Is wearing female clothing for a man a sin?

[Catsmeow]

my question is this...is it truly a sin for a man whether it be in a play on stage or in private in his house...or even in public...to dress in womens garments...what does scripture say on this ...

also what about women...we see them wearing ties and suits now...so is that a sin also?

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Oh, hon....if you're considering it, don't. Trust me. No one in their right mind would want to dress like we do!

You must'nt have a clue how binding panty hose are or how vexing it is to try to navigate getting in and out of a car in a skirt.

It's a curse to wear high heels but, alas...they look good. Feel horrible to the feet but look great on a woman's feet.

Now any man wanting to torture himself like that deserves a metal...or a mental evaluation, take your pick.

If you're just curious...trust me: get over it. You'll only end up embarassed when the wind blows up your skirt or you snag your high heels on a street curb. It's not a fun thing.

I'm not so sure about it being a sin as much as being insane. Men's clothes are supremely more comfortable.

[Catsmeow]

I have a daughter that shops in the mens department.  The way that her body is shaped (extremely long wasted) mens jeans fit her better than womens.  As she developes I'm sure womens jeans will suit her better but for now, it's the mens department for her.  She does not do it to be boy like but for comfort.  If she did it just to be like a boy, I'd put a stop to it.

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Amen, Imamom...I hear you. I love those oversized, comfy shirts. The clothes we ladies wear may look nice but they just don't have that wonderful feel that a warm flannel shirt does coming fresh out of the dryer on a cold winter's day....*(same for a nice, worn pair of jeans.)

[his-servant-too]

The US military has both men and women wearing the same clothes. A uniform designed for men. Women wear pants originally designed for men.

Are you saying that this is wrong, or...?

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No I'm saying it happens. Is it wrong? You tell me

If you look at the garb that men and women wore back then the differences were minor so there must be another reason.

Deut. 22:5, "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

That sounds very str8 forward. Where is there room for interpretation?

[WayneB]

Sister Cats.

Trust me, speaking as a man...there is NO WAY that I would be caught dead in a pair of pantyhose. Actually, from watching my wife struggle with them, I wonder why women would endure such hardship. Do they make them in 5X?

Seriously, the issue isn't the clothing so much but what you are trying to pass for. A man needs to be satisfied with looking like a man and a woman needs to be satisfied with looking like a woman. When folks can't tell what you are OR when they assume you are of the wrong gender, then maybe it's time for some self-evaluation?

I have never mistook a woman wearing a pair of jeans as a man and I have never mistook a man wearing a kilt as a woman.

[Work in Progress]

Hi, I am new also. I do hope though not to be a troll

LOL, I'm sure you aren't. Forgive me for being a little troll paranoid. And pessimistic. I've been around the block too many times.

[Kabowd]

God looks at the heart. Be wise, make wise decisions for God's glory and your wardrobe will reflect these decisions.

[Guest NewPilgrim]

OVEDYA:

It is not sinful for a woman to wear blue jeans, or pants, or even a suit, if there is no motivation behind it other than to just dress comfortably.

Deut. 22:5, "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man,

I believe that it is sinful for a man to dress as a woman for any other reason than acting;

nor shall a man put on a woman's garment;

for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

Come on Oved, doesn't that sound just a little bit like a double-standard?

The scripture doesnt differentiate on this matter, how can you?

Either both can wear opp-sex clothes purely for comfort/acting, or neither can...which is it?

[Ovedya]

OVEDYA:

It is not sinful for a woman to wear blue jeans, or pants, or even a suit, if there is no motivation behind it other than to just dress comfortably.

Deut. 22:5, "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man,

I believe that it is sinful for a man to dress as a woman for any other reason than acting;

nor shall a man put on a woman's garment;

for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

Come on Oved, doesn't that sound just a little bit like a double-standard?

The scripture doesnt differentiate on this matter, how can you?

Either both can wear opp-sex clothes purely for comfort/acting, or neither can...which is it?

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Because I'm taking the whole of Scripture into account, and not just narrowing a single verse down into a legalistic kind of practice. In the time of the Old Testament men wore an outter garment that looked like a dress. So did women. But men's and women's apparel was clearly different: Different fabrics, different colors, etc.

[Smalcald]

Oh come on now.

We can't compare how men and women dressed as in the Old Testament as any sort of guide to how we should dress today. The point is the intent.

I have never met one, and frankly I would think them an odd duck, but for the sake of argument let us say some man had a rash or something and needed to wear a dress looking garment. Is that sin? Of course not, it may be weird, and it may be strange in our culture but it wouldn't be sin.

Now let us say that a man likes wearing a dress because he likes feeling like a woman, and gets sexually excited by it, well that is sin, that is perversion of our natural sexuality as men and women.

I think that is the point, not the outer garment but the inner thought. As Christ says, what we put in is meaningless, but what comes out of our heart, such as fornication that is the sin.

[Joe@actsii]

I have to dissagree with the majority opinion in this matter.  The scripture in Deuteronomy 22:5 is plain, "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment:  for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord."  This verse says nothing about intent.  It simply says a woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man and clearly pants pertain to a man.  The fact that it has become acceptable in society for women to wear men's clothing does not make it right.  I do agree that the scripture in 1 Corinthians 6:9 also pertains to the same subject.  The word effeminate used hear comes from the greek word malakos and soft clothing is one of the things mentioned as wrong for a man to wear.  I do not believe it is right for a man to wear a dress even in fun.  Contrary to what one person wrote, I have had  instances where I did have a hard time distinguishing a man from a woman.  In the day we are living in, women often have their hair cut shorter than a man's traditional hair cut and wear men's clothing.  At the same time very few men wear dresses and while some have long hair, they are still looked down on by most of society.  1 Corinthians 11:14 and 15 states, "Doeth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him?  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:  for her hair is given her for a covering."  Many people try to ignore verses 4-15 of this chapter by stating that verse 16 says if a man is contentious about this matter we have no such custom and interpret that to mean that the Apostle Paul spend all the previous verses explaining why it is a shame for a man to have long hair and a woman to have short hair, only to turn around and say to forget everything he just said, it isn't important.  That does not even make logical sense.  The fact is he is saying that those who will not abide by his teaching in this matter are contentious and that there is no other custom in the churches.  Being contentious was not considered a good thing, yet many look at it as those being contentious are in the right and those who hold to the teachings of the Bible are legalistic.  The fact is, God wants women to look feminine and men to look like men.  Much of the clothing women wear today is anything but feminine in appearance.

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A-Men!