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The '''Blanchard, Bailey, and Lawrence theory''' is an informal name which refers to a taxonomy of male-to-female ].<ref name="TheycallitBBLtheoryjustasacometwascalledShumakerLevynine">{{cite journal The '''Blanchard, Bailey, and Lawrence theory''' is an informal name which refers to a taxonomy of male-to-female ].<ref name="TheycallitBBLtheoryjustasacometwascalledShumakerLevynine">{{cite journal

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The Blanchard, Bailey, and Lawrence theory is an informal name which refers to a taxonomy of male-to-female transsexualism. This theory was proposed by Ray Blanchard of Toronto's Clarke Institute in the late 1980s.

The term "BBL" was coined by critics of the theory and refers to Drs. Ray Blanchard, J. Michael Bailey, and Anne A. Lawrence, the most prominent researchers and proponents of this theory. It was originally used by critics in a derogatory sense, but has become more common in usage as this theory has received more widespread attention in academia. Critics of the term "BBL" state that it ignores other academics who take the theory seriously, ignores substantial differences in the versions of Autogynephilia Theory each of the three propose, and that it gives too much credit to Bailey and Lawrence, who were included simply because of their public prominence, while Blanchard developed the idea itself.

According to Blanchard, there are two distinct types of transsexuals: those who are exclusively attracted to men, called androphiles or homosexual transsexuals, and those who are either gynephilic (attracted to females), bisexual (attracted to males and to female), and asexual (attracted to neither). These three latter types are collectively called non-homosexual transsexuals. Non-homosexual transsexuals exhibit autogynephilia, a paraphilic interest in having a female body.

The postulates of BBL theory are:

  • Every transsexual can be classified as either homosexual or nonhomosexual. These labels are always applied with respect to birth sex, regardless of any other criteria, like operative status.
  • Sexual orientation does not change because of any medical procedures. Lawrence writes "there is no evidence of a true change in sexual orientation" as stated in an earlier paper published in that journal.
  • Homosexual transsexuals are motivated to become transsexuals by their extreme effeminacy and erotic desires to couple with men.
  • Nonhomosexual males are motivated to become transsexuals due to autogynephilia, and typically have very low effeminacy.

In essence, the theory suggests a sexual motivation for transsexuals, either due to extremely effeminate homosexuality, or an extreme form of misdirected heterosexual desire.

Origins of grouping transsexuals by sexual orientation

Blanchard has recounted how he arrived at the taxonomy of male-to-female transsexualism and coined the term autogynephilia. His concept follows from observations by earlier sexologists such as Magnus Hirschfeld, Harry Benjamin, and Blanchard's collaborator Kurt Freund, who had previously published about two types of cross-gender identity. Freund hypothesized that gender identity disorder is different between homosexual males and heterosexual males. Blanchard notes that "Freund, perhaps for the first time of any author, employed a term other than 'transvestism' to denote erotic arousal in association with cross-gender fantasy."Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). He eventually resolved that there was evidence for only two types; "homosexual" and everything else or "non-homosexual."

In the 2000 revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), the section on gender identity disorder specifies transvestic fetishism is a related paraphilia. Although the concept of this paraphilia is mentioned in the DSM, some psychologists object to the pathologizing of gender variance and paraphilia.

Blanchard's Categories

According to Blanchard there are only two types male-to-female transsexuals:

Homosexual (or androphilic) transsexuals

According to proponents of the taxonomy, androphilic transsexuals were found to be younger when applying for sex reassignment; reported a stronger cross-gender identity in childhood; had a more convincing cross-gender appearance, and functioned psychologically better than non-androphilic transsexuals. Blanchard found them comparatively shorter, lighter, and lighter in proportion to their height than non-androphiles. Other proponents have also reported to have observed several other correlations to androphilic transsexuals, including lower IQ, lower social class, immigrant status, non-intact family, non-Caucasian race, and childhood behavior problems, which are unrelated to gender identity disorder. Bailey states that about 60% of androphilic transsexuals he studied were Latina or black, about three times the rate of ordinary gay men . He states that most learn to live on the streets, often resorting to prostitution, shoplifting, or both.

