One of the recurring posting themes here on Jessica Who? is the mainstream crossdressing series, where I showcase entertaining videos of crossdressing in pop culture with short descriptions or analyses.
There is another aspect of virtual crossdressing, not often blogged about, called transgender fiction.
In these stories and comics, you will frequently find males being transformed into females either through magic or other fictional methods. True to comic style, the transformations are traditionally exaggerated in nature and much faster than HRT and GRS.
It bears mentioning that a good number of the characters in this type of fiction are changed against their will and sexual activity is a common theme. However, there are some classy stories that are G rated to be found.
Enthralling?
What do you think are the main attractions of these type of tales? I think that part of it is that many transgendered people (crossdressers in particular) find it very difficult to accept themselves and reading fiction
is just another way to virtually crossdress.
In addition, comics and fiction in general allow readers to live vicariously through the characters they are learning about. There is an element of escapism in things of this nature and I wonder how much of a role this plays in drawing in readers.
It seems that instead of superheroes being prevalent like in traditional comic books, the main characters are often placed in a submissive or subservient role (like a maid). However, here is an instance of something a little more innocent.
How popular are these websites? Well, see for yourself — a google search of “tg” yields tgcomics.com as a top result. That says something about the inherent entertainment value.
I remember coming across the fictionmania website back in 1999 when I first had private access to the internet and I was finally able to surf the web for crossdressing resources. At the time I had no idea how prevalent these types of sites were, but over the years I’ve seen that there are many more.
Your Opinion
So, what’s your take on transgender fiction? Do you think that the submissive roles in the stories further enforce negative gender stereotypes? Do you enjoy the colorful art style and transformation sequences?
Love it, hate it, indifferent? Do you know of any that are similar to traditional superhero comics or something else positive? I’d love to hear your opinions and input.
(Note: Apparently fictionmania was down a while, but is now back up and running at fictionmania.tv)
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Superhero? Well there is Captain Crossdresser… although it’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek (massive understatement).
A good story is, IMO, a good story and it doesn’t really matter who the protagonists are. A lot of TG fiction – like a lot of any other fiction – is very run of the mill and can be highly derivative.
That said, there are some good ones. TGcomics has The Magician’s Assistant (I forget the exact title) and that has quite a long story arc and as far as I can remember, there are no maids in it
I think they’re a simple form of entertainment and really not very realistic at all. But then, do you read for realism or to escape? While not all TG stories are about sex, a proportion of them are and that may fuel the myth that TV/CD/SheMales are always ready for a good seeing to.
Great comment, thanks for the insight Lynn. I definitely agree with the aspect of escapism
.
It can be very fun. The best example could be Ranma 1/2…=)
I like em… but then I do make lots of TG captioned images for my site, so slightly biased
If done well, they can be great. But there’s a lot of rubbish out there too. A bit like all forms of media.
Hi Joanna, thanks for your opinion on the matter. I know that many of us are really into TG captions, I’ve seen them in a lot of different places
I feel in my case, Fictionmania and others like it offer that escape and entertainment similar to television or a movie theatre. Anyone knows that the mind’s projection is more colorful and detailed than anything Hollywood could possibly create.
There are several themes within those sites that bare explaining. The main two are C/D T/V stories and the other are transformational stories by whatever means the author used. Since there are many points on the scale just like there are on the gender scale, there are some that are mutually exclusive of the other. An example is myself. I am post-op and dislike reading stories about C/D and T/V but enjoy a well-written transformation story. The only middle ground is a story where someone is transitioning toward SRS. These stories allow me to project myself into the protaganist’s shoes. I don’t read them as often as I did before my SRS but I still enjoy a good story from choice authors that have rarely failed to produce what I enjoyed so much pre-op.
As far as the submissive angle, I’m not a particular fan of that nor of forced feminization, especially as a form of punishment. I experienced that once as a child I hate the thought of that. We, as readers, usually gravitate towards the story genres that fulfill a need within us; this may categorize the stories as cathartic.
