Nonmonotonic relation of autogynephilia and heterosexual attraction

In this study I investigated the relation between normal heterosexual attraction and autogynephilia (a man's propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman). The subjects were 427 adult male outpatients who reported histories of dressing in women's garments, of feeling like women, or both. The data were questionnaire measures of autogynephilia, heterosexual interest, and other psychosexual variables. As predicted, the highest levels of autogynephilia were observed at intermediate rather than high levels of heterosexual interest; that is, the function relating these variables took the form of an inverted U. This finding supports the hypothesis that autogynephilia is a misdirected type of heterosexual impulse, which arises in association with normal heterosexuality but also competes with it.