Transvestic fetishism

Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to men who are thought to have an excessive sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing; this interest is often expressed in autoerotic behavior. It differs from cross-dressing for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal. Under the name transvestic disorder, it is categorized as a paraphilia in the DSM-5.^[1]

Transvestic fetishism
Specialty	Psychiatry
Symptoms	Excessive sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing

Description

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

According to DSM-IV, this 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 males.^[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

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

Sources

• Laws, Richard D.; O'Donohue, William T., eds. (2008). Sexual Deviance: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment (2 ed.). New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 978-1-59385-605-2.