Men sexually interested in transwomen (MSTW): gendered embodiment and the construction of sexual desire.
This article extends research on transgenderism by providing a sociological study of men who are sexually interested in transwomen (MSTW; viz., genetic males who use estrogen to feminize their body but retain their penis). We conducted fieldwork in a bar catering to transwomen and the men who were sexually interested in them, and did on-the-spot interviews with the MSTW. We initially examined the nature of MSTW's sexual attraction to transwomen, followed by how this related to their sexual orientation identity. Using a sexual fields approach (Green, 2008), we first found how the ambience of the bar helped to create an erotic environment through a heightened sense of gender. Then, focusing on the theory of embodiment (Jackson & Scott, 2007), we saw how the MSTW constructed a unique sexual desire according to the sexual orientation identity they brought to the situation. Those who identified as "straight" tended to gloss that the transwoman had a penis, while the bisexually identified men were more likely to incorporate the transwoman's penis into the sexual experience.
Weinberg
Martin S
MS
Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. weinberm@indiana.edu
Williams
Colin J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology; D001727:Bisexuality; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007989:Libido; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012147:Restaurants; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012