What Is Femulate? Everything You Didn’t Know About MTF Crossdressing

Femulate is a rather new terminology that’s slowly doing the rounds in its relevant communities. In crossdressing, particularly MTF crossdressing, femulate is a label to distinguish crossdressing outside of entertainment. It’s an intimate, more personal exploration of one’s self through clothing.

In this blog post, let’s peel off the layers of femulating and its nuances in the MTF crossdressing community.

What Is Femulate?

Collins Dictionary categorizes femulate as a new word suggestion.

The online dictionary defines femulate as a man, especially a crossdresser, who desires to appear and blend as a natural female in public.

In short, it refers to a man’s desire to “pass” as a woman.

Though this notion is common for transgender individuals, the main difference is that any man, no matter his gender identity, can strive to femulate.

Stana’s personal blog, Femulate.org, claims to compose the term “femulate.”

In answering a query, she argues femulate amends the word crossdress.

It points to something that demands a greater degree and effort to parallel females, not just mere “female characters.”

If we think deeply about it, femulate is the result of two words smashed together: female + emulate.

Therefore, to femulate is to emulate a female or feminine persona.

It involves adopting the traditional appearance and behavior of the opposite gender.

So, emulating is not limited to clothing choices but also includes mannerisms, speech patterns, and overall presentation.

Femulate vs. Drag

Though some may be confused about these two terms, femulate is not the same as drag.

As I previously alluded to in the introduction, femulate is crossdressing to pass as a woman.

Although it’s also crossdressing, drag is a form of entertainment.

Drag queens or kings dress up and perform for theatrical purposes.

Their presentations put an emphasis on expected feminine or masculine descriptions.

It’s true that both femulate and drag may entail self-expression and celebrate LGBTQ+ pride.

But femulate is more so for the individual’s self-satisfaction and fulfillment.

Not for entertaining anyone else. Meanwhile, drag highlights amusement found in songs, dance numbers, fashion runways, and even comedy.

Why (Men) Femulate?

Just as men choose to crossdress for their own objectives, MtF crossdressers femulate to achieve various goals.

Remember, crossdressers can be of any gender. So, even cis-men can femulate and enjoy the following benefits:

Tapping Into Your Femininity

Men are expected to be tough, aggressive, and in control. This may be all good for traditional notions of masculinity.

But following old traditions means suppressing feelings that may bloom into something harmful.

It’s unhealthy for anyone to repress their inner musings.

Men who subdue their emotions and abandon any “feminine” qualities find it hard to communicate and cultivate mental health.

Feminine qualities men need to develop include being nurturing, accommodating, and emotionally intelligent.

between their masculine and feminine energies.

Discovering where this equilibrium lies can make you a reliable provider and establish stronger relationships.

Whether it be with your partner, family, friends, and of course, yourself.

Preserving Anonymity

When you blend in well enough to pass as a natural woman, no one will think twice about your real identity.

They might think you “look like” or maybe “related to” your usual non-crossdressing self.

But there will be fewer questions or “gotcha” moments.

Knowing you’re out of anyone’s radar as a biological man means you’re free to crossdress to your heart’s content.

You won’t be burdened by worries or anxieties of getting found out.

Expressing Gender or Self

Femulating is a way of pushing the boundaries of your gender. In turn, it’s also a channel to challenge your sense of self.

Cismen, for instance, have been hammered with standards of masculinity. But not every man finds it easy to adhere to these ideas.

There are effeminate men who naturally lean more on their feminine characters. There are also sissy men who enjoy being submissive.

Embracing these features doesn’t make someone “less of a man.”

Femulate is an avenue of understanding the reality that men can’t always be hardcore masculine and abandon their feminine bits just because they’re expected to depict a caricature of orthodox masculinity.

Exploring Gender Identity

Finally, some men may want to tap into their gender identity.

Femulating is an effective way to try and see if they may be more aligned with another gender.

Straight men may try to act feminine and evaluate if they feel more comfortable being accepted or treated as a woman.

Femulating can be a bridge for men to realize they want to transition.

It can be their first step in discovering a desire to be a transgender woman.

