Also called cross-dressing, a persistent desire by a man to dress in women’s clothing.
(cross-dressing) n. dressing in clothes normally associated with the opposite sex, which may occur in both heterosexual and homosexual people. Cross-dressing may be practised by transsexuals (see transgender), in whom it is not sexually arousing. Other transvestites are fetishistic, and in these cross-dressing is sexually arousing and may lead to masturbatory or other sexual behaviour. Treatment may be by behavioural techniques, such as *aversion therapy, but is not always needed. See also sexual deviation. —transvestite n.
A form of psychological treatment in which such an unpleasant response is induced to his or her psychological aberration that the patient decides to give it up. Thus the victim of alcoholism is given a drug that makes the subsequent drinking of alcoholic liquors so unpleasant, by inducing nausea and vomiting, that he or she decides to give up drinking. (See ALCOHOL; DISULFIRAM.) Aversion therapy may help in the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual deviations such as transvestism, and compulsive gambling.... aversion therapy
A form of sexual behaviour, most common in men, in which intercourse between adults is not the final aim. Forms of sexual deviation include exhibitionism, fetishism, paedophilia, and transvestism.... deviation, sexual
Health Encyclopedia