Hello There,
I'm back again with another decade of vintage stories and photos of crossdresser, transgender, and gender fluid women, this time from the 1990s! I'll be formatting this post similarly to my posts from other decades with three fun stories from our feminine past. The 90s were a bit of a transitional period for the world, and unfortunately saw some truly awful fashion trends. That being said crossdressers often have decent taste so hopefully they steered clear of a lot of those strange 90s fashion trends. As a child of the 90s myself this decade holds a special place in my heart, and I'm looking forward to exploring the decade!
Of course I have to start off my 90s spotlight with some pictures of actual 1990s crossdressers and drag artists! It's interesting to see how the fashion and hair styling has evolved from the 80s.
Now that you've seen some examples of crossdressers from the 90s, like last time I've got three different examples of crossdressing in the 1990s! I've chosen these stories because of how they transcend time and can feel relatable even now. These are actually going to be images and words taken directly from crossdressers from the 90s who published their stories and advice and in various print publications. I haven't edited the content of any of them accept for length, and these are the exact words and pictures published in the 1990s.
Gina Allen
Like our other decade blog posts I figured I'll start with a classic story of a young CD starting their journey into femdom. Today we have Gina Allen who published her story in 1995. It involves forced feminization from her Mother, and running into an ex-girlfriend while dressed so it's quite the doozey!
My mother used to dress me when I was young, and I think it was because I had long, curly hair, lightly below the shoulder, with bangs in front. It seemed like everywhere we went people thought I was a girl. The first time I ever dressed myself was at age seven. I remember one day trying to put G.l. Joe's big body into a petite Barbie dress and my mom saw me doing it. She asked, "How would you feel if I dressed you like that?" Next thing I knew I was decked out in a pink dress, pink ribbons, ruffled socks and lipstick. I tried to stop her but couldn't.
Next thing I knew, she was calling for my two brothers and sister to come into the room. They laughed and teased me. I can remember crying myself almost sick. She left me dressed all day long and after awhile my brothers and sister quite laughing and teasing me, and we played as if nothing happened. That evening when I heard Dad driving up to the house I really got scared and hid behind the couch. I can remember to this day exactly what Mom said —"Rich, Jerry has something to show you." Dad called my name and I wouldn't answer. Finally Mom pulled back the couch and there I was. To this day I don't understand why my dad didn't do or say anything. He looked at me crying and said nothing.
So, since Mom liked me like that, and my brothers and sister didn't tease me anymore—and Dad said nothing, I started doing it on my own. My mom first tried to deny that this happened, but I had a talk with my older brother and he told me the same story, almost word for word. I was alone quite often because I was the one who always got blamed for everything and was banished to my room. I kept couple of dresses I liked under my bed and always played in them when ever I could.
As a teenager I used to like playing in Mom's lace nighties and pantyhose, and walking around in her high heels. These were trying years because I wanted more than ever to be a cheerleader. I could do all the cheers as good, or better, than most of the girls, just from watching and then practicing at home. But I also liked to play baseball and basketball, so I did that instead, and watched the girls from the bench. As I got older I slowly began to put it out of my mine. I mean, I about it 'd go for three or four months without thinking —then, boom! I'd wake up and the urge would hit me hard.
I dated my wife for five years before we got married, hoping she would take my mind off dressing. And, be cause she worked nights and I worked days, the urge just got stronger and stronger. We were married eight and a half years before I got up the nerve to tell her.
I always joked about it with her and one day she was picking out an outfit. She was holding up two dress suits. I said she should wear the green one because even I would look good in that. She said, "I bet you would." She chose the other suit and as she was leaving I told her I would show her. She laughed and said okay. Well, when she came home there I was, all dolled up. She smiled, walked by me and looked again. Then she went into the bedroom and came back with her comb, brush and makeup. I asked what she thought and she said I looked okay but I'd better have a seat. She worked over me for about a half hour and then said, "Now go to the mirror and look." I did and my mouth dropped. She had really made me look convincing then she told me some thing that almost crushed me. She said if I was going to continue to dress up I'd have to cut my hair. I really loved my long, curly hair because I felt it was more convincing to have my own hair as opposed to a wig. But she felt I was more recognizable with my own hair and with wigs could be whoever I wanted to be. I gave in because if I cut she was going to allow me to dress and would accept this part of me. I openly cried when I had my hair I loved cut, but I realized I loved my wife more. She gave me time to express, and be myself.
