Crossdressing

Question

I am wondering about something because it is in this week’s parasha. The parasha has a prohibition against crossdressing. A lot of crossdressing occurs for two reasons: one is for professional costume and another because of a fetish.
Many people cross dress in professional costume for a parnassa (livelihood) and not because they want to hurt anyone. If someone needs to cross dress for a parnassa and doesn’t know how to earn a living any other way, are they still prohibited from doing so?
And what about someone who has a fetish. Fetishism is a medical disorder and one might not have control. It is easy to say one has control by simply not doing it if you do not have the disorder. Coming from a family of psychologists, I understand that one who has this form of fetishism does not have any more control over their cross dressing than an alcoholic has over their drinking. Would a cross dresser really be punished by G-d just because of their disease that G-d created them with?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    As you write crossdressing is forbidden according to Torah Law. That means that it is prohibited even if it is “only” for parnasah reasons.

    A person who has a psychological disorder and cannot control their desire for crossdressing will not be held accountable in the Heavenly Realms for their actions as they are no different from any other medical issue that a person may have the stops them from keeping the Mitzvos.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team