treme difficulty adjusting to our existing society or for whom any semblance of a "happy" adjustment is impossible.

Almost never do we find a case of simple or "true" transvestism (dressing only) because transvestism is, itself, only the outward and obvious manifestation or symp. tom of other deeply rooted emotional probleins. Out of these deeply rooted probleins symptoms break forth which we previously tried to "cure," such as alcoholism, kleptomania, pyromania, as well as transvestism It is now an accepted fact that the only way to obtain any sort of "cure" in these cases is to get at the basic emotional problems and resolve

NEW LIGHT ON MASTURBATION

(Continued from page 7) It is perhaps more significant, however, when they inform us that the female tends to reach orgasm more easily and quickly by masturbation than by any other sex technique; that masturbation is much the most importart source of sexual outlet for the unmarried females studied; and that females who masturbate have a considerably better chance of achieving orgasm after marriage than those who do not.

As any serious student of sex knows, it is virtually impossible for most human beings to suppress their biological impulses completely, and if these impulses do not show themselves through so-called manifesta. "normal" tions, they will frequently take "abnormal" forms of outlet-including "perverted" and neur otic symptoms.

Society Doesn't Approve One would think, therefore, that a society such as our own, which forcefully opposes premarital and extramarital sex relations, would welcome masturbation as a convenient, discreet mode of sex activity which makes it possible for almost any human being, if he or she wishes, to have a satisfying orgasmic release if and when most other

them. Then the need for the bizarre behavior which has been used as a demonstration or defense mechanism is more soundly broken down

Therefore, in concluding this paper on the transvestite, I should like to suggest to professional and lay writers that recognition of these complexities be made; namely, this strong compulsion may be rooted in various circumstances and may have motivations totally differing from case to case. The reading public has every right to be accurately informed on the subject of transvestism which is not as infrequent or obscure as previous reports have indicated.

forms of outlet are barred. In this respect, our own society is thoroughly illogical. For not only 、 does it ban all sex outlets except marital intercourse, but it also discourages masturbation.

Not that matters in this respect are as bad as they used to be. Not quite. But where oldtime sex books promulgated an honest puritanism that was forthrightly anti masturbational, modern manuals are often subtly, and essentially more dishonesty, antisexual in this connection.

In a recent communication, for example, the staff of the Child Study Association of America, consisting largely of trained psychiatric social workers, tells us that certainly masturbation "locg not lead to blindness, brain fever, impotence, or any other physical or sexual ill-effects." This Child Study Association staff then goes on, however, to point out that because children in our culture do get the idea that masturbation is dangerous, and consequently become guilty about their autoerotism, “perhaps the best course is for parents reassuringly to ally themselves with the child's own conscience in this matter and while assuring him that the practice will not harm him, also help him to find ways to grow out of it."

more pernicious attitude than this could hardly be found.

mattachine REVIEW

Essentially, it is the old puritanical view on masturbation brought in again by the back door after it has ostensibly been kicked out the front.

Obviously, if children do get the idea that masturbation is dangerous, they get it from someone; and if this idea is a false one as it most definitely is it should be unceremoniously and solidly annihilated, instead of being cowardly accepted and perpetuated.

In non-sexual areas, no one, and certainly not a group of clinicans, would ever make an equivalent mistake. Many children believe, for example, that breaking a mirror, failing to knock on wood at certain times, or passing in front of a black cat is dangerous, and become anxious when they engage in such activities. Are we, then, to ally ourselves with these children's puerile, misled ideas and try to help them grow out of breaking mirrors or passing in front of black cats? Or are we not, rather, to show them how silly their fears are in these connections, and how effectively to overcome the fears instead of stopping the actions leading to the fears?

So with masturbation. ΟΙ course, in this inhibited anti-

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sexual culture,

children feel that masturbation is dangerous and become guilty when they. engage in it. All the more reason, then, to disabuse them of this childish fear, and to teach them to accept masturbation in its true light thoroughly undangerous, beneficial human act.

as a

Similarly with the other neopuritanical notions in regard to autoerotism which clutter our most modern sex education. texts. Let us, once and for all, say the final scientific, clinically based nay to these anti-masturbational notions. Some of the main quibbles which may be demolished are the following:

1. The objection that masturbation is immature. Masturbation is not in the least an immature, adolescent sex ast, but is just as mature as any other mode. As Kinsey shows, in unmarried college level males between the ages of 26 and 30, masturbation provides 46 per cent of their total sex outlet; and in women between 86 and 45 years of age, 54 per cent of the single, 36 per cent of the married, and 58 per cent of the previously married subjects admitted-masturbating.

In view of these facts, to call

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