Transvestic fetishism | |
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Other names | Transvestic disorder |
Specialty | Psychiatry |
Symptoms | Being sexually aroused by the act ofcross-dressing and experiencing significant distress or impairment because of one’s behavior[1] |
Cross-dressing |
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Key elements |
Sexual practices |
Other aspects |
Organizations |
Transvestic fetishism is apsychiatric diagnosis applied in some countries to people who are sexually aroused by the act ofcross-dressing and experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior.[2][1]
However in countries which have adopted theWorld Health Organization standardICD-11 CDDR it is not a diagnosis, but been deprecated in favor of the more general "Paraphilic disorder involving solitary behavior or consenting individuals".[3]
In countries, such as the United States as of 2025, which use the American Psychiatric AssociationDSM-5 it is categorized as aparaphilicdisorder under the nametransvestic disorder.[4] It differs fromcross-dressing without distress or impairment, or for entertainment or other purposes that do not involvesexual arousal.
TheDSM-5 states that late-onsetgender dysphoria in adolescent and adult natal males is preceded by "transvestic behavior with sexual excitement" in many cases.[5]
According toDSM-IV, transvestic fetishism was limited toheterosexual men; however, the DSM-5 does not have this restriction, and opens it to women and men with this interest, regardless of theirsexual orientation.[2] It is, however, usually documented in men.[6]
There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made:[1]