Man cross-dresses for 20 years to help mentally ill mother cope with death of sister

Ever heard of the saying "if you can't make it, fake it"?

For over 20 years, a man in Guilin, China, has cross-dressed as a woman to appear as his dead sister in front of his grieving mother.

According to a video footage by Pear Video, the man, who is now in his 50s and freelances as a flute player, had noticed his mother becoming mentally unsound after the death of her daughter, his sister.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/pearvideocn/videos/864134883745196/[/embed]

People in his community suggested that his mother may be mentally sound again if her daughter returned, guessing that she had missed her daughter too much.

Without other ways to comfort his mother, the doting son tried dressing up as a woman.

The attempt was met with success as his mother instantly became cheerful again thinking that her daughter had returned.

And he hasn't dressed as a man ever since.

While his cross-dressing act may invite mockery from others, the man, who's unmarried, is not ashamed at all. 

"If you can't bear to look at me, then don't look," the man expressed. "This is for my mother, and I'm not afraid of being a laughing stock for it."

The man has adapted to dressing as a woman, and doesn't own any male garments.

The video, which has since garnered over a million views across China according to Mirror, has received mostly positive comments from netizens who are touched by the filial son's act.

However, other netizens also found something else to focus on.

Nonetheless, we can all agree that very few would do something so extreme just for their parent's well-being, and this man deserves respect for what he's doing.

ongymm@sph.com.sg