Nonhomosexual (or autogynephilic) transsexuals

Main article: Autogynephilia

According to the diagnosis, males with autogynephilia are heterosexuals with an extreme variation of transvestic fetishism, or heterosexuality directed to the self. Bailey's 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen describes those with autogynephilia as typically masculine boys and very masculine men, often serving in the military or holding typically masculine occupations and married with children.

Blanchard described four subtypes:

  • Transvestic autogynephilia: arousal to the act or fantasy of wearing women's clothing.
  • Behavioral autogynephilia: arousal to the act or fantasy of doing something regarded as feminine.
  • Physiologic autogynephilia: arousal to fantasies of female-specific body functions.
  • Anatomic autogynephilia: arousal to the fantasy of having a female body, or parts of one.

Research studies comparing homosexual with nonhomosexual transsexuals

Male-to-female transsexuals who are sexually attracted to men (homosexual transsexuals) show several characteristics different from male-to-female transsexuals who are sexually attracted to women (nonhomosexual transsexual): Homosexual transsexuals have an increased number of older brothers. The effect appears to be specific; neither autogynephilic transsexuals nor FtM transsexual show the effect. Thus, the older birth order effect relates to homosexuality and no to transsexuality per se. Homosexual transsexuals are physically shorter than nonhomosexual transsexuals. Blanchard also reported that both classes of male-to-female transsexuals respond well to sex reassignment, but that the homosexual transsexuals are less likely to regret doing so.

Many of the findings from Blanchard's comparisons of these two types have been replicated, "In this study the two subtypes were indeed found to differ on many characteristics. Replicating some of the previously observed differences, we found that compared with non-homosexual transsexuals, homosexual transsexuals reported more cross-gendered behavior, appearance and preference in childhood, and they reported less sexual arousal while cross-dressing in adolescence, applied for SR at a younger age, and fewer were (or had been) married."

BBL controversy

The "BBL Controversy" also known as the "Autogynephilia Controversy" is an ongoing and heated line of discussion in the transgendered community. The concept had not received much attention outside of sexology until sexologist Anne Lawrence, who self-identifies as an autogynephile, published a series of web articles about the concept in the late 1990s. Lynn Conway and Andrea James responded to Lawrence's essay. Conway started an investigation into the publication of Bailey's book by the United States National Academy of Sciences. Accusations of misconduct by Bailey were leveled. Northwestern University investigated Bailey, but did not reveal the findings of that investigation and did not comment on whether or not Bailey had been punished. According to intersex activist and bioethics specialist, Prof. Alice Dreger, Ph.D., who is now one of Bailey's supporters, two of the four transwomen who accused Bailey of misusing their stories were not mentioned anywhere in the book, and Bailey's critics' publication of obscenely titled photographs of his minor children constituted an unconscionable harassment campaign.

Some scientific concerns have been raised. A transgendered psychologist writing under the pen name of Madeline Wyndzen identified four possible scientific concerns with Blanchard's model:

  • Blanchard's findings had not been replicated independently at the time of publication.
  • Blanchard did not include control groups of typically-gendered women.
  • Blanchard did not statistically standardize age differences in his data, and
  • Blanchard hypothesized causality from observational data.

Some of these concerns are common to any new idea (independent replication takes time), and others can not be tested in any practical or ethical fashion (causing people to be transsexual to prove causality).

Wyndzen is concerned that Blanchard's research promotes the politically and socially dangerous idea that transsexual people are mentally defective: "Rather than asking the scientifically neutral question, 'What is transgenderism?' Blanchard (1991) asks, 'What kind of defect in a male's capacity for sexual learning could produce … autogynephilia, transvestitism …?' (p. 246).""

