To cut a long story short I was watching an episode of 'Hero's' and the (save the) Cheerleader is in hiding. She going to get married but can't tell her husband to be about her secret powers because it would not only endanger her but him as well. She just couldn't tell him because she wanted a 'normal life'.
That got me thinking about other superheros who need to hide their identity. Superman can't tell Lois Lane even though he desparately wants to, Spiderman can't tell Mary Jane, Batman can't tell .... well whoever. They do have confidents who know their secrets but they can't let their secrets out to everyone.
As a little boy you grow up with these superheros who all keep their secrets from everyone else to stop them getting hurt. Maybe it's a large leap but if you grow up knowing it's right to keep secrets, even from those you love, to protect them then surely that can become ingrained and acceptable.
So a little boys grows up to be a crossdresser. He wants to keep it a secret because he doesn't want to hurt anyone he loves. He may want to desparately tell but if he wants to lead a 'normal' life then he can't for fear of hurtng them and all those around him. He may confide his secret with only those he can trust implicity to look after him and his secret.
So maybe us crossdressers are subconsioulsy taught not to tell. If society says it the right thing by endorsing the actions of all those superheros then why not a mere crossdresser looking to protect the ones he loves?
It's not an excuse but we do learn how we should act from a young age. If people put on a pedistal are willing to lie to protect their loved ones then why shouldn't we? After all they all want a 'normal' life.
Katie
The point I was trying to make was that people of a certain age will have had role models who kept secrets to protect themselves and those they loved.
Yes, the times they are a changing and hopefully in the future crossdressing will not be some 'dirty little secret'. When I was at school I didn't even know that transgender existed whereas today most schools seem to have a trans child attending which is a positive move if it gives that child the opportunity to live a happy life. It must still be difficult to come out as trans but at least there is now a support network in place.
I'm sure a trans child in the 60s and 70s would have been bullied remorselessly and not just by the kids!
Given the opportunity would more boys wear dresses? Maybe. Children don't often get the chance to choose what they wear when they are young and by the time they are older it is already ingrained in them. I'm sure that there are plenty of little boys who'd like to dress up as a Disney princess but they're just not allowed to by parents who fear it may make the gay or trans!
Maybe given children the opportunity to express themselves when they are young would mean an end to crossdressing.
Katie