Transgender and Crossdressing

[GracieRuth]

I’m Catholic and I Crossdream. Basically, that means that although I’m a woman (and happy to be one) at night when I’m asleep sometimes I’ll dream I’m a man (with all the manly body parts). It’s considered a very mild form of transgenderism. I do not cross dress as the Bible forbids cross dressing. Am I right in assuming that I’m not sinning? Does it make a difference that I’m very happy with who I am and that I feel that God has made me exactly the way he wants me to be?

What about those who are much stronger transgendered? Who are unhappy if they do not dress like the opposite sex and publicly identify as such? Is that truly a sin for them?

I’ve looked for writings on Church teaching, and can’t seem to find anything.

 

[mVitus]

The dreams definitely aren’t sinful. You can’t sin while asleep. I’ll leave it to others for the rest.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

The mind is a wonderful thing,I consider dreams like going to the movies where I play a staring role, it’s a great form of escapism , enjoy it,we need an escape from reality,
If your dream take you down that particular path,then just go long with the dream,
It’s more that likely a passing phase in your subconscious ,

Is it a sin to actually cross dress in the privacy of your own home , I Doubt it,
Just check with your local priest next confession

 

[meltzerboy]

I’m Catholic and I Crossdream. Basically, that means that although I’m a woman (and happy to be one) at night when I’m asleep sometimes I’ll dream I’m a man (with all the manly body parts). It’s considered a very mild form of transgenderism. I do not cross dress as the Bible forbids cross dressing. Am I right in assuming that I’m not sinning? Does it make a difference that I’m very happy with who I am and that I feel that God has made me exactly the way he wants me to be?

What about those who are much stronger transgendered? Who are unhappy if they do not dress like the opposite sex and publicly identify as such? Is that truly a sin for them?

I’ve looked for writings on Church teaching, and can’t seem to find anything.

From a psychological viewpoint, crossdressing is not the same as transgenderism, but anything dealing with sex is complicated.

From a biblical perspective, crossdressing is even more complicated according to the Jewish interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and there is a reference there to transgenderism as well.

So is it sinful in an unconscious state? No. In a conscious state? The (very) short answer, according to Judaism, is “it depends.”

 

[Sarcelle]

I’m Catholic and I Crossdream. Basically, that means that although I’m a woman (and happy to be one) at night when I’m asleep sometimes I’ll dream I’m a man (with all the manly body parts). It’s considered a very mild form of transgenderism. I do not cross dress as the Bible forbids cross dressing. Am I right in assuming that I’m not sinning? Does it make a difference that I’m very happy with who I am and that I feel that God has made me exactly the way he wants me to be?

What about those who are much stronger transgendered? Who are unhappy if they do not dress like the opposite sex and publicly identify as such? Is that truly a sin for them?

I’ve looked for writings on Church teaching, and can’t seem to find anything.

In my dreams I am an owl, silently flying through the forest. I have no doubt about which species I belong to but I liked being an owl, being able to fly and see in near darkness.

Imagination is a wonderful thing.

 

[Allegra]

What you are describing is not even remotely close to being transgender. I don’t know who you think considers dreaming you are a member of the opposite sex a form of transgenderism but whoever they are, they are a nut. I suspect that if you put that theory to most transgendered people, they’d be a little offended by the comparison. It is also not a sin. Nothing done in a dream is an actual sin. As I understand it, crossdressing is objectively a sin, when it is done with the intention of deceiving others about one’s gender. However, whether or not a person with severe gender dysphoria is fully culpable is another story, particularly when they are very young.

 

[GracieRuth]

So is it sinful in an unconscious state? No. In a conscious state? The (very) short answer, according to Judaism, is “it depends.”

Depends on what? Were a person to imagine themselves of the opposite sex in a day dream, would this be a sin?

 

[GracieRuth]

What you are describing is not even remotely close to being transgender. I don’t know who you think considers dreaming you are a member of the opposite sex a form of transgenderism but whoever they are, they are a nut. I suspect that if you put that theory to most transgendered people, they’d be a little offended by the comparison.

I was told that Cross Dreaming was a form of Transgenderism (not Transexualism) on an LGBT forum where I had gone to ask questions about it. Crossdreaming also includes conscious fantasies, but as a Catholic I try not to let my mind wander into sexual fantasies of ANY sort as these are sinful.

 

[Rosebud77]

I was told that Cross Dreaming was a form of Transgenderism (not Transexualism) on an LGBT forum where I had gone to ask questions about it. Crossdreaming also includes conscious fantasies, but as a Catholic I try not to let my mind wander into sexual fantasies of ANY sort as these are sinful.

