Autogynephilia, anybody?

[ReineD]

But I also felt some mention of the context and the sources was needed. I am sorry if I offended or stepped on toes.

You didn't offend or step on my toes. I understand your point too, and although the OP did ask why the term is not often discussed, the main thrust of her question I thought was her intrigue about the concept and if it might be an explanation for some motives behind the CDing. The OP identified with the feelings, as have others here.

But then the focus of the thread shifted to a debate between those who want to answer the OPs question and others who (rightfully) feel the term is not a valid label for TSs who are not attracted to men. These are two completely separate discussions. Everyone agrees that Blanchard's views were limited but expressing outrage over his misconceptions belongs in a separate thread since the concept of autogynephilia in itself does exist. We frequently see it expressed on this board and not strictly by transvestic fetishists.

Just take a look at many of the responses in these recent threads:

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/...ghlight=thrill
http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/...ghlight=thrill

So he had to scurry like a rat running from a sinking ship to come up with something, anything that would help his original theory still hold water

I don't know if by "backpeddling" is you are referring to the following, but Blanchard did write about the validity of his theories 15 years after he originally coined the term. I quote from the last paragraph on his website: Origins of Autogynephilia

"All or none of the foregoing propositions may be true, false, or something in between. Their accuracy is an empirical question that can be resolved only by further research. In the meantime, it is important to distinguish between the truth or falseness of theories about autogynephilia, on the one hand, and the existence or nonexistence of autogynephilia, on the other. The latter is also an empirical question, but it appears, at this point, to be settled. The primary evidence that autogynephilia exists is the self-report of biological males who say “I am sexually excited by the idea of having breasts,” “I am sexually excited by the idea of having a vagina,” “I am sexually excited by the idea of being a woman.” There is no particular reason to believe that these individuals are merely distorting the familiar transvestitic narrative to make it more acceptable to others."

I take it Blanchard is saying his original research may or may not be true, and he suggests there should be further research. He also observes that many biologic men identify with experiencing sexual feelings when imagining themselves as women, which we've all seen expressed on this board time and time again.

the fact that many transsexual women feel a sexual feeling when they truly feel their womanhood makes all the sense in the world...add testosterone to the mix and you get alot of unwanted erections...but then like pavlov's dog, you learn that it feels good, and more importantly it relieves your anxiety...

this myth did great damage to me...i have suffered for years and years thinking that i was cursed to stay a bitter man because i had these erections..i was told that i had fantasies...so just like with my maleness, i tried to work with that, and i got more and more anxious and depressed...

so if the question is what do i think of autogynephilia...i try not to...

if you ask if i've been sexually aroused and what i think about it...i think it makes perfect sense, what sexual feeling was i supposed to have as a woman with a penis?? I never ever had a thought about using it to penetrate a lover..it just never occured to me.. of course, i was totally functioning down there and without that release of anxiety i would be dead...

i just wish i had somebody to talk to about this 10 and 20 years ago...

Thank you for your honesty in sharing this, Kaitlin. I've learned a lot from it and I'm sure others have too. I wonder how many CDs feel the same way.