A totally guilt free life is not a human life, and is often an indication of some severe psychological disturbance. Guilt, as this analysis suggests, can be a positive and a negative phenomenon. I suggest that first of all healthy guilt makes us aware of some potential of the self which invites development and expression. Secondly, healthy guilt signals when we are facing a life issue that requires deeper understanding and a personal decision of some sort. If a person tries to evade existential guilt, then he or she is likely to develop some form of unhealthy or neurotic guilt.
Unhealthy guilt leaves the person defensive and vulnerable to a break down of self-esteem.
Unhealthy guilt calls up defensive attitudes and behaviors which limit life, rather than expand life. In light of this brief discussion of guilt we can see that the guilt that a transvestite or a transsexual feels may be a healthy guilt or an unhealthy guilt. Some feelings of guilt may be a matter of the individual's overall lifestyle and not directly related to issues of gender identity or gender expression. A narrow, restricted, undeveloped life will always leave a person feeling guilt. Such guilt is very prevalent within our society.