The theory of
Autogynephilia was first proposed in
1989 by
Ray Blanchard[?], as an attempt to explain male-to-female
transsexuals who are sexually attracted to women. The theory claims that "all
gender dysphoric males who are not sexually oriented toward men are instead sexually oriented toward the thought or image of themselves as women". Blanchard argues that in these cases
gender dysphoria has its origins in
sexual fetishism.
This theory is highly controversial, and a great many people reject it. Blanchard's theory has been questioned on the grounds that it does not account for the behavior and self-identification of a great many transsexuals, who are presumed under the theory to be mistaken about themselves. Others have suggested that Blanchard may be mistaking a symptom of gender dysphoria for a primary cause, due to insufficient evidence.
References:
- Blanchard, "The Classification and Labeling of Nonhomosexual Gender Dysphorias", Arch Sex Behav 18(4), 315-334, 1989.