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The bisexual identity of transsexuals: Two case examples
1UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|November 2, 2013
Summary
Male transsexualism involves a persistent bisexuality, a conscious awareness of both sexes. This internal conflict remains even after medical and surgical interventions, impacting adult transsexual identity.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gender Studies
- Clinical Psychiatry
Background:
- Male transsexualism presents complex psychological dynamics.
- Understanding the persistence of bisexuality in transsexual individuals is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate the nature of bisexuality in male transsexualism through case studies.
- To explore the persistence of bisexuality in both child and adult male transsexuals.
Main Methods:
- Clinical case study analysis of two individuals: an 8-year-old boy and a 30-year-old operated male transsexual.
- Examination of fantasies, play therapy, storytelling, and drawings in the child case.
- Analysis of fantasy life and post-surgical experiences in the adult case.
Main Results:
- Fantasies of being female in male transsexuals are intertwined with awareness of male anatomy and identity.
- This bisexuality persists into adulthood, unaffected by hormonal or surgical treatments.
- Adult transsexuals maintain a conscious, painful awareness of their "secret maleness" despite living as women.
Conclusions:
- The bisexuality in male transsexualism is a deeply ingrained, conscious experience.
- This awareness is not alleviated by symptom formation or defense mechanisms.
- While a child's bisexuality might offer a basis for building masculinity, adult transsexuals retain their female identification despite medical interventions.
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