Somewhere, Planet Earth. Transvestism or cross dressing, are the same thing and quite simply are acts performed for sexual gratification. Like pretty much all similar acts it has variations on its theme. It also contains depths of “need” particularly in its initial stages.

Essentially transvestism is the twisting or misdirecting of sexual targeting and is far more common in males. Or, to put it another way, the sexual attraction in men becomes focussed not on a female but on that which surrounds the female or may even be on an object. Often the association becomes fixed when a male first becomes aroused sexually.

The male transvestite who begins by gaining sexual gratification through wearing items of female clothing and will progress slowly through multiple stages and levels of cross dressing to obtain ever higher levels of excitement. Transvestism acts like a narcotic drug.

I’ve watched as men in the early stages of cross dressing gradually progress from occasionally wearing their wives underwear for sexual kicks, through to creating a full female image. It seems never to stop there but instead tends to progress, ever closer to creating a more convincing feminine image until there is nowhere else to go, save hormones and SRS to create the ultimate pass. In other words naked in front of a mirror or better still in sexual intercourse with either sex.

It may take years in some cases as the individual becomes ever more curious about even greater levels of cross gender activity until eventually and seemingly inevitably they seek more permanency to the cross dressing. In other words full time and eventually may even move on to surgical procedures.

At this point in old terms they would be described as “transgender” Currently everyone claims to be “transsexual.” It seems it is forgotten that transsexuals are born and that it is not a stage that transvestites progress towards.

I am a musician and have been all my life and having worked in the music industry I’ve observed drug abuse in people I’ve called friends. Many are now dead. Lives wasted to the use of narcotics like heroin and addictive and destructive drugs like cocaine as well as “speed”.

My drug of choice was alcohol, it came close, far too close, to destroying me, though I was never tempted to experiment in the other addictive substances and I have never smoked “pot” either. I’ve watched its effects destroy fine minds. Quite apart from all that, I’ve simply never been interested in sampling for myself the effects I observed in others.

A great many transvestites harbour guilt about the practise and create fantasies for themselves where they are forced to “become female” against their will and much transvestite erotic literature involves bondage or episodes of discipline often by cruel or dominant women who force feminization upon them. It is a well documented fact that the effect of pornography wanes as people become used to it and will at some time begin to seek ever more extreme scenarios of their favourite themes.

Transvestism acts in exactly the same way but instead of being a harmless pastime enjoyed in the privacy of their home or at clubs and venues where it is accepted, it becomes an ever greater part of the person’s life until eventually much like narcotics it becomes the force that drives their life.

I have actually listened to people I’ve counselled confess to fantasies of becoming forced into living lives as women; lives where they cannot escape back into their old male lives even though they may wish to do so. In many cases I have since heard they now live as females and have undergone surgery. These narratives are quite different to the ones where there is a definite knowledge that their core sex identity is female (or male).

Many clinicians dismiss differences such as this as variations or a late awakening. I do not; I see it as THE clear difference.

It’s hard to pinpoint where the source of the addiction lays. Whether it is the feel of clothing designed for females and the sexual excitement it creates in them or even the notoriety of being transsexual and the shocked reaction of people when their “secret” is revealed. Even if the “secret” was plain as day! It may be any one of these things or even all of them. Given the behaviour I have observed over the years my money is on addiction to the shock value with an each way bet on claiming transsexual as a release from the guilt or perceived shame of transvestism. That, however, is a cynical thought on my part and perhaps not professional.

The reality is that the addiction is most likely to be one of sexual gratification. By making that claim it is not my intention to denigrate or to call the sufferers mean names. I do however believe this is a valid point that needs to be researched and is imperative it is done devoid of politically correct thinking and reported without the restraint of politically correct terminology.

There has been some speculation that certain pleasure chemicals are released during the periods of cross dressing and sexual activity and it is these chemicals that are the source of the addiction. The act of cross-dressing and subsequent sexual pleasure becomes associated with the release of these chemicals in the brain and it is the association which creates ever stronger desire. Misdirected sexual targeting may mean that there is an illusion of a genuine liaison with a female in the act of cross-dressing. Is this the reason so many seek to retain a relationship with wives or even seek out a relationship with a female who can accept the cross-dressing in a kind of “Lesbian” relationship.

There are those who retain enough homophobia to claim lesbianism and find female partners This is by no means the same thing as Classic Transsexuals who happen to be genuinely lesbian. Now, just for the record and before everyone jumps on me, human love, ALL human love and how it expresses itself and with whom, is fine with me. I know of quite a few genuine lesbian relationships, I am not referring to this type of scenario. However, not all situations are genuine.

Again where is the research on this possibility?

What has to stop is the deliberate and sustained campaign begun by Virginia Prince and doggedly continued by militant campaigners to alleviate lingering guilt or shame by clinging to a legitimate birth condition that is Transsexuality. Becoming angry, behaving badly, calling others names and creating hierarchies where there are simply differences is not helpful. It isn’t ladylike, either, but then, when Emily Pankhurst chained herself to railings it wasn’t considered “ladylike” either!

However at some point in time it is inevitable that the two conditions will exist as separate entities with the differences clarified and clarified with scientific evidence to support it. Much of the evidence already exists but is discredited or dismissed because some find it uncomfortable or unpalatable.

I am not seeking to trivialise the very real distress and the often disruptive and even life threatening nature of the extreme form of transvestism that is transgender. I’ve witnessed far too many instances of what havoc the condition can wreak on someone who experiences its ravages. It is genuine but the cause at the core is different to that which causes transsexuality even though laymen and even presumed experts seem either unable to separate the conditions or are determined to conflate the two conditions.

Perhaps when the new DSM is finally agreed upon and released there will be a consensus within the medical fraternity. Will there be peace among the blogs? There it is much like the middle-east; too many people harbouring grudges who have long memories and little or no compassion.

As a footnote, Harry Benjamin also noted the addictive nature of transvestism and it is duly noted in his book, The Transsexual Phenomenon [cf. Note]. This work published in 1965 remains remains the most accurate and complete analysis on Transsexuals and the distinctions between that and Transvestism. Neither did he believe that the former leads to progression to the other. He did however, note transvestism's addictive nature.