In many societies, transgendered and transsexual people have played important and respected roles. In the West, many professionals have come to view transgendered behavior as a normal variation of th human condition rather as a disorder. Crossdressers The desire to wear the clothing of the other sex is independent of one's sexual preference. Most, however, have no desire to actually change their sex. These men are called crossdressers or transvestites , although the latter term has fallen out of favor.
Women also crossdress, and in larger numbers than has been previously acknowledged.
There are many social clubs and support groups for crossdressers. These offer support, understanding, and companionship, and can help the newcomer perfect his feminine or her masculine presentation. Almost all support groups offer help to the partners of their members, and several organizations deal solely with the needs of wives and girlfriends of heterosexual crossdressers. Transsexualism Men and women who desire to rid themselves of their primary and sexual characteristics and live as members of the other sex are called transsexual . Hormonal and surgical techniques make this possible, but sex reassignment is a difficult, disruptive, and costly process, and must not be undertaken without psychological counseling and careful planning and a realistic understanding that medical technology has its limits.