Originally Posted by
Amanda M
It seems to me that the author meant that cross dressing (amongst all our behaviors) is not genetic or an inborn trait, and is mainly due to social and psychological factors, and goes further to say that she does not imply that behavior formed as a result of environmental and social factors can be changed.
I think it's important to keep in mind that TG behavior (which includes the CDing) is on a scale. There are nuclear CDers (who CD occasionally) and there are marginal CDers who CD more often and for whom there are varying degrees of feminine identity. I believe the author is saying that a fetish is born for the majority of the CDers during their adolescent years, which changes for some people to dressing for comfort, or for other people to varying degrees of feminine identity later on in their lives.
Chapter 8 is not available, but I'm guessing this is where the author would get into the various theories about in utero influences. I'm sure that many of our members will identity with some aspects of Chapter 8 as well. I wish that this chapter were also available.
... and again, whether the author mentions in utero influences or not (which, as far as I understand it is still a theory), the importance here is to see what the therapists are learning about general CDing (in Chapter 7), rather than reading the chapter to see what applies or doesn't apply to every individual CDer in this forum. Any newbie seeking therapy will now know everything about the CDing that the therapists know, which will influence how the CDers will be treated.
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EDIT - Not to confuse everyone and although I haven't finished reading it, here is another paper from Dutch researchers. This one focuses on the fuzzy line between the more advanced CDing and the lesser advanced transsexualism (those who perhaps will not have SRS) or rather, Type IV on the Benjamin scale.
As an aside, this paper also focuses on a master self-system (initial gender identity) and a secondary self-system (feminine identity) which eventually takes over in some people, which is rather fascinating:
http://www.gendersanctuary.com/pdf/x...eridentity.pdf
So, the conclusion that I draw from this theory (keeping in mind that I have not finished reading the paper), is that whether or not an individual will want to feminize their body later on in their lives (late onset, perhaps Type IV transsexualism), rather depends on how well they deal with the cognitive dissonance of being a male bodied individual with strong feminine urges. Some people will integrate the feminine self with the masculine self and not wish to transition, while others will allow the feminine self to take over the initial master-self.
