Men Trapped in Men’s Bodies

Abstract

Male-to-female (MtF) transsexuals are often described as “women trapped in men’s bodies,” but there are two different types of MtF transsexuals, and this description is more applicable to one type than the other. One MtF transsexual type consists of extremely feminine men who are exclusively sexually attracted to men; they are usually referred to as homosexual MtF transsexuals. The second MtF transsexual type consists of men who are not conspicuously feminine, who are primarily sexually attracted to women, and who have a history of sexual arousal in association with cross-dressing. Transsexuals of the latter type, who are usually referred to as nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals, nevertheless feel an intense desire to have female bodies and live as women. They are perhaps better described as “men trapped in men’s bodies.” In 1989, psychologist Ray Blanchard proposed that MtF transsexuals of this second type exhibit a paraphilic sexual interest called autogynephilia: the propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought or image of oneself as a female. This book contains first-person narratives by 249 MtF transsexuals who acknowledged having experienced autogynephilia. This introductory chapter describes the research that led to the development of the concept of autogynephilia and to an understanding of its clinical manifestations.