References

  1. Dreger, Alice D (July 3, 2007). "The Controversy Surrounding The Man Who Would Be Queen: A Case History of the Politics of Science, Identity, and Sex in the Internet Age" (PDF). Archives of Sexual Behavior,. in press: 55, 56. Retrieved 2007-08-20. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  2. Blanchard, R., Clemmensen, L. J., & Steiner, B. W. (1987). Heterosexual and homosexual gender dysphoria. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 139–152.
  3. ^ Blanchard, R. (1989). The concept of autogynephilia and the typology of male gender dysphoria]. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 177 616-623.
  4. Dreger, Alice D. "The Controversy Surrounding The Man Who Would Be Queen: A Case History of the Politics of Science, Identity, and Sex in the Internet Age" (PDF). Archives of Sexual Behavior: 52, 53. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. Lawrence, A. A. (1999). Change of sexual orientation in transsexual people. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 28, 581-583.
  6. Daskalos, C. T. (1998). Changes in the Sexual Orientation of Six Heterosexual Male-to-Female Transsexuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 27, 605-614.
  7. Freund, K., & Blanchard, R. (1993). Erotic target location errors in male gender dysphorics, paedophiles, and fetishists. British Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 558-563.
  8. Blanchard, R. (2005). Early history of the concept of autogynephilia. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 439–446.
  9. Hirschfeld M (1923). Die intersexuelle Konstitution. Jahrbuch fuer sexuelle Zwischenstufen. 1923: 3-27
  10. Benjamin H (1966). The Transsexual Phenomenon. The Julian Press ASIN: B0007HXA76
  11. Freund, K., Steiner, B. W., Chan, S. (1982). Two types of cross-gender identity. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 11, 49-63.
  12. Blanchard, R. (1988). Nonhomosexual gender dysphoria. Journal of Sex Research, 24, 188-193.
  13. Blanchard R (1989). The classification and labeling of nonhomosexual gender dysphorias. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 18, 315-334.
  14. American Psychiatric Publishing (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed (text revision) ISBN 0-89042-025-4
  15. Moser C, Kleinplatz PJ (2002). Transvestic fetishism: psychopathology or iatrogenic artifact? New Jersey Psychologist, 52 (2) 16-17.
  16. Blanchard R, Dickey R, Jones CL. Archives of Sexual Behavior 1995 Oct;24(5):543-54.
  17. Gender-Dysphoric Children and Adolescents: A Comparative Analysis of Demographic Characteristics and Behavioral Problems. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 7, 398-411 (2002)
  18. Baily, page 183
  19. Baily, page 184
  20. Bailey JM (2003). The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Joseph Henry Press, ISBN 0-309-08418-0 (pp. 168-175)
  21. Branchard R (1993). Varieties of autogynephilia and their relationship to gender dysphoria. Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 22, Number 3 / June, 1993
  22. Blanchard, R., & Sheridan, P. (1992). Sibship size, sibling sex ratio, birth order, parental age in homosexual and non-homosexual gender dysphorics. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 180, 40–47.
  23. Blanchard, R., Zucker, K., Cohen-Kettenis, P., Gooren, L., & Bailey, J. (1996). Birth order and sibling sex ratio in two samples of Dutch gender-dysphoric homosexual males. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 25, 495–514.
  24. Green, R. (2000). Birth order and ratio of brothers to sisters in transsexuals. Psychological Medicine, 30, 789–795.
  25. Tsoi, W., Kok, L., & Long, F. (1977). Male transsexualism in Singapore. British Journal of Psychiatry, 131, 405–409.
  26. Blanchard, R., Dickey, R., & Jones, C. L. (1995). Comparison of height and weight in homosexual versus nonhomosexual male gender dysphorics. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 24, 543–554.
  27. Blanchard, R., Steiner, B. W., Clemmensen, L. H., & Dickey. R. (1989) Prediction of regrets in postoperative transsexuals. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 34, 43–45.
  28. Smith, Yolanda L.S. (2005-12-15). "Transsexual subtypes: Clinical and theoretical significance" (PDF). Psychiatry Research. 137 (3). Elsevier: 151–160. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2005.01.008. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  29. Lawrence AA (1998). "Men Trapped in Men's Bodies:"An Introduction to the Concept of Autogynephilia. originally published at annelwrence.com, October 1998. Retrieved August 21, 2006)
  30. Robin Wilson. Northwestern U. Concludes Investigation of Sex Researcher but Keeps Results Secret. Chronicle of Higher Education, 2004.
  31. ^ Wyndzen MH (2004). A Personal & Scientific look at a Mental Illness Model of transsexualism Division 44 Newsletter, v.20(1), 3, American Psychological Association

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