It's About Self-Expression

In the Torah Portion Ki Tetze in Deuteronomy, Chapter 22:5 states, "A man’s apparel shall not be on a woman, nor shall a man wear woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is abhorrent to God." This verse follows the commandment not to hide oneself, (mentioned in verses 22:1,3, and 4). This is a vital clue telling us that it is not the cross-dressing or the apparel itself that is prohibited, but the hiding that is forbidden. In our time, cross-dressing is the very opposite of hiding: it is done for self-expression: to express the deepest parts of ourselves without apology, shame, or embarrassment. It is not done to hide at all, therefore our society has superseded this commandment, especially since wearing pants by women is now a normal and accepted part of feminine dress, and society has agreed that pants are not exclusively a male item of apparel. The justification for this commandment no longer exists. We have evolved beyond it.