Fool's Gold
Pyrite is more commonly known as "fool's gold" because it was often mistaken for gold among those trying to hit it big in the American west during the mid-19th century.
Sometimes, I consider the perspective of women (gold) that have an issue with a man trying to look like a woman (fool's gold) in public. I'm inspired to think about this not because I worry about what others think (though I am mindful I live in a society, not in a vacuum); rather, I'm fascinated by sociology and how people interact in different cultures.
When I'm on travel or at a conference or wherever I might be, I sometimes look around and wonder if the men I see have a secret like mine. Why do we hide it?
I hide my crossdressing for a few reasons. The big one is that I am a man and prefer presenting as masculine in society. Of course, there is much debate about what "masculine" means, especially between generations. But for me this means just being me. I've no other way to describe it in simpler terms.
Second, I sometimes feel a fraud. My brand of crossdressing can be seen as a kind of cultural appropriation (or would it be "gender appropriation"?). As Alex, I am wearing a costume and a mask and expect to be received as a woman if for no other reason than to mitigate awkwardness in public settings. But I'm not a woman. I am only pretending to look like one. As a result, I can feel self-conscious about what I'm doing.
I come to terms with these stray feelings by working hard to look my best and to represent "woman-ness" with dignity and respect. The good news is that the fun of crossdressing is the effusion that dilutes any negative aspects these feelings may impart on the experience.
Dress: Vince Camuto
Cardigan: Jessica Howard
Shoes: SHEIN
Fool's Gold
Pyrite is more commonly known as "fool's gold" because it was often mistaken for gold among those trying to hit it big in the American west during the mid-19th century.
Sometimes, I consider the perspective of women (gold) that have an issue with a man trying to look like a woman (fool's gold) in public. I'm inspired to think about this not because I worry about what others think (though I am mindful I live in a society, not in a vacuum); rather, I'm fascinated by sociology and how people interact in different cultures.
When I'm on travel or at a conference or wherever I might be, I sometimes look around and wonder if the men I see have a secret like mine. Why do we hide it?
I hide my crossdressing for a few reasons. The big one is that I am a man and prefer presenting as masculine in society. Of course, there is much debate about what "masculine" means, especially between generations. But for me this means just being me. I've no other way to describe it in simpler terms.
Second, I sometimes feel a fraud. My brand of crossdressing can be seen as a kind of cultural appropriation (or would it be "gender appropriation"?). As Alex, I am wearing a costume and a mask and expect to be received as a woman if for no other reason than to mitigate awkwardness in public settings. But I'm not a woman. I am only pretending to look like one. As a result, I can feel self-conscious about what I'm doing.
I come to terms with these stray feelings by working hard to look my best and to represent "woman-ness" with dignity and respect. The good news is that the fun of crossdressing is the effusion that dilutes any negative aspects these feelings may impart on the experience.
Dress: Vince Camuto
Cardigan: Jessica Howard
Shoes: SHEIN