Transvestia

role is not established at birth, but is built up through experiences encountered and transacted--through casual and unplanned learning, through explicit instruction and inclination. A gender role is established in much the same way as a native language.

11

Gender does have a common root with Sex in that they both originate in differences between the two types of individuals. Sex differences are anatomical and phy- siological but Gender differences are social, cultural and psychological. That is to say, these differences are assigned to individuals who already have sex differences. Note that I said "assigned" because these differences are not biological. There is however one psychological dif- ference which is related to sex directly and essentially. That is the choice of a sex object. Individuals (regard- less of their anatomical, classifications) can be divided into two psycho-sexual groups, the "male-seeking" and the "female-seeking". This fundemental classification is, I believe, where we must start in studying the various types of sex-gender behaviour patterns. Obviously, it is basic in studying behaviour to determine whether the individual seeks males or females as sexual objects. Once this is determined the variations within that catagory can be considered. There are, of course, persons who are able to satisfy their erotic need more or less equally well with males and females. Perhaps these people should be thought of as simply "sex-seeking". That is that their erotic urges are not channeled in any particular direction. They are happy as long as they have sexual experiences with another human being regardless of which kind.

Since our interest lies particularly with the male anatomical sex we must make a special modification of this catagory of "seeking". It is implicit in the idea of seeking that the seeker will play an opposite sexual role to that played by the sought. Thus a "normal" hetero- sexual male seeks a female and, having found her, plays the opposite role to one played by her. Therefore, when we find it necessary to divide male behaviour into both female-seeking and male-seeking catagories it implies that the former will play the male sex role, but that the latter will in one way or another or on occasion play the female sex role. Thus male-seeking males must be plotted on the same side of the base line as male-seeking females.

77