As previously mentioned, a paraphilia is only a disorder if it causes anxiety or distress. So the interpretation is very wide. In other words if a TG prefers to become aroused by herself and with herself and she doesn't have a partner who is left out in the cold, then it is not an issue. It is not something that causes distress.Originally Posted by Blaire
If, removing the focus away from self-pleasure for a moment, a couple both enjoy any of the wide variety of BDSM practices together, then it is not paraphilic. But if someone cannot achieve orgasm without a particular object, be it shoes, a whip, latex, or whatever, then it makes it difficult for this person to have a 'normal' sexual relationship with a partner. And by 'normal' I mean the ability to allow one's emotions about the parter be the source of the arousal, and enjoy the reciprocity of the love-making experience.
But, I'm speaking from a GG's point of view. I know that men are much more visual and I don't know what goes through some non-TG guys minds (especially when they've been in the relationship for awhile) when they makes love to a partner, whether it is the young hottie next door or the porn flick he watched yesterday. But if it is these things and not the partner, I guarantee you that at some level his partner will feel it and it will cause distress in the relationship. Whether or not this guy's need to rely on images of others in order to orgasm is a paraphilia is open to interpretation, but it still very much will cause distress in the relationship.
If a GG feels that her TG partner is getting off on being a woman more than on making love with her, she will feel like an accessory and it will cause distress in the relationship. As to whether or not it is a paraphilia (if it comes between a TG and her partner and it causes distance or distress), it is up to the couple to determine this. Together.
I agree with Ms. Orens' preference to use the term "hetero female" for a MtF TS who is attracted to men instead of the "homosexual TS" definition that Blanchard uses. But, the discussion is not about what word we use in order to describe a TS's sexual attraction, but whether AGP does or does not exist, among TSs and non-TSs.
Ms. Orens also acknowledges that she is autogynephilic, and further that she gets off on forced feminization, but she adds that it was not the reason for wanting to transition. I did not read anything in Dr. Blanchard's study that disproves her position. Please do read Blanchard's conclusion that I extracted from his study. Unless I'm missing his point, he does speak of erotic experiences, not motives for transition. Ms. Orens then concludes that it is her sexual reactions to feelings of fear that cause her to be AGP. I don't know how many members here who are AGP will relate to her. It might be interesting to start a separate thread asking the question.
Again I would like to emphasize that Blanchard himself calls for additional research exploring sexuality among TGs (TSs and CDs). I for one would love to see a large scale study. I am guessing that the results would show a percentage of TGs are AGP, although I have no doubt that the overall percentage would be less than in Blanchard's study, since his samples were small and were comprised of the Clarke Institute patients.
This is a bit off topic, but it is interesting that Ms. Orens discounts Kate Bornstein's self-identification (she feels she is neither male nor female) as being in denial about herself and she is a victim of internalized transphobia. Ms. Orens seems to believe that all individuals who vary from the gender norms (gender ID matching the genitalia) should be TS? And then she goes on to say that lesbian, late onset transsexuals are in denial over their attraction to men because of their feelings of shame, or because they don't pass as women and they feel that women will accept them more than men will?
Ms. Orens' article has good points, but she also makes some major sweeping statements.
At any rate, Kaitlyn, when you posted the link above, were you responding to my post on AGP, in other words do you believe that there is no such thing as AGP and that all the people in this forum who identify with it are misrepresenting themselves? Or was the link posted as a rebuttal to Blanchard in general?
