Transvestic fetishism | |
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Specialty | Psychiatry |
Symptoms | Excessive sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing |
Cross-dressing |
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Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to men who are thought to have an excessive sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing; this interest is often expressed in autoerotic behavior. It differs from cross-dressing for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal. Under the name transvestic disorder, it is categorized as a paraphilia in the DSM-5.
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.
According to DSM-IV, this 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. It is, however, usually documented in males.
There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made: