CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW OF TRANSVESTISM: A PSYCHOSEXUAL STATE OF MIND

Dr. Asha Mathew*, Dr. Sabarinath H., Dr. Vinay B. C., Dr. Jitto Tomy, Dr. Pradeep Shankrappa Mannikatti and Dr. Vaishnavi Shetty

ABSTRACT

Transvestism is a transvestic disorder, that causes significant distress or it substantially interferes with the daily functioning in various areas of life. It involves recurrent and intense sexual arousal from cross dressing, which may manifest as fantasies, urges or behaviour. The term was first described in 1910 by Magnus Hirschfeld, who coined the term to describe the phenomenon he had observed in 17 individuals, in which 16 men and one woman. The psychological implication of these conditions has been assessed differently by various writers, but it means the impulse to wear the clothing of opposite sex, also defined as the state of psychosexual inversion called as eonism. The practice was higher among men and it reflects the light upon the psychologic background, because it‟s a result of six psychopathologic factors. Transvestites wish to appear in public in their assumed attire and to be accepted as a member of society, so that they should get the proper counselling from the therapist to understand their urges, the pressures society built on them to lessen the symptoms. As it is less likely to be accepted and hard for people to understand, suitable legislative measures to be implemented to promote their physical, mental and social well-being.

Keywords: Transvestism; SOS Scale; Kinsey Scale; OCD.