Transsexualism and Transvestism-A Symposium*

TRANSSEXUALISM AND TRANSVESTISM AS PSYCHO- SOMATIC AND SOMATO–PSYCHIC SYNDROMES

HARRY BENJAMIN, M.D.

New York, N. Y.

DEFINITION

Transvestism has become the accepted term for the desire of a certain group of people to dress in the clothes of the opposite sex. This term, first used by Magnus Hirschfeld (1) has the disadvan- tage that it names a disturbance of behavior and emotion after only one of its symptoms, although the most conspicuous one. This symptom, which is also known as "cross-dressing," is the symbolic fulfillment of a deep-seated and more or less intense urge suggesting a dis-harmony of the total sexual sense, a sexual indecision or a disassociation of the physical and mental sexuality.

Havelock Ellis (2) proposed the term "eonism," naming it after its prototype, the Chevalier D'Eon and as a parallel to sadism and masochism. Hamburger and his associates (3) in Denmark re- served the term eonism for severe cases of so-called "genuine trans- vestism." They also characterize it as "psychic hermaphroditism.” This is the same extreme degree of transvestism for which I have used the term transsexualism (4) because a transformation of sex is the foremost desire. Cauldwell (12) spoke of Psychopathia transsexualis.

Naturally not every act of "cross-dressing" is transvestitic. Only if it occurs in an atmosphere of emotional pressure, some- times to the point of compulsion and is accompanied by a more or less distinct sexual satisfaction can the term be applied. Other- wise it would be simple masquerading of a non-affective nature.

SYMPTOMATOLOGY

Transvestism can be a form of fetishism. If a man, for instance wears under his suit a female corset, or panties or long stockings, he may just want to be close to his beloved fetish. In other cases, however, such action may be a compromise for the transvestite be- cause it might entail social, sometimes marital, complications or it may involve legal risks to dress completely as a woman and appear

* Held before the ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, December 18th, 1953.

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