And, finally after all these years, I got to meet others like me, who could relate to what I was going through. After meeting those girls I realized I was not alone in my feelings. Now I have somehow come to realize that I am someone special, who feels comfortable going out a Gina as well as going out as Jerry. I usually get out about once a week, or more.
That reminds me of the first experience I had running into some one I I know while I was dressed. It was the first girlfriend had in high school. I passed her on the street and said, "Hi Vanessa." She looked at me and said, "Do I know you?" That's when I realized that I was dressed and said to myself, "Oh my god, what have I done?" I told her she knew who I was and she said she didn't. "I've never met you before in my life." I said, "Vanessa, it's me. Jerry." I She just froze for a few seconds —eyes bulged out and her mouth open. She said that until I told her she thought was a real girl. Now we occasionally meet for lunch and she just loves Gina!
Another great success story! Seems indifference from the family at an early age about Gina's dressing seems to have set her up for quite a life of dressing! Also what a mistake to forget that Gina was dressed and to say hello to his ex-girlfriend. Thankfully it all worked out in the end!
Gender Identity Quiz
All the rage in lifestyle magazines were quizzes which revealed some hidden truth about you. In this instance from Lady Like Magazine we a have a quiz which revealed your gender identity. They said the following about the quiz:
We all love to take those self-administered pop quizzes we find in women's magazines. By answering just a few simple questions, we can find out all sorts of interesting things about ourselves through the miracle of multiple choice. Take this short test to find out where you line up along the transgendered spectrum.
To score yourself as follows: Each ‘a’ is worth 5 points; each ‘b’ is worth 3 points; each ‘c’ is worth 1 point. Count up your total score and see below for your instant analysis.
1 . My favorite women’s clothing is:
a. Sequined evening gowns
b. Racy lingerie ensembles
c. Sensible shoes
2. If you could appear on the cover of a magazine, it would be:
a. Cosmopolitan
b. Playboy
c. The Ladies Home Journal
3. Your favorite role model from television is:
a. Geraldine Jones (The Flip Wilson Show)
b. Laura Petrie (The DickVan Dyke Show)
c. Miss Jane Hathaway (Beverly Hillbillies)
4. Finish the sentence: "I get turned on when I..."
a. Lip-synch in a gay bar
b. Wear lingerie under my Army Reserve uniform
c. "Pass" on my way to electrolysis
5. My most indispensable feminine accessory is:
a. Ultra-length false eyelashes
b. Victoria's Secret lace-top nylon stockings
c. Note from therapist to my employer explaining the ‘real life' test
6. My ‘dream vacation' would be:
a. A summer in Provincetown while starring in a drag revue
b. Wearing a thong bikini during ‘spring break’ in Daytona
c. Flying to Trinidad for ‘the operation'
7. 1 can most easily identify with:
a. La Liz in ‘Cleopatra’
b. La Liz in ‘National Velvet’
c. La Liz in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’
8. Which most accurately describes you?
a. I’m Cher stuck in the body of a man
b. I’m Sharon Stone stuck in the body of a man
c. I’m Tula stuck in the body of a man
9. If you could be any female character on Married... With Children it would be:
a. Kelly Bundy
b. Peg Bundy
c. Marcy, the next door neighbor
10. The theme song for my life story is:
a. That's Entertainnnent!
b. Lola
c. I Am Woman
11 . My secret fantasy is:
a. Winning the Miss Gay USA Pageant
b. "Passing" in the fitting room at Bloomingdales
c. Not needing electrolysis any more
12. If you could describe yourself with one word it would be:
a. Fabulous!
b. Passable
c. Transgendered
13. The most important male figure in my life is more likely to be:
a. The guy who bought me a drink after the drag show
b. The police officer who pulled me over after the drag show
c. My therapist
14. Which popular phrase best fits you?
a. "You look mah-velous!"
b. "The best of both worlds”
c. "The more things change, the more they remain the same”
15. You are dressed in your best outfit and you hear a wolfwhistle. You would...
a. Slow down a little and really wiggle it
b. Walk faster and start to feel paranoid about being read
c. Give the guy the finger and tell him he’s a pig
16. An enjoyable way to spend a quiet evening at home is:
a. Organizing your false eyelash collection
b. Taking photos of yourself in lingerie
c. Reading The Female Eunuch
17. My most treasured video movie is:
a. La Case Aux Folles
b. She-Male Reformatory
c. Second Serve: The Renee Richards Story
18. My idea of a ‘hot’ night out is:
a. Dinner and a drag show
b. Attending a crossdressers’ support group
c. Browsing in a feminist bookstore
19. Your favorite talks show host is:
a. Dame Edna Everage
b. Phil Donahue
c. Whoopi Goldberg
20. With which of the following would you rather be stranded on a desert island:
a. The Chippendale dancers and a supply of tanning lotion
b. The Victoria’s Secret catalog models and a supply of lingerie
c. The National Organization of Women and a supply of feminist literature
If you scored:
75 to 100 points — You are a flaming Drag Queen. Your closet is probably filled with sequined evening gowns and you can lip-synch to any Whitney Houston song at the drop of a false eyelash.
