Why Do Cross Dressers Take Pictures?

Those who cross dress often do so in the privacy of their own home, behind closed doors.  In fact, some cross dressers go to great lengths to ensure that their secret remains well hidden, even from their closest family and friends.

The emergence of the internet and social networking now allows cross dressers to be part of an online community, whilst being able to maintain a certain degree of anonymity.  You can easily interact with people from all over the world, without having to reveal your identity.  So what is it then that makes cross dressers want to take pictures of themselves and even go as far as post them on the web for all to see?  What do they expect to get out of it?

The number one reason cited by cross dressers is validation.  After all the effort that cross dressers go to in order to create the perfect feminine image, they want to be able to show their work to like-minded people and get some feedback – good or bad.  Of course, if they’ve done a good job, positive comments provide encouragement and support.  If there’s anything that can be improved, they use it as a learning exercise and try to improve on that point the next time.

One of the greatest benefits of pictures is that they allow closeted cross dressers to ‘come out’ without leaving their home.  This is really important for so many people who spend their whole lives in the closet, for whatever reason.

Pictures also capture the moment and help to make it ‘real’, confirming that it did happen and that they can look like that.  In a way, I suppose it’s like taking holiday snaps or pictures of your children.   One can look back at the pics in years to come and take a trip down memory lane.

As many cross dressers are part of online communities, many feel that posting their picture helps to put a face to a name.  This, in turn, helps to build trust and solidifies one’s presence.  Being able to see the person someone is conversing with creates a greater degree of ‘connection’ and encourages more personal interaction.

Another reason is vanity, self-confidence and ego-boosting.  Many just want to flaunt their beauty and show that they have good makeup skills and fashion sense.

Some people choose to share their cross dressing pics just because they want to.  Being seen is considered the ultimate freedom of expression.  Taking and sharing pictures allows people to keep their experiences of cross dressing light-hearted and fun.  

We’ve looked at why cross dressers choose to take pictures, but there are actually lots of cross dressers who choose not to.  One of the biggest reasons for this is the fear of being recognised.  Common concerns for cross dressers include family acceptance, personal safety and job security and being found out could jeopardize these factors.  Quite often, this is a risk that cross dressers are not prepared to take.

Another reason is that people don’t feel as though they’ve accomplished the ‘complete’ look.  Cross dressers often buy their clothes, makeup, wigs etc in dribs and drabs.  So, say if someone hasn’t bought any makeup yet, they may not wish to have a photograph taken without the perfect female face.  Others want to perfect their look before taking a picture.  Some simply don’t have a camera.

One other reason is that a cross dresser’s partner or wife may not want them to.  Partners deal with cross dressing in different ways and some are not comfortable with certain things.  A partner’s feelings should always be respected.