Transvestic fetishism explained

Specialty:	Psychiatry
Symptoms:	Being sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experiencing significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of one’s behavior.

Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to people who are sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior. It differs from cross-dressing without distress or impairment, and/or for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal. Under the name transvestic disorder, it is categorized as a paraphiliac disorder in the DSM-5.^[1]

The DSM-5 states that late-onset gender dysphoria in adolescent and adult natal males is preceded by "transvestic behavior with sexual excitement" in many cases.^[2]

According to DSM-IV, transvestic fetishism was limited to heterosexual men; however, the DSM-5 does not have this restriction, and opens it to women and men with this interest, regardless of their sexual orientation.^[3] It is, however, usually documented in men.^[4]

There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made:^[5]

1. Individuals must be sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing.
2. Individuals must experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior.

References

Citations

Sources

• Book: Wheeler . Jennifer . Newring . Kirk A. B. . Draper . Crissa . 16: Transvestic Fetishism, Psychopathology and Theory; 17: Transvestic Fetishism, Assessment and Treatment . Sexual Deviance: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment . Richard D. . Laws . William T. . O'Donohue . William O'Donohue . 2 . 2008 . . New York . 978-1-59385-605-2 . 230822507 . registration . Internet Archive . 272–304.

Notes and References

1. Book: American Psychiatric Association . 2013. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth. American Psychiatric Publishing. Arlington, VA. 685–705. 978-0-89042-555-8.
2. Book: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Publishing . 2013 . 978-0-89042-554-1 . Fifth . Arlington, VA . 451–460 .
3. Web site: Paraphilic Disorders Fact Sheet . dsm5.org . 2013-05-15 . http://web.archive.org/web/20161123042559/https://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Paraphilic%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf . 2016-11-23 . dead.
4. Book: Cowen P, Harrison P, Burns T. Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry. OUP Oxford. 978-0191626753. 2012. 373.
5. American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.