Dear Susan,

I am writing in response Julia's request for opinions on her wonderful article 'Petticoat Punishment or Petticoat Pleasure: Which is the Better Way?' in the Autumn 03 issue.

First, some background information about myself might be useful.  I am male, in my mid-thirties, and I have had a lifelong fascination with ladies' clothes - especially underwear - for as long as I can remember.  Even when I was a little boy I would dress in my mother's knickers; their softness and femininity was so, so comforting!  I stopped wearing my mother's undies during my primary school years, but started again during secondary school.  After starting work, I was able to acquire my own collection of women's clothes: lingerie, dresses, blouses and skirts, nightwear, some fantasy wear (schoolgirl and 'little girl' dresses), shoes, handbags, perfume and make-up.

I still live with my mother, and she knows about my cross-dressing.  She accepts it, as long as I dress-up in private.  My cross-dressing is a source of great comfort and pleasure to me.  Unfortunately, it also brings feelings of shame and inadequacy with it, and I think my anxiety about my cross-dressing has inhibited my relationships with women.

Julia's article raises some very pertinent points.  Obviously, given my own strong inclinations for cross-dressing, I can't claim to speak for all men.  But for my own part, I think Julia is absolutely right to advocate petticoat pleasure.  She accurately describes many of the pleasurable sensations and emotions that I get from dressing-up: softness, a chance to look and feel nice and pretty, stress-relieving feminine feelings.  I know that when dressed, I feel calm, delicate and gentle.  Julia is also right, however, to identify the special thrill that comes from doing something that is regarded as taboo by many.  I have experienced this frisson of pleasure on many occassions - especially when rushing home to try on my latest purchases!

Women's clothes are pleasurable to wear.  I'm sure that many men would realize this if they were allowed or encouraged to try cross-dressing in a fear-free, loving environment.  It may be that some men wouldn't want to fully dress; perhaps just wearing a pair of soft, pretty panties with their partner's approval would be sufficient.  I think that experiencing the pleasures of looking and feeling feminine could help many men start feeling closer to women.

Personally, I would consider myself the luckiest man alive if I were fortunate enough to meet a lady who approved of my cross-dressing, and who would enjoy participating in petticoat pleasure.  I do have to be honest though and admit that petticoat punishment is also intensely erotic for me.  I regularly fantasise about being forced to dress up as a girl, only to be paraded around in front of a group of laughing, mocking females.  However, whether or not I would enjoy the reality, I don't know.  A nice compromise would be to dress up and parade around in front of a wife or partner who would encourage me to act out my effeminate, sissy inclinations for her amusement and satisfaction.  I, for one, would certainly adore any woman who would allow me such release from the intense longings for effeminacy and submissiveness; longings that I experience on a daily basis.

Andrea

I have also received a comment from Fiona in sunny Turkey, and it can be found at the end of her memoir, 'A Girl from Strathyre'. Of course I agree. Most males come to love the security and softness of the feminine attire that they may have angrily rejected at first, and it is when they become fully 'petticoat-dependent' that they are most amenable to female superiority in home life. There is no reason at all why it should not be pleasurable, in fact the pleasurable aspects are intimately comingled what might be called the 'nurturing' side of petticoat discipline.
Susan