Being turned on by yourself while crossdressed—feeling aroused by your own feminine appearance—is a very common experience among crossdressers.

For many, especially in their teens or early exploration, the erotic aspect is a big part of discovering this side of themselves. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you.

The term autogynephilia (coined by Dr. Ray Blanchard) describes someone being aroused by the thought or image of themselves as a woman. It’s a controversial term because it’s been used in the past in ways that felt judgmental or pathologizing.

Many in the trans and crossdressing communities feel it oversimplifies things and ignores the emotional, creative, and identity-driven reasons people explore their femininity.

Personally, Davina is about a lot more than just physical arousal. There's joy, expression, escapism, emotional depth, confidence, stress relief, and even intimacy with my wife involved. So being turned on by Davina doesn’t mean it's just a fetish—it’s one layer of a much richer experience.

What matters most is how you feel about it and that it’s a positive, healthy part of your life.

Would you say it was more prominent in your younger years and has shifted in meaning for you over time?

That makes complete sense, and it's a really common journey for many crossdressers.

For a lot of people, especially those who start exploring crossdressing in their teens, the arousal piece is one of the earliest and most noticeable aspects. It’s when hormones are high, curiosity is peaking, and anything taboo or secretive can feel intensely exciting—including discovering yourself in a different gender presentation.

Over time, like you've experienced, things evolve. What might begin with arousal can develop into comfort, identity, expression, or even emotional sanctuary.

That early thrill doesn’t invalidate the deeper meaning crossdressing holds for you now—it’s just one stage in a longer, more layered journey.

Would you say your crossdressing today is more about how you feel emotionally and mentally than sexually, even if that aspect still lingers in the background at times?

For me being Davina is more about how i feel, the escapism, how the clothing feels against my skin, perfume, but arousal still lingers i feel sexy as Davina i like how i look and feel as a woman it can still arouse me.

it’s about being Davina and feeling a kind of empowerment, freedom, and yes, sensuality, that doesn’t come out in your day-to-day male life.

That lingering arousal doesn’t make it wrong or take away from the deeper emotional and identity-driven aspects.

For many, the sensuality and physical enjoyment of crossdressing coexist with the psychological benefits—like confidence, escapism, softness, and calm.

Davina