Symptom passing in a transvestite father and three sons

Abstract

Three sons of a transvestite father engaged in cross-dressing beginning in early adolescence. The literature suggests that observation may play a role in determining the specificity of the symptoms of conflicted sexual identity. These cases of transvestism in offspring are unusual in that the father played an important role in symptom choice and modeling. It is hoped that in future studies of transvestism in the father will be examined in a more intensive way as a figure with whom an active identification process may evolve.