The Politics of Pants and Cross-Gender Dressing - Essay Example

21 October The Politics of Pants and Cross-Gender Dressing Introduction It looks very apparent today how fashion evolved tremendously through time. The early concept of crossover fashion has slowly transmuted into a multi-faceted sort of variety that goes with the sociological changes. It can be recalled how there was an explicit description on men’s and women’s fashion during the nineteenth century. While liberty set off to revolutionize prevalently, cross-gender dressing was not as widely accepted. In fact, crossover fashion was highly ridiculed and dissented. Certain junctures of history inspired the inevitable infusion of cross-gender, including the dress reform that took place during the early Victorian era. During these times, manifold changes had been made on women’s clothing in order to protect the welfare of the women “which included the women’s suffrage movement and temperance movement” (Jirousek, “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking”). Also, in 1850s, sewing machine was invented. The advent of newly-invented machines ushered in the expansive clothing trade which required high production rate. In order to cope up with the demand, instead of deriving old designs which could involve tedious and intricate embroidery, the initiative of designing ready-to-wear clothes cropped up. Nevertheless, the changes in fashion during the 18th and 19th century [Student’s Last Name] 2 were not delimited to women’s clothing alone; hence, with men’s clothing. Although, cross-dressing among men during these times were mostly influenced by the arising theatrical entertainment that required men to wear women’s clothing. So, this paper will discuss the transformation of fashion and cross-dressing during the 18th and 19th century and how these changes affected the focal point of a recognized benchmark of fashion among men and women of the present generation. This paper will likewise explore on the many contributing factors that influenced the fashion modifications that resulted in a newly accepted norm of dressing. Furthermore, this will also examine whether a change in behaviour has taken place or that if a widespread diversion of attitude towards fashion instigated the initiative for dress reform. Generally, cross-dressing is regarded as the practice or avant-garde custom of wearing clothes traditionally worn by the other sex. However, this also constitutes adaptation of cross-cultural fashion from one country to another. As early as 18th century, during the Directoire and Empire era (1795-1815), there had already been a gradual change in both men’s and women’s clothing. This was particularly stirred by the Classical Greek and Romans “to justify the democratic revolutions of this period” (Jirousek, “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking”). In the United States, changes in clothing and cross-gender dressing were manifested through its early literature, including The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders in 1722. Political revolutions were common in the United States in the 18th century; hence, some were drawing on dresses to express their political stands (Garber 22) Cross-gender dressings were ubiquitously used to express “political position” (22). Therefore, cross-gender dressings were not originally associated with homosexuality or any other forms of identity crisis. One can concede [Student’s Last Name] 3 that it might be because of the controversial impact that cross-dressing could display that it was specifically tapped to communicate their political standpoint. In Taiwan, “male cross-dressing performance played a very important role in the early development of traditional Taiwanese theatre…” (Wu, “Performing Postmodern Taiwan…”). Perhaps, because of the conformist attitude during the early times that cross-dressing stirs a provocatively reverberating reaction. Even earlier than 18th century, there were already signs of dress reformations. While modernistic approaches were not yet evident during the time, “staged cross-dressing always interacts transgressively and obediently with patriarchal structures” (Gorman, “The Theatricality of Transformation…”). This has certainly contributed to the radical approach of people to fashion. The cross-dressing entertainment considerably affected gradual acceptance to even patriarchal societies. This might have slowly established an avant-garde way of seeing cross-dressing, which is now generally accepted. Dress reformation was also introduced in the Early Victorian Period (1840-1870). During this period, “the first protests against the restrictive form of dress appeared” (Jirousek, “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking”). The main motivations of the protests were to abolish restrictive clothing and to promote health reinforcement to women. It was because of the restrictive fashionable dress that somehow compelled women to remonstrate against fashionable clothing considering that it also averts them from doing what they want. Also, the invention of sewing machines had begun higher rates of clothing production. As a result, adjustments on the design of clothing were employed. The invention “made possible the rise of the ready-to-wear clothing industry” (Jirousek, “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking”). Factories favoured a much simpler design for women clothes to maximize production rate. [Student’s Last Name] 4 Going back to our earlier discussions, cross-gender dressing has likewise a great deal of psychological associations. Methodical research discovered a considerable percentage of cross-dressers experiencing sexual gratification from their wearing of clothes of the other sex. Sexual gratification could have enthused persistence of cross-dress practices up to the present. Also, research shows how cross-gender dressing affected the attitude of males toward it; hence, “cross-dressers love the woman inside them in addition to the women outside of them” (Blachard, “Early History of the Concept of Autogynephilia”). This clearly suggests that males who wear female outfits develop both connection and indulgence to what they are wearing. It is fair to argue that the more a person finds sexual or personal gratification towards someone or something; it motivates them to carry on with the practice. This argument has something to do with how cross-gender dressing started, developed, and passed on from one generation to the next. In the United States, although cross-dressing is commonly regarded as associative concomitant to sexuality and gender orientation, the extent is conspicuously wider, with additional cultural demarcation lines transcended series of emblematic breakouts within the folios of America literature, frequently embodied and done through cross-gender dressing. The philosophy attached to each American novel - philosophies that predicates on cross-dressed characters - presents various aspects including hypocrisy, disloyalty, craving, and self-identification is inevitable; these are fragments of the cross-dress situations in America - a place where cultural and traditional values together melts in a single pot. Various questions arise that pertains to the evolution and eventual recognition of cross-gender dressing; although, not being given serious discernment. How did it transpire into a whole new concept of dressing? [Student’s Last Name] 5 If it is prevalently ignored and not accepted, what makes it to endure amidst strong dissent from certain religious organizations and denominations? Did attitude come into play? How did it contribute to the cross-gender dressing that is being practiced today? Was there an influence of attitude? How did each generation react towards cross-gender dressing practices? The concept of cross-gender dressing set out as a necessity during the Early Victorian period. It did not start as a newly-founded form of art. Considering that it was a necessity to protect women, somehow, it became a social norm. What made cross-gender dressing endure is the consolidated contributions of every generation that it has journeyed through. The time involved to reach the current time since its advent in the 18th century aided in its gradual establishment in the society. Somehow, since it is now commonly practiced, the only thing religious organizations could do it to criticize and nothing more. Attitude is certainly one of the most telling aspects of its transpiration. The way people viewed cross-dressing tremendously impacted its development. Also, added to the modernistic and avant-garde standpoints of people through time, and the futuristic revolutions that we are experiencing today, strengthens its foundation. Lastly, the ever rapid increase of knowledge paved the way for a more open society. This openness has opened doors for equality and freedom of choice. References Blanchard, Ray. “Early History of the Concept of Autogynephilia.” Archives of Sexual Behaviour (2005): 449 – 446. Web 21 October 2012. Garber, Marjorie. Vested Interests: Cross-Dressing and Cultural Anxiety. New York: Routledge, 1992. Print. Gorman, Sara. “The Theatricality of Transformation: Cross-Dressing and Gender/Sexuality Spectra on the Elizabethan Stage.” University of Pennsylvania, 2006. Web. 21 October 2012. Jirousek, Charlotte. “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking.” Cornell University, 1995. Web. 21 October 2012. Wu, Chao-Jung. “Performing Postmodern Taiwan: Gender, Cultural Hybridity, and the Male Cross-Dressing Show”. Wesleyan University, 2007. Web. 21 October 2012. Read More