo
Cultural or social prohibition
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- shamePainful awareness of failure
stigma · ostracism · misunderstanding · stereotypes · fetishization · judgment · intolerance · ridicule · harassment · criminalization
breeches
Trousers ending below knee
- petticoatsUndergarments beneath skirts
- mollySmall ornamental aquarium fish
- chevalierFrench noble warrior
- gender expressionandrogynous, androgyny, butch, femme, feminine
- Torah sinsidol worship, idolatry, blasphemy, adultery, incest
- transformationchange, metamorphosis, morphing, shape-shifting, shapeshifting
- gender identitynonbinary, genderfluid, genderqueer, bigender, agender
crossdressingtransitioning
Passing from one state another
gender transition · sex reassignment · hormone therapy · coming out
cross, dressing, transvestite, cross-dressing, overdressing, transvestites, underdressing, transvestism, crossdress