User:Switchercat/Sandbox/Transsexual Phenomenon

The Transsexual Phenomenon is a book, first printed in 1966 and again in 1977, by the endocrinologist and sexologist Harry Benjamin. It was published by Warner Books and is currently out of print. Benjamin's career in endocrinology involved extensive treatment of transsexual people (mostly women) seeking hormone therapy; his book broadly describes his clinical experience in this area, after an introduction that explicates on the subject of gender and gender variance more generally.

Summary
The Transsexual Phenomenon begins with Benjamin's describing the different components of human maleness or femaleness, which he separates into particular aspects such as "chromosomal," "anatomical," "genital," "endocrine," and "psychological" sex. He then defines transsexuals, and certain others, as people for whom there is a "dissonance" among these elements of sexuality. This first section segues into an overview of cross-dressing in nontranssexual males.

The book then shifts from a summary of gender theory to a review of medical treatment. Benjamin states that transsexuals are best treated by administration of hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery; neither psychotherapy nor androgen prescriptions will cure trans women of their gender dysphoria, in his opinion. He documents 00 to 00 short case studies of transsexual people,

Benjamin concludes that "surgery and hormone treatment can change a miserable and maladjusted person of one sex into a happier and more adequate, although by no means neurosis-free, personality of the opposite sex."

The book provides some of the first diagnostic guidelines in treatment of transsexual people, such as the Sex Orientation Scale

Reception
1964: Harry Benjamin Foundation -- wanted to conduct psych/endocrine/neuro tests on transsexuals, interview them, prove/disprove a biological basis for TSity. Robert Staller first declined to be on board for HBF in 1965 (How Sex Changed p215, also see p118) but was decently impressed by Trans Phenom. apparently

Journal of Sex Research Vol. 3, No. 2, p183-190 May '67 -- JSTOR, review

Science News, Vol. 90, No. 8 (Aug. 20, 1966), p. 124 -- book of the week, "a compassionate report" -- JSTOR

286pp original edition?