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Some individuals derive intense and recurring sexual arousal from dressing in clothes of the opposite sex. Also known as cross-dressing or transvestism. This arousal is often accompanied by fantasies, urges, or behaviors. (APA, 2013, 2012)
Mostly Men
The typical individual with transvestic disorder is almost always a heterosexual male who began cross-dressing in childhood or adolescence. (Marshal et al., 2008; Langstrum & Zucker, 2005) This person is the classic picture of masculinity in everyday life and is usually alone when he cross-dresses. Some men cross-dress to visit bars or social clubs. Some wear only a single article of women’s clothing, such as underwear, hosiery or a garter under their masculine clothes. Others wear full makeup and dress completely as women. Some married men with transvestic disorder involve their wives in their cross-dressing behavior.
This disorder is sometimes confused with Gender Dysphoria but these are two separate patterns that overlap only in some individuals. (Zucker et al., 2012)
The development of transvestic disorder sometimes seems to follow the behavior principles of operant conditioning, i.e., behaving in certain ways as a result of receiving rewards or satisfying experiences whenever they do so. In such cases, parents or other adults may openly enourage children to cross-dress and even reward them for this behavior by taking them out shopping like a girl for example.
This report is not a diagnosis. We hope this information can guide you toward improving your life.
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