Men Trapped in Men’s Bodies

Abstract

(from the cover) As a child, he played with trucks and action figures and wanted to be a firefighter As a youth, he began dressing up in his mother's clothes and becoming sexually aroused. When he started dating, he dreamed of being his girlfriends. "What am I?" he asked his therapist. "A transsexual? A transvestite? Something else?" 'this vignette describes a man who experiences autogynephilia: a paraphilic disorder in which men who are attracted to women are also erotically aroused by the idea of being women and sometimes want to undergo sex reassignment and live as women. Men Trapped in Men's Bodies explores the phenomenon of autogynephilia, arguing cogently that it accounts for many cases of male-to-female (MtF) transsexualism in Western countries. The book demonstrates that not all MtF transsexuals conform of the familiar stereotype of women trapped in men's bodies: Many resemble-and even describe themselves as-men trapped in men's bodies. Sometimes at odds with conventional wisdom about the interrelationships of sex, gender, and sexuality, the book examines the manifestations and clinical implications of autogynephilia, based on narratives provided by over 300 autogynephilic MtF transsexuals and transgender persons: stories of shame and confusion, courage and self-acceptance. The final chapter examines current and possible future treatment options for autogynephilic gender dysphoric men. Included in this important volume are: narratives by autogynephilic transsexuals; developmental histories of autogynephilic transsexuals; descriptions of different types of autogynephilia; autogynephilia's relationship to heterosexuality; narratives by nontranssexual autogynephiles; and contrasting views of the meaning of autogynephilia. For researchers who study gender dysphoria, MtF transsexualism, paraphilias, and related conditions, and for clinicians who treat patients with these conditions, Men Trapped in Men's Bodies provides an essential resource for understanding an underappreciated aspect of MtF transsexualism. For MtF transsexuals and transgender persons, as well as their partners, family members, friends, and associates, the book is a welcome new source of information and validation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)