are

well be different in either de- gree or kind. Second, the systems are very complex and are only partly understood. If they were simple, they would have been known years ago. Thus the interpretations may change as more details learned. One scientist speci- fically warned against using his data to explain homosexuality. I Suspect that he was unfamiliar with TVism because, in my opinion, the information fits TVism much better than it fits homosexuality and he might have been tempted to make correlations with TVism if he had known about it. As a biological scientist who is also a TV, however, I believe that TVs should know about these ideas, recognize that this is not the final word, and then benefit from using the know- ledge.

Let me show you how I use this information to 'ex- plain' many aspects of my TV behavior. Doing this helps me to learn to live with myself and to decide what to do or not to do about my TVism. I Hope

that other TVs will benefit similarly.

1. My Tv behavior and thinking was produced by hor- mone inbalances during fetal de- velopment which feminized part of my brain, but left other parts wholly male. My upbringing, parents, and my social and cul- tural environment had only min- or influences-in my case, to re-

press it. This also explains why the practice which was common in the last century of dressing small boys as girls until several years af age, of- ten had no effect. If they have a masculine brain structure, it can't be feminized after birth. Further, since TVism is a bio- logical (physiological) problem and not a cultural or social or

psychological one, this explains why it has occured throughout history all over the world.

2.

Because different parts of the brain have their critical periods of sexual development at different times, a hormonal im- balance will have different ef- fect, different degrees of effect, or even no effect, depending on when it occurs and how long and how strongly it acts. This explains to me why there are so many different degrees of TVism and suggests that the most extreme case of femini- zation of a male brain is TSism. Since homosexuals are not very feminine, they may not fit into this spectrum at all. This assures me that I will not auto- maticaly become a homosexual if exposed to it (most TVs detest homosexuality, me in- cluded). If homosexuality also results from a hormone im- balance, then perhaps the hor- mones are differnt than for TVs or the part of the brain being affected is different. Since I don't already have homosexual tendencies, I'm not going to automatically develop them be- cause I'm a TV.

3. Once the brain, or at least the critical portions of it related to sex behavior, have developed into a particular de- gree of masculine and feminine patterns of a particular fetus, then the pattern remains that way for life. This explains to me why TVism can't be cured- -it's built-in just like a chip circuit in any Modern elec- tronic device. The psycho- logist's explanation that TVism can't be cured because it's too pleasant has some truth to it, but doesn't work for me. I also have a lot of guilt and tension that goes goes with my TVism that I would be glad

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to unload. The animal ex- periments suggest that TV be- havior is a structuarl part of you, although no TV should flaunt his TVism just as no cripple should flaunt his im- pairment. Also, TV compulsions have decreased or disappered in a few older men, perhaps from decreased male hormone after the male change of life, but this also happens uncommonly. Most men show only a slow decrease in hormone levels as they get older and most TVs remain TVs for life. I had hoped that my TV compulsions might disappear after my male 'menopause', but they didn't change at all. It looks like I'm among the unfortuantely typical.

4. Finally, all this means to me that Tvs should deal real- istically with their feminine side and should arrive at a com- fortable compromise within themselves and with wives, child- ren, and parents. You must learn to live with it because, although it may have its ups and downs, it's not going to go away and it can't be treated, at least not in the foreseeable future. For any one TV, this may mean anything from 'com- ing out of the closet' to deciding to refrain entirely from crossdressing to protect your job, wife, or children. In any case, I hope that having a ra- tional and workable perspective on why you are a TV will make such choices easier.

For those who would like to read the scientific articles, nine appeared in SCIENCE (Am- erican Associate for the Ad- vancement of Science) for 20 March 1981 (Volume 211, No. 4488, pp 1263-1324). One additional, less technical article on brain feminization appeared in the March, 1981, issue of DISCOVERY.