Transvestic fetishism | |
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Specialty | Psychiatry |
Symptoms | Being sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experiencing significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of one’s behavior.[1] |
Cross-dressing |
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Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to people who are sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior.[2][1] It differs from cross-dressing without distress or impairment, and/or for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal. Under the name transvestic disorder, it is categorized as a paraphiliac disorder in the DSM-5.[3]
The DSM-5 states that late-onset gender dysphoria in adolescent and adult males is preceded by "transvestic behavior with sexual excitement" in many cases.[4]
According to DSM-IV, transvestic fetishism was limited to heterosexual men; however, the DSM-5 does not have this restriction, and opens it to women and men with this interest, regardless of their sexual orientation.[2] It is, however, usually documented in males.[5]
There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made:[1]