Small advice

You will not get answers that are acceptable to a Catholic on an LGBT forum; period.

Stay in the church.

 

[Allegra]

I was told that Cross Dreaming was a form of Transgenderism (not Transexualism) on an LGBT forum where I had gone to ask questions about it. Crossdreaming also includes conscious fantasies, but as a Catholic I try not to let my mind wander into sexual fantasies of ANY sort as these are sinful.

Every description of the term “crossdreaming” I can find online seems to describe someone who is consciously and actively fantasizing about sexual situations in which they play the part of the opposite sex. That’s pretty distinctively different from what you described in your original post. However, even if such a dream were to come to someone when they were sleeping, it would still not be a sin and would still not, in and of itself, be transgenderism, or transsexualism, or homosexualism, or anything other than the effect of the brain processing stimuli.

 

[GracieRuth]

Every description of the term “crossdreaming” I can find online seems to describe someone who is consciously and actively fantasizing about sexual situations in which they play the part of the opposite sex. That’s pretty distinctively different from what you described in your original post. However, even if such a dream were to come to someone when they were sleeping, it would still not be a sin and would still not, in and of itself, be transgenderism, or transsexualism, or homosexualism, or anything other than the effect of the brain processing stimuli.

I used to engage in such fantasies, but after returning to the Church I have put ALL sexual fantasizing aside. Obviously there are times few and far between when I stumble, but I know it is sin, and I go to confession and return to chastity. My only remaining Cross Dreaming is nightly dreams.

 

[mommy_k]

I was told that Cross Dreaming was a form of Transgenderism (not Transexualism) on an LGBT forum where I had gone to ask questions about it. Crossdreaming also includes conscious fantasies, but as a Catholic I try not to let my mind wander into sexual fantasies of ANY sort as these are sinful.

Sometimes our unconcience mind replays experiences from daily life.

If you fill your mind with what you are reading on these LGBT forums, you will dream about them. I would start visiting different forums and not go there.

The answer you have gotten there is waaaaay off. You should bring your concerns to a priest or counselor if you have questions regarding this.

 

[Sarcelle]

I used to engage in such fantasies, but after returning to the Church I have put ALL sexual fantasizing aside. Obviously there are times few and far between when I stumble, but I know it is sin, and I go to confession and return to chastity. My only remaining Cross Dreaming is nightly dreams.

Dreaming does not constitute sin. You must be fully awake in order to do so as part of sinning involves the conscious will.

I made sure to talk about so called sinful dreaming with a couple of priests. They said there no such thing as sinning in dreams.

I even dreamed of killing someone in my dreams. Does not make me guilty of the sin of murder. Same thing as dreaming. You were a man in your dreams but you did not actually go out and get a sex change operation. Different things.

If you want a definite answer go to the Ask An Apologist subforum and post your question there.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

I once dreamt I was storming a castle, leading an army of Muppets. I wouldn’t read too much into your dreams.

 

[GracieRuth]

I think dreams like this are not uncommon. In our dreams, our subconscious runs wild…like being a kid with a trunk full of costumes playing make-believe.

I suppose I crossdress as the Bible forbids; I’m female, and I often wear jeans.
I guess men wearing kilts are cross-dressers?

Are you able to describe the nature of your dreams? What do you *do *in your dream when you’re male? That would help people answer your question a bit better, methinks.

A dream interpreter might say…that your dream means you’d like to have more power or control or be stronger in your life. Or something.

.

I would rather not say what happens in my dreams. It’s explicit and would violate the terms ofthe forum and also be very embarrassing to me.

 

[GracieRuth]

Dreaming does not constitute sin. You must be fully awake in order to do so as part of sinning involves the conscious will.

I made sure to talk about so called sinful dreaming with a couple of priests. They said there no such thing as sinning in dreams.

I even dreamed of killing someone in my dreams. Does not make me guilty of the sin of murder. Same thing as dreaming. You were a man in your dreams but you did not actually go out and get a sex change operation. Different things.

If you want a definite answer go to the Ask An Apologist subforum and post your question there.

thank you. Knowing that you asked a priest makes me feel much more confident. I would personally feel mortified asking anyone in real life, even behind a screen – I’d be afraid they’d recognize my voice.

 

[NM505StKate]

Okay I suggest seeing an counselor. You may or may not be transgender. Doesn’t really matter if you are or aren’t dress in what you like and how you want to express yourself.