Thank you, Leigh, for your insightful input. I can totally understand reading and becoming totally engaged in a story and putting yourself in the character’s shoes.
Do you suppose that you read them less now because you have fulfilled your destiny gender-wise?
I appreciate your thoughtful comment
Ranma 1/2 is a japanese comic about a boy who has a curse. From wikipedia: “he is cursed to become a girl when splashed with cold water, but hot water will change him back into a boy”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranma
In fact, this character is like the crossdresser dream. Only his body change. His mind is still male all the time. It’s a very fun read.
Ah, sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing Dekka
Jessica,
I’m sure that is the reason why I do not read them as often. The flip side is I still read them because of the unfulfilled need to be genetically female. Yes, I now live successfully as female but I know what I really am: a moderate reproduction of a female possessing the training inferior to that of an 18 year-old woman. You acquire a fair amount of knowledge along the way but the subtleties are what can get you detected. I know the stories do nothing to train you further but it does provide that ‘coffee break’ you need in life to refresh your batteries and buoy your spirits (mostly).
Leigh,
That is the most insightful and sincere comment that I’ve read in regards to TG fiction, thanks for taking the time to share that.
Jessica
Rachel Pollack is a transsexual writer who wrote Doom Patrol after Grant Morrison left, and introduced an MTF character to the series.
How cool
And let’s not forget the late Maddie Blaustein, who wrote for Milestone Comics, including the miniseries “Deathwish” , which featured a transgendered main character. She was also one of the content creators for Second Life and the voice of Meowth on Pokemon! (One of the many anime voices she did.)
Interesting article. I have been a fan of said genre for a while, obviously, and it’s really hard to explain why. It works on so many levels. Comedy, Drama, Sex… Sometimes you’re smilling and finding it hard to click next because of the absurdity of the situations (sitcom?) and others it’s intriguing or hot or interesting or whatever, and so you are eatting up the pages, you know?
Oh, and sometimes the art is really nice to look at too, of course.
Thanks NetSenshi for sharing your art and input.
I like reading transsexual fiction, especially erotic fiction simply because some of these stories have a happy ending. Of course, it is kind of embarassing to admit that I have the Nifty archives open while at work. -_-
I think too much fiction keeps the crossdresser from experiencing the joys for themselves. They’re great for imaginative tours, but if you spend too much time in your imagination you’re not spending time out there looking fabulous!
Great advice, Vanessa
I like the idea of TG fiction, particularly when the transitioning character maintains her dignity relative to the other characters in the story. She needn’t act like a prude – I just want her to be no weaker than other characters. Stories that use femininity as a tool for humiliation or characters who transition because they “can’t hack it as men” strike me as misogynistic. I enjoy feeling feminie in part because I admire and respect women, and it’s difficult to associate something positive (womanliness) with extreme erotic submission.
I’m probably mixing erotic and gender roles here. The dominant/submissive theme is not limited to TG fiction. Furthermore, masculinity and femininity often interact in a way that invites dominance/submission – especially in the bedroom. I’m not going to set up a virtual picket line about the stories – it may be that they scratch an itch I just don’t have.
I guess I’m just trying to say that I think being female is fantastic, and I don’t like stories that portray femininity as less than that.
Tiresias
Excellent comment, thanks Tiresias
For me, I feel very trapped in my life. Reading TG fiction allows me to fantasize and escape reality, a welcome reprieve from my daily pain. So escapism is the main draw for me. I do enjoy a good read however, and many TG stories are very entertaining with exceptional characters, humorous situations, and great storylines.
My personal preferences tend towards magical and sci/fi stories, probably because I long to be a genetic female. Crossdressing has always left me with a bittersweet feeling. I enjoy the feminine clothing, but the absurdity of seeing myself dressed up always brings reality crashing down and then depression follows. That being the case, I generally don’t like to read CD stories.
