NEW EVIDENCE FOR POSSIBLE CAUSE OF TRANSVESTISM AND TRANSSEXUALISM

Sincerely, Linda

Several possible causes have been proposed to explain the origin of TV and TS compuls- ions. These have included such common ideas as early condi- tioning by parents or sisters- boys being dressed or treated as girls when young-and such far out ideas as a male having been a female in a previous life and carrying over some of the earlier feminine characteristics. Doctors and psychologists have mostly been quiet on the subject. To me, the most convincing evid- ence of their lack of insight TS and TV thinking is their inabil- ity to deal with TV and TS men- tal states except by changing the person's anatomy to fit the person's self image. Only relatively rare genetic intersex individuals like those with Kleinfelter's have Syndrome been satisfactorily explained. In addition, the cultural condition- ing theory is largely negated, in my opinion, by the wide variety of contemporary and historical cultures which have produced TVs. Ancient cul- tures from the time of Christ, modern Red China, and Moslem Indonesia all have TVs.

This lack of understanding about why people are TVs produces real anxieties for par- ents and spouses of TVs and for the TVs themselves. Ques-

tions such as, 'Did my parents deliberately make me a TV?' or 'Will I make my son into a TV if I crossdress in his pre- sence?' or 'Why can't some- body cure TVism?' all remain unanswerable. Both doubt and guilt tend to fill these information gaps for TVs as well as everybody to whom they relate. Some resent scientific evidence, however, provides the most reasonable explanation SO far of why TVism occurs. Although the evidence is inconclusive yet, it fits what I know about TVism so well and serves to reduce my problems so well, that I believe that other TVS should know about it.

In spite of all of the advert- ising and government hoopla about sexual equality in the past few years, increasing num- bers of scientists are finding inequalities. These differences include aspects of metabolism, and anatomy, biochemistry which are far outside the realm of obvious differences in sex

organs. The differences occur at all levels-molecular, tissue, organ, and the whole animal. The differences occur long be- fore birth through complex in- terplay between hormones from the mother's sex organs, hor- from the fetus's de-

mones

- 30-

veloping sex and hormone or- gans, and the ways in which the mother and the fetus each protect (or fail to protect) themselves from each others hormones. I'll paraphrase in non-technical language the con- clusions from a recent article to explain further.

Hormones are of funda- mental importance to the de- velopment of sex differences in brain function. In mammals, the hormones released by the fetal testis are important for masculine sexual differentiation. Female hormones may or may not be important for develop- ment of a feminine brain. Either low male hormone in males or low female hormone in females may actively pro- mote the development of fe- minine behavioral traits. sitivity to the differentiating effects of the hormones is high during early development. Ul- timately, the effects of early hormone exposure produce changes in the brain at structural and functional levels. How hor- mones produce these changes is unknown.

Sen-

Scientists have stated se- veral cautions about this infor- mation. First, the data come strictly from experimental ani- mals- rats, mice, monkeys, ham- sters, and birds. Man could