Autogynephilia is the key concept in a theoretical account of transsexualism and crossdressing most strongly advocated by Ray Blanchard, J. Michael Bailey, and Anne Lawrence. Among transsexuals AGP and BBL are common abbreviations for autogynephilia and Blanchard-Bailey-Lawrence theory. Here are psychological accounts by Ray Blanchard and me (Madeline Wyndzen). I include my responses to the way Alice Dreger, J. Michael Bailey and Anne Lawrence frame the discussion of transgenderism. Finally, I provide links to diverse sides in this all-too-contentious debate.

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Autogynephilia *

* but Were Afraid You had to Ask

I first read Ray Blanchard's research-oriented papers on autogynephilia years ago, before his ideas became well known in the transgendered community. Reading his work directly rather than filtered through another's perspective had a profound impact on the way I view the theory. To me, it was neither the revelation and inspiration it was to Anne Lawrence (Men Trapped in Men's Bodies': An Introduction to the Concept of Autogynephilia) nor something to revile as many transsexuals see in its portrayal by J Michael Bailey (The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender Bending and Transsexualism).

For many years there has been tension between transsexuals who would like to define themselves and the mental health community who felt they had this responsibility. Blanchard's theory has become a flash-point. As both of transsexual and a psychologist, I tried to handle the situation with the utmost care and sensitivity. Then J. Michael Bailey endorsed Blanchard's model in his new book and gave a forceful refusal to be a "slave to sensitivity."

Now it's practically impossible for transsexuality to be discussed or understood without Blanchard's model as a bench-mark. The level of hostility and mis-attribution from all sides shocks me. My hope with this collection of essays is to bring both a scientific psychological perspective and a personal transsexual perspective together to understand what autogynephilia really means. I hope to show that, to the extent Blanchard's model shows promise, it only recongizes the the richness of transgender sexual experiences. Other interpretations come out of less than scientifcally rigorous thinking: value judgements, unwarranted assumptions arising from methodological flaws, and the over-interpretation of data. I hope to show where each side is coming from and why neither means to be as hostile as we appear to each other. I hope, someday, we can work together to give both transsexuals and psychologists dignity in how we define ourselves and how we understand each other.

Transgenderism as a Mental Illness Though not strictly about Ray Blanchard's approach, I examine the broader context and consequences of trying to understand transgenderism with a mental illness model. For example, rather than asking a scientifically neutral question like, "What is transgenderism?", Blanchard (1991) asks, "What kind of defect in a male's capacity for sexual learning could produce ... autogynephilia, transvestitism ...?"

Ray Blanchard (1989) The Concept of Autogynephilia and the Typology of Male Gender Dysphoria Ironically, Ray Blanchard's voice is almost absent from the public debate about autogynephilia. I am happy to say that Ray Blanchard has graciously given me permission to web-publish one of his best articles on the subject. This is the article I most recommend to those interested in reading about his theory. It's well articulated and is the first and only empirical test of the key component of his theory: transsexuals with different sexual orientations have fantasies of being their target sex to different extents. The introduction summarizes much of his clinical intuition work on the subject.

Autogynephilia & Ray Blanchard's Mis-Directed Sex-Drive Model of Transsexuality This is my scientific critique of the perspective advocated by Ray Blanchard. I show Blanchard's model is not supported by the empirical data. His model assumes the very things it seeks to prove by assigning transsexuals to types and by a peculiar definition of gender dysphoria. Blanchard's model extends beyond the data available. In particular, correlations do not reveal causality. Three key methodological issues make it difficult to interpret his data: a selection bias in defining gender incongruence, failure to include necessary control groups, and failure to account for age. This does not mean that every aspect of Blanchard's work in incorrect. It is likely that all types of transsexuals do have occasional sexual fantasies about being their target sex. What this means remains unclear and is a promising area for future research.

A Personal and Scientific look at a Mental Illness Model of Transgenderism After J. Michael Bailey published his book, the American Psychological Associations LGB Division 44 published an affirming review by James Cantor. Surprised that they would positively review a book that promoted a psychopathological account of transgenderism, I asked about the possibility of writing a review from a different perspective. They graciously agreed. Here is a copy of my short personal and scientific perspective.

The World according to J. Michael Bailey inside "The Man who would be Queen: The Science of Gender Bending and Transsexualism" J. Michael Bailey's book has disrupted the lives of transgendered persons and the lives of mental health professionals who work with them. Some psychologists question the truthfulness of their transgendered clients. Some transgendered persons question if the therapists conceal a dismissive cynicism underneath an exterior of unconditional acceptance. It has become acceptable for transgendered persons to dismiss each others feelings as deception. And it has become acceptable for psychological researchers to regard the feelings of transsexuals as merely politics getting in the way of important work. As a psychological scientist and a transsexual I find myself both deeply affected by this controversy and in a unique position to interpret it. I focus on addressing the cynical dismissive beliefs behind what is said by Maxine Petersen ("Most gender patients lie."), J. Michael Bailey ("I am not rejecting the claims [of transsexuals] for no reason." ... "There is good scientific evidence that says you should believe me and not them."), and other advocates of autogynephilia.

Alice Dreger's Oral History on J. Michael Bailey and Autogynephilia: A Response Alice Dreger wrote an oral history for the Archives of Sexual Behavior, "The Controversy Surrounding 'The Man Who Would Be Queen: A Case History of the Politics of Science, Identity, and Sex in the Internet Age. Though Dreger suggests disagreeing with autogynephila is the focal point of the backlash against J. Michael Bailey, I suggest from the historical pattern that Bailey experienced a backlash because he accused those who disagree with him of lying. Merely acknowledging autogynephilia or opposing a "feminine essence model" provoked little controversy. I explain Dreger's misconstrued historical account and Bailey, Anne Lawrence, and Ray Blachard's over-simplified psychological accounts with common biases described by social psychology: fundamental attribution error, group polarization, groupthink, stereotyping, representativeness heuristic, base-rate neglect, framing effects, and the correspondence bias. Journal editor Kenneth Zucker offered the opportunity to write responses. Though we have very different perspectives on autogynephilia and the way transgendered persons are understood by psychology, he graciously agreed to include my response.

FAQ about Autogynephilia Please send me your questions, criticisms, and compliments about this collection of essays and related topics. As time goes by, I will put together short answers to the most frequent and most interestingly asked questions. Don't forget the compliments though! :-) Your identity will be kept confidential and I will likely reword your questions, especially if it can be combined nicely with another question.

Links to More Autogynephilia! As if you haven't had enough! Here is a collection of links to web-pages that illustrate the diversity of opinions on this topic.