society and not by the individual. The young boy with a more than usual quota of feminine interests learns early, from father, teacher, older brothers and peers that the expression of these interests lies beyond the pale of accepted masculinity. He learns what it means to be called a "sissy" and as he gets older he comes to know of homosexuality and the epithets of "fairy” “queer”, “fag" "pervert", etc., that go with it. But the feelings are there and what can he do about them? He begins to suf- fer from several very clear cut and universal (among femmiphiles that is) fears and conflicts. a) "Am I a homosexual?" He knows he is interested in girls, but he also inherits from his social indoctrination the notion that any male interested in feminine things is ipso facto a homosexual even if he doesn't know it. This is a terrible conflict, to know you aren't yet feel that you must be because society says so. b) “Am I psychopathic? 'Normal' boys don't wear girl's clothes and I do, so I must be 'sick"!" Again, he does not feel sick, but his conflict between himself and the supposed "normal" makes it seem so. c) "I must be the only one in the world who feels this way." At first it just seems that it must be so because he can't imagine anyone else doing such things. But it is intensified when he seeks information in libraries and finds little or none. Because there is no information, ergo there are no other people like this to write about. Thus develops a sense of extreme aloneness. d) Isolation is further in- creased by the awareness that he can't ask father, brother, teacher, doctor, minister or, in fact, much of anyone, because he is sure that they will accuse him of being a homosexual (and his fears are well founded because most people, even in the professions, don't know the difference). e) If his urge to play the girl is strong enough he will want to venture forth in public and may do so in spite of the possibility of discovery and exposure and thus fear is added to his problems. Were police, judges, employers, fathers and friends knowledgeable on this subject he would need have no fear, would be able to get information, would not be accused of things of which he was not guilty and would not feel isolated.

Unfortunately such awareness is not yet with us so that all of these conflicts mentioned exist in almost all femmiphiles. The result is a lonely, guilt-ridden, fearful and ashamed person who locks all of this up inside himself since there is no place to turn for help and understanding. Marriage is frequently put off or passed by out of fear of non-under- standing. Those who do get married are a) sure that their interests will disappear with marriage and thus generally don't tell their wives before- hand, or b) when they find out that it doesn't go away and in fact is often made worse by the constant and close association with a woman and her clothing, they live in new guilt and fear regarding their wives possible discovery and rejection. Since they must find some sort of outlet for

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