Vieve
Hi Vieve,
I’m sorry to hear that you feel trapped. The points you raise parallel many entertainment outlets in that they offer an element of escapism. But what’s more is that we are sometimes better people when we are inspired by what we’ve watched, read or listened to.
I have just recently found “Captain Crossdresser”. I don’t see much
CD fiction but I do like ” Captain CD”. I can relate to him.
It’s funny that you mention this. I myself started reading EGS comics (http://www.egscomics.com ) earlier this year and upon doing so something snapped inside of me. You can even call it the beginning of an awakening of a part of me that I had buried for many years.
Since then I’ve read a lot of other TG comics too, I think they’re great.
I found the tranformation cartoon rather interesting. The artist has a much easier time of doing this than I do with myself. It enjoyed the speeded up body changes. When do I start?? Leslee
I think they are a great outlet for my fantasies. All of us are diverse in what interests us but these sites allow us to pick and choose without having to patronize adult book stores.
Comics are fun, even more so when you draw your own. Way back, before the net, I drew several such comics, but there was nothing to do with them then. I can’t believe how popular they hace become! Happy drawing out there!
I suppose this little clip of a high school boy transforming into a beautiful bride can be said to be similar in our hearts but perhaps with slightly different visualizations. I think these kind of fictions are great, they let us live out pent up fantasies through a story.
Ranma 1/2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranma_%C2%BD) was one of my favourite anime shows to watch, I also recommend this absolutely hilarious manga comic called Futaba Kun change. You can read the comic online here (http://www.mangafox.com/manga/futaba_kun_change/)
A boy whose hereditary condition causes him to change sex when excited or stressed. You do the math.
i just recently stepped out of my closet, I thought that I was just hiding from others but I was actually hiding more from my self. I never delved deep enough in introspection of myslf and had remained in hiding. i would use porn and womens cloths to fantisize, eventually go to regret throw it all away… untill the next time.. my dilema, my dinial.
Then on the internet, in the type of sights you are discribing I realized that my fellow deviants were quite a diverse group of people, from very evil to very peaceful gentle people, my sterio typing was exposed and broken down.
People are in different places along their journey and need different input, a first grader and a 6th grader dont have as much in commin as their own pier group, but thats OK. Those sights you mentioned reading the stories and comics made me realize deep disires and realities about myself, they made me realize I am not alone, I am thankful for them. I am progressing to something more….
Also check out bigclosetr .us
I found some well-written stories there, including a long series about a girl named Maisie which seemed aimed at young teens ~ a boy who discovers the joys of being a girl and convinces his family to let him stay that way.
In most fictions that I have read, many turn out to be submissive. I however love reading the “victim of circumstances” or “just deserts” stories.
Thing are just out of your control as a victim of circumstances. You just happen to be at the wrong place at the right time, weather you deserved it or not. Most stories end with the main character eventually giving into there fate. Eventually leading to a rather bitter sweet ending. Some are turned back and become more knowledgeable and enlightened by the experience, or freaked out. Some end for the better, and the main character feels that this is for the better. It all depends how they react.
Not revenge fics are just awesome, and all centered around irony. Revenge is a dish served on the rocks and with Bourbon as a victory drink. Whether a witch, a gypsy, a cursed object or a mad scientist, they are all centered on the protagonist stuck in the worst case scenario. And more often than not the change is usually rendered permanent.
I’ve written for Fiction Mania and it allows me to put my fantasies into writting. Funny I got e-mails from folks that believed all of it. Some of it is true but that adds to the story. I don’t care for magical transformations, drugs or pain. But I do enjoy good CD, Shemale, bondage, latex, some femdom. All should turn out to have happy endings.
I am a crossdresser since I was 12 years old. Only five years ago did appear to Claudia Regina. Since I met my girlfriends friends CD’s from my state capital in Brazil, where I live. I love being Claudia and trade my life of man by a woman. Kisses for you, Jessica.
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