40 to 75 points — You are a member of that much misunderstood species "The Male Heterosexual Crossdresser”. You enjoy doing the same things as any other American male. It’s just that you enjoy wearing women’s lingerie while you are doing them.
20 to 40 points — You may be either genuine transsexual, or a crossdresser with an extremely low spark. You may wish to seek professional help in discovering the true you. If so, I recommend the Jerry Springer Show. Check your local listings.
Less than 20 points — Check your pulse, girlfriend. You maybe dead, because 20 is the minimum score possible on this test.
Wasn't that fun! Most of the references are pretty dated, but with a little bit of research you can still take it. I scored in the 40-75 category, which according to the test makes me a Male Heterosexual Crossdresser, which funnily enough is pretty much exactly what I am LOL. So I'd say this quiz is pretty accurate!
The Internet & The Transgender Jungle
With the arrival of the 1990s also came the arrival of the internet. A way to connect the internet with the rest of the world! Isolated crossdressers now had access to learn and communicate with crossdressers all over the world! However there were many that were skeptical of how beneficial this interconnectivity was. The following is an opinion piece which offered a warning about the potential risks of posting about transgendered and crossdressing topics on the internet.
A closeted crossdresser pours out his anguish about whether to tell his wife and children about his other self. An older gentle man interested in she-males cruises for pick-ups. Two pre-operative transsexuals trade information about hormones and doctors who do reassignment surgery. A teenage boy lives out his fantasies by presenting himself to others online as a beautiful young woman. Welcome to the world of Cyber-transgenderism.
The Internet has become a standard part of many transgendered people's lives. In fact, this community was probably quicker to pick up on its value and uses before almost any one else. However, there's a darker side to the internet many don't consider.
There's a natural attraction to the net, to be sure. First of all, there's the privacy. You don't even have to leave your own room; you' re safe from the prying eyes of roommates, spouses, or children. It's anonymous; you can pour out your desires and questions (as well as venom) without the risk of face-to-face confrontation. You can present yourself as you want to be, with a femme name and description of your measurements and looks. And transgendered people hunger for information on how to develop their image, information available only from other transgendered people.
However, this communication isn't always a wonderful thing. A macho aggressive side often comes out online, called "Flaming". Many people send cruel, hurtful messages because anonymity lets them get away with it. The macho impulses to see women ( or those presenting themselves as women) as objects to be used, abused and thrown away is given free rein. Aggression in cyberspace could lead to aggression in other space. More over, one could start to see people less as flesh-and-blood individuals and more as disembodied entities. A callous, hard disregard for others may result. Overuse of the net could become a substitute for real human contact. Many of us know how addic tive it is; you can easily spend an entire evening in front of a screen.
There's a vocal minority of transgenderists, transsexuals, and "out" crossdressers on the net. For every one person talking, a dozen or so are only observing. You may be getting only one point of view, and think it's the only one. The quiet, less assuming, and maybe more reasoned people aren't heard from.
When you have access to too much information but have no framework to put it in, you get "information overload". Just having the info doesn't necessarily make you wiser or tell you how to use it. That only comes from real-life experience.
I'm not saying that the Internet is somehow evil or that people shouldn't use it. It's here to stay. I'm only drawing attention to several negative aspects of it to give users a more balanced perspective. In many ways, computer use is like a drug. And drugs have side effects.
A fairly interesting opinion piece! I'd say several of the warnings in that were mentioned are still true to this day. However it can't be overstated how important and beneficial the internet has been for the transgendered community. From providing, mental health resources, fashion advice, to even friendship, the internet has made many transgendered people feel so much better about themselves. Heck this whole blog wouldn't exist without the internet!
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Well there it is, another decade done! The 90s were fun a fun decade to journey through! Two more decades to go until we're caught up with the present day! But till then I hope you enjoyed all of the examples of gender nonconformity from the 1990s.