What if the Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius was right? What if our thoughts have the power to change our lives? Let's play a game to see how much power our thoughts have to influence our gender roles. The game is fun, easy, and has no right or wrong answers. There are only winners. It doesn't require any special knowledge or skill. You don't need to practice, because you are the world's greatest expert.
I remember sitting in a darkened kitchen, hunched over the radio, listening to Inner Sanctum. The creaky door opens, the mysterious voice speaks, and my imagination sent me racing off into another world. Use the power of your imagination, to envision a world that will make you healthier and happier. Involve all of your senses; sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. The more senses that you use, the more power you will release.
There was a science fiction magazine, What If, whose stories began with a premise that was usually far-fetched. If you accepted the premise, the rest of the story was logical, consistent, and could happen. To make sense out of my desires to cross-dress, I developed my own premise. This one isn't as far-fetched as it might first appear. All you have to do is relax, grab a cold drink, plunk down in your favorite chair, and play. Here's the premise:
What if...you lived in a society where it was impossible to distinguish men from women based on their clothing, hair style, jewelry, makeup, or behavior patterns?
What if...there were no sexual or gender judgments attached to wearing dresses or pants? Everyone wore what they liked and felt comfortable wearing, each fashion statement was politically correct, and no one cared what you wore, or how you acted, as long as you did not harm others.
What if...the terms cross-dresser, transgendered, transsexual, and transvestite, became unimportant and disappeared? Discussions about them melted away, and everyone simply became a person, being themselves, without pretenses.
What if...the sexual preference stereotypes sometimes associated with being bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual, stopped being an issue? Everyone simply defined their own sexuality, and no negative connotations were attached to any of the choices.
What if...that open society actually existed?
Have I gone too far with my premise? The evidence says no. Have you noticed that what is considered acceptable apparel and behavior, is constantly changing? Have you considered that it will continue to change, whether people want it to or not? This premise describes one possible outcome. It may not be the most likely outcome, but it is certainly possible. Perhaps, if pressure was applied, this outcome would become more likely. For now, suspend judgment, accept the premise, and dream along with me.
Ask yourself, how you would look if there were no constraints. What would you like to wear if there was no need to worry about passing or being read?
Today, many seem to feel that there are only two choices; look totally like a man, or look totally like a woman. Do you feel that if you don't employ a complete woman's image, you'll be laughed at? That may be true now, but you are dreaming of an entirely different world. Set aside how things are, and dream of how you want them to be. Maybe you want to have large breasts, speak in a higher pitched voice, or walk like an Egyptian. Remember, in this open society, no one cares what you wear or how you act. You are free to choose whatever you like. Would you be 100% feminine? Would you mix and match, with parts obviously feminine, and others obviously masculine? Would you go in drag or in drab? Would you indulge and pamper yourself with bubble baths, manicures, massages...? The possibilities are endless, and you can start now by closing your eyes, and using all of your senses, to dream of:
Your unique personal style...
What is your reaction to this game?
Did you begin creating your personal style?
Did you discover any new perspectives?
Do you think that open society can occur?
