Patterns of Genital Sexual Arousal in Transgender Men

Abstract

Most men show genital sexual arousal to one preferred gender. Most women show genital arousal to both genders, regardless of their sexual preferences. There is limited knowledge of whether this difference is driven by biological sex or gender identity. Transgender individuals, whose birth sex and gender identity are incongruent, provide a unique opportunity to address this question. We tested whether the genital responses of 25 (female-to-male) transgender men followed their female birth sex or male gender identity. Depending on their surgical status, arousal was assessed with penile gauges or vaginal plethysmographs. Transgender men’s sexual arousal showed both male-typical and female-typical patterns. Across measures, they responded more strongly to their preferred gender than to the other gender, similar to (but not entirely like) 145 cisgender (nontransgender) men. However, they still responded to both genders, similar to 178 cisgender women. In birth-assigned women, both gender identity and biological sex may influence sexual-arousal patterns.

Gender Dysphoria and Sexual Euphoria: A Bayesian Perspective on the Influence of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Sexual Arousal

“…Even though we adjusted our analyses for self-reported orientation using the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid, such traits might exist beyond what could be captured by the questionnaire. While measures of genital arousal displayed traits similar to CW and CM in a mixed pre- and post-surgical TM sample and the male-typical preference for orientation-congruent stimuli was present, more female-typical response to all stimuli was nevertheless observed (Raines et al, 2021 ). Our TM sample identified as mostly gynephilic, but existing bisexual rather than monosexual traits could partly explain the lack of clear changes in category specific responses to sexual arousal.…”

Gender dysphoria and sexual euphoria – A Bayesian perspective on the influence of gender-affirming hormone therapy on sexual arousal

“…Even among androphilic and ambiphilic / bisexual transitioned TM, there might be a stronger expression of bisexualism than in CM of the same reported orientations (Bockting et al, 2009). In a mixed pre- and post-surgical TM sample, measures of genital arousal displayed traits of CW and CM controls (Raines et al, 2021): Although the male-typical preference of orientation-congruent stimuli was observed, there was still the more female-typical response to all stimuli. Our sample identified as mostly gynephilic, but preset bisexual rather than monosexual traits could partly explain the lack of clear changes in category-specific responses to sexual arousal.…”