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Transvestitism
Transvestitism is when a person dresses up as a member of the opposite sex. This is very closely related to cross dressing. The main difference between a transvestite and a cross dresser is that cross dressers are normally heterosexual males. In the 1970s, this group of people was not happy with the term transvestitism because of the homosexual and transsexual connotations. Even though these terms are interchangeable in most cases, transvestitism is now considered more of a lifestyle fetish. Many transvestite males will, for example, shave their legs and will wear women’s clothing in public. Cross dressers do not typically do this. The fetish is especially popular with males in part because it is already considered a cultural norm for women to wear clothing which was once just for men (i.e. pants, ties, etc).
It is still taboo for men in most cultures to wear skirts or high heels. As a result, communities of transvestites are growing online on sites like Alt.com. In one aspect, Alt.com provides a platform where members can talk about their fetish without being ostracized. On another level, Alt.com is a place for fetish enthusiasts to meet up for transvestitism dating.