Is it socially acceptable for individuals to wear clothing typically associated with the opposite gender? What are some reasons for or against this practice?

2) Fashion crossdressers - some metrosexuals and most women fall into this category. Women in trousers – seen as a sexual and social aberration in 1900 – had become the norm by 2000.

5) Other professionals: the occasional spy/undercover policeman/criminal in disguise. Gay prostitutes.

Don’t do it unless you want to.

Why are white guys the top consumers of interracial porn? What's the rationale behind this phenomenon?

a) In serious entertainment, actors playing a role. From Mark Rylance as Cleopatra or Judi Dench as Olivia to Antony Perkins in Psycho. Japanese Kabuki and Nō players. Sopranos singing "breeches" roles in opera.

d) Stunt doubles.

Don’t do it in places where it’s illegal, like Russia.

If there is an abandoned house with no owner, can I live in it?

3) Fetish crossdressers - who use clothes as a substitute for, or an essential precursor to, sex. This is commonest among teenage boys, but usually disappears or develops into transvestism later. It is rarely seen in public, although the word "fetish" is often misapplied by those who should know better.

8) Those forced into crossdressing. This category is included for completeness but barely seems to exist in real life today. It was however observed in the period 1850-1950 when boys were occasionally forced into girls' clothes as a punishment at school or in the home. It is a staple of fiction – to escape from danger (Some Like It Hot), to obtain a job (Tootsie, Mrs Doubtfire), or forced by a sadistic female relative (much transvestite erotic fiction).

Ignore people who will quote their religion at you (unless it’s your religion too).

Why do most men who date ugly women brag like it's some big accomplishment, when any guy can pull an ugly woman?

4) Entertainers.

If it’s merely your sexual fetish — see 3) above — don’t do it in public. You’ll look ridiculous and possible offend decency laws.

Reasons against it? Basically,

In your opinion, what is the worst rock band in history and why do you think they gained a large following?

Socially acceptable? It depends on which bit of society you live in.

If you’re going to do it, do it 100% and do it well. You’ll enjoy it all the more and so will the people around you. It’s often good for a round of applause or a free drink.

1) Occasional crossdressers - Hallowe'en, practical jokers, fancy dress parties, students' rags... etc.

What is truer than that which is true?

7) Transsexuals – for many of them the cross-dressing is merely an incidental stage in their transition of identity. Once achieved, the wearing of the clothes of the other sex becomes the norm, and can no longer be called crossdressing.

b) In light entertainment: female impersonators/comedians; pantomime dames in British theatre.

There are many reasons. This can be broken down into the eight broad categories below, though most people only think of no.6:

Why are the democrats keep insisting that there are more than two genders?

c) Drag queens and Drag kings – an exaggerated satirical sub-section of the light entertainment field.

6) Transvestites – what most people first think of. For transvestites, crossdressing is an end in itself; motives many and various. For most, these go back to childhood or before birth and are obsessive.

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania or Salt Lake City it won’t be accepted. In Rio or Douarnenez at Mardi Gras it’s practically compulsory. (Seriously, I counted the men in skirts in a bar in Douarnenez: one in six.)

The cloud broke Thursday and it'll happen again - how to protect your business before then - ZDNET