elcome to the Joann Prinzivalli website's Autogynephilia Page. Before you move on to the article, please take a look at this introductory material.

(If you don't need any introduction, click here to go on to Dr. Lawrence's article. Otherwise, read on!)

This page exists so I can explain the concept of Autogynephilia in the way I understand it, without the semantic baggage that comes from people immediately assuming that, because the origin of the concept comes from a person who is reputed to be (or have been, I have no idea if this character is alive or dead) extremely anti-TG, that the theory should be rejected.

One of the things I remember from a philosophy course I took in college (if I remember correctly, it was a survey of Ethics), is a line from the writings of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, in which he refers to the grains of corn that may be found in a dunghill. If in fact every other thing the theorist ever thought or wrote was wrong, perhaps there are aspects of the autogynephilia concept that are like those grains of corn.

On re-reading the Ann Lawrence article on the subject, I note that there are references to "dysphoric" behavior and "paraphilia." The intent there is clearly the description of behavior which, though harmless, is seen as disordered. It is that aspect of the writings that one must identify and reject, before proceeding to any grains of corn.

The central idea of the Autogynephilia concept is the following (from the Lawrence article):

Blanchard distinguished four different types of autogynephilia in his subjects, although many individuals demonstrated more than one type. The first type is transvestic autogynephilia, in which the arousal is to the act or fantasy of wearing women's clothing. The second is behavioral autogynephilia, in which the arousal is to the act or fantasy of doing something regarded as feminine, e.g., knitting with other women, or going to the hairdresser's. The third is physiologic autogynephilia, in which the arousal is to fantasies such as being pregnant, menstruating, or breast-feeding. The final type is anatomic autogynephilia, in which the arousal is to the fantasy of having a woman's body, or aspects of one, such as breasts or a vulva.

Blanchard thought it was entirely predictable that biologic males who experienced sexual excitement at the idea of having a woman's body would in fact seek to acquire or inhabit such a body. And his research subsequently confirmed that his subjects with the anatomic type of autogynephilia were the ones most interested in physical transformation, i.e., in sex reassignment surgery. He summarized his theory this way:

"Autogynephilia takes a variety of forms. Some men are most aroused sexually by the idea of wearing women's clothes, and they are primarily interested in wearing women's clothes. Some men are most aroused sexually by the idea of having a woman's body, and they are most interested in acquiring a woman's body. Viewed in this light, the desire for sex reassignment surgery of the latter group appears as logical as the desire of heterosexual men to marry wives, the desire of homosexual men to establish permanent relationships with male partners, and perhaps the desire of other paraphilic men to bond with their paraphilic objects in ways no one has thought to observe."

Now, that last phrase kind of ruins the mood, because it make it seem like there is somehow something wrong with being autogynephilic, something that needs curing.

But the realization of the ultimate desire of the mind of the autogynephilic person who happens to be a transsexual is not a "cure" for a "mental illness, condition or disorder," but the fulfillment of that person's psyche's desire. There is NO reason to cure where there is no disorder.

It is no more disordered behavior than for a hungry person to eat, or a thirsty person to drink.

But the way the description of autogynephilia fits how I feel about myself is uncanny. All I can say is that this is the part that makes sense, and this is what I mean about autogynephilia:
I enjoy wearing women's clothing. It makes me feel good about myself. I cannot deny that there is an autoerotic aspect to it. That is a "transvestic autogynephilic" behavior, in that clinical parlance.

But there is a difference between "transvestic autogynephilia" as a normal condition and as a clinical condition. As an example of what could be seen as a disorder, if I could not engage in autoerotic or other erotic behavior in the absence of articles of female clothing, I submit that that would be a clinical condition. But my own behavior, while transvestic autogynephilic in nature, does not in any way rise to the level of being a clinical condition. To put it bluntly, I don'need to be in the presence of or wearing any particular item or type of clothing, in order to engage in sexual activity - though being divorced and celibate, the range of sexual activity available to me is rather, um, limited.

Similarly I experienced "sympathetic pregnancy" with each of my four children, though it was most pronounced with the first, where I experienced labor pains (okay, it was a twinge, but it happened at the right time!). This is something I could see as "physiologic" autogynephilia (and perhaps one of the reasons I am not looking for immediate SRS for myself is that it wouldn't turn me into a fertile female, with the curses as well as benefits.

Yes, I admit to feeling good about the idea of "being a woman." I can put it this way - I love the idea of thinking of or seeing myself as a woman, of being a woman to the extent that I can. That feeling does not rise to the level of my being so terribly distressed at having male genitals that I need them immediately ablated). My womanhood isn't all that sexual, anyway, so it's not like I need to have the plumbing in order to attract a heterosexual male, or any male for that matter.

[Note: "old" info retained:] Were my circumstances to be different (for example, if my wife were to divorce me), I might actively consider the alterations - I feel more comfortable in a feminine guise and mindset. [UPDATE: Since my divorce, I have in fact moved toward transition. I am full time in role, I have both my "carry letter" and my hormone letter, and am enrolled in a program at the local medical center for transitioning transsexuals.] A newsgroup posting made reference to some of the works of the science fiction writer John Varley, which postulate a future where changing sex is a matter of a minor procedure, and people do it just for the change in perspective. I could do that.

Some people get so hung up on the "societal influence" thing and other phantasmic concepts. Not me. With that, I guess I have explained my position well enough. So here is the Dr. Anne Lawrence article on autogynephilia.

Home , Public Page , Law, Religious and Moral Issues, Medical Issues, Meet Joann and friends