Transvestic fetishism

See also: Transvestism

Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied in some countries to people who are sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior.^[2][1]

Transvestic fetishism
Other names	Transvestic disorder
Specialty	Psychiatry
Symptoms	Being sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experiencing significant distress or impairment because of one’s behavior[1]

However in countries which have adopted the World Health Organization standard ICD-11 CDDR it is not a diagnosis, but been deprecated in favor of the more general "Paraphilic disorder involving solitary behavior or consenting individuals".^[3]

In countries, such as the United States as of 2025, which use the American Psychiatric Association DSM-5 it is categorized as a paraphilic disorder under the name transvestic disorder.^[4] It differs from cross-dressing without distress or impairment, or for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal.

Diagnosis

DSM-5

The DSM-5 states that late-onset gender dysphoria in adolescent and adult natal males is preceded by "transvestic behavior with sexual excitement" in many cases.^[5]

According to DSM-IV, transvestic fetishism was limited to heterosexual men; however, the DSM-5 does not have this restriction, and opens it to women and men with this interest, regardless of their sexual orientation.^[2] It is, however, usually documented in men.^[6]

There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made:^[1]

1. Individuals must be sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing.
2. Individuals must experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior.