Thousands of men worldwide are, at this very moment, putting on their pantyhose, dresses, makeup, and high heels, trying to look as pretty and as feminine as they can. The sight of a grown man wearing a dress, in many societies is considered odd, or unusual, and may even be a cause for ridicule. This phenomenon is often misunderstood, and often yields the question, “Why would men want to wear clothing of the opposite sex?” “Are these men perverted, or crazy?” “Are they gay?”

First, let me assure you that this phenomenon occurs in all the countries of the world, and is often referred to as transvestism, or crossdressing. Transvestism is defined as “the practice of dressing and behaving like the opposite sex.” Men who choose to dress as females, come from all ethnic groups, and from all walks of life.

Furthermore, they are neither perverted, nor crazy. These individuals could be your next door neighbor, your boss, or even your brother. The man sitting next to you at church could be wearing panties and a garter belt under his clothes for all you know. Crossdressing is actually quite common, but it is most often done in private or as a secret that is hidden from others. Although, more and more men are “coming out” and dressing “en femme.” In fact, there are conventions where males of different ages and backgrounds, get together to enjoy the freedom of dressing and socializing as females. These conventions may draw hundreds of crossdressers.

Why would men do this, you might ask? Well, the fact of the matter is that they choose to crossdress for many reasons. The reasons vary according to the individual.

One common reason that men choose to crossdress, is for sexual gratification. They may get sexually exited with the feel of the feminine fabrics and clothing on their body. They may enjoy the sexual excitement that they experience from wearing feminine clothing, and in seeing their feminine image.

Another reason for crossdressing, is that men want to feel free to express the feminine side of their personality. Boys are commonly socialized to believe that they cannot portray feminine traits. They can’t cry, appear weak, or be soft. Males who dress in female clothing often feel liberated to express their emotions that perhaps, they are not able to freely express as themselves. For at least a few moments, they can shed the burdens and responsibilities of being a “man.” Often, this results in feelings of comfort, and reduced stress. Men wear dresses because it feels good.

Perhaps a reason for crossdressing is one that is not often expressed, but is one that I believe is common. The reason that men wear dresses, is to feel and experience the “power of a woman.” What power is this? It is the power of a beautiful woman to be able to turn the heads of all the men as she enters the room. It is the power that lingerie models have when they appear on television, and spontaneously create a sensation in the groins of thousands of the men who are watching. It is the power to choose who will get their attention, and perhaps who will mate with them. It is a power that is biologically linked and has allowed the human race to propagate.

One reason that men crossdress is to feel this power, and to experience what it is to have the attributes that create this power. This may be similar to the man who puts on the power suit and expensive shoes, sits behind a big desk in the office on the twentieth floor overlooking the city, pretending he is the chief executive officer of a multi-million dollar corporation. He pretends for a day to be the top man, the millionaire corporate mogul who makes the choices. People open doors for him, bring him coffee, and open their wallets for him. This is “power” and it is very stimulating and intoxicating.

Women are also very powerful. Women are very powerful, sexually. They know this, and men know this. It is equally stimulating and intoxicating to experience this type of power for a day. Even if it is only for a moment, and within the man’s head, it is a beautiful feeling to feel “sexy” and “feminine.” Power as we all know, is an aphrodisiac. This is why men wear dresses, and why this practice has occurred for centuries.

Unfortunately, in many societies crossdressing, especially male to female, is often still a taboo. A man wearing a dress, or other feminine attire in public is often the subject of ridicule. It is the purpose of this article to create acceptance, and to portray crossdressing as a normal practice that occurs throughout the world and in many cultures.