Psychological and Emotional Impacts of Femulating

Crossdressing with a specific goal will bring you to an enhanced state of mind. It also exposes you to what you yearn for the most.

When you fully understand why you crave to act and pass as a woman,

it’ll be easier to follow your exact wishes and be more attuned to your emotions and psychology.

This union of body and mind offers an array of advantages.

Other benefits of femulating include:

Increasing your happiness

Achieving a sense of peace

Boosting mental health

Who Do You Femulate?

Though it’ll be easier to try and fit the notions of conventional femininity, men will be better off with having a definite woman to mimic.

In this sense, men should choose women who display traditional feminine traits to emulate.

At the same time, these women also have modern leanings that reflect what it means to be a woman in the 21st century.

Here’s a short list of women who are excellent choices for you to emulate:

• Marilyn Monroe
• Catherine, Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton)

Generally, Japanese women. In fact, the term Yamato Nadeshiko refers to the “personification of an idealized Japanese woman”

Take note, femulating is not limited to any specific age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Crossdressers, in particular, will find it an excellent medium to present their skills.

Additionally, while others may choose to femulate publicly, nothing’s stopping you from femulating privately.

Challenges and Misconceptions

With the birth of a new term comes its twin: misconceptions.

Because “femulate” is a label not many understand at first encounter, it’s crucial to break any misconstrued information attached to it.

Like anyone in the LGBTQ+ and crossdressing communities, there will also be challenges faced by individuals who femulate.

These challenges touch on societal judgment, discrimination, and misunderstanding.

Femulating is solely a sexual fetish

A fetish is a hyperfixation of something arousing or erotic for you. As crossdressing is not exclusively a fetish, femulating isn’t as well.

Yes, crossdressing can be a fetish, but wearing the opposite gender’s clothing doesn’t immediately point to an obsession.

Femulating is more of a medium for self-exploration and tapping into one’s femininity.

The ultimate goal is crossdressers’ self-actualization and improved mental health.

Femulating doesn’t mean you’re gay or transgender

Femulating is not an automatic reflection of one’s sexual orientation.

You can be a crossdresser and crossdress for entertainment (as in drag) or crossdress to pass as a woman and still identify as a straight man.

In comparison, you can also femulate and identify as a gay man, bisexual, or transwoman. Any man can femulate.

Femulating can be a method to deciding to finally transition

In connection with the previous point, if you’re undecided about wanting to transition into another gender, femulating can help.

As it allows you to discover what it feels like to be accepted and treated as a woman,

you can decide between transitioning physically into a woman or being content with MTF crossdressing.

Femulating is Empowerment

Femulating is empowering. Simply put, it gives crossdressers the opportunity to embrace their true selves.

It’s a modern way to challenge societal expectations, like deconstructing what it means to be a man or a woman.

Breaking away from these traditional presuppositions offers liberation and confidence.

How to Femulate

Your best guide would be your chosen female figure or icon. To get you started, let’s focus on what will make you the most “passable.”

Without paying close attention to your crossdressing mannerisms and voice, the first thing anyone will see is your physical details.

That’s why it’s important for crossdressers to emulate the feminine silhouette first Here are the necessary products to do just that:

Breast forms

Butt and Hip pads

Long wigs

Other products to complete your presentation include:

Bras

Gaff and panties

Corsets and other body shapers

Female lingerie

Feminine hosiery

Other conventional feminine products such as skirts, heels, etc.

Of course, further adjustments are imperative to fully embody women’s qualities.

Do regular voice feminization exercises

Practice feminine behaviors and manners

Begin thinking like a woman and integrate it with your daily thoughts

Conclusion

Femulate may be a newly developed word, but its concept is nothing new.

It points to what even the very first crossdressers in history strive to do: to emulate feminine qualities.

There are various benefits to doing so, with exploring one’s gender expression and identity topping the list.

There are still many misconceptions and stereotypes crossdressers need to tackle in their femulating journey.

It’s important to instigate a proper understanding of these new terms to fully convey their meaning.

At the end of the day, femulating is just another term that reminds you of your power over your life and how you live it.

Express yourself in the best way you can and continue exploring! You don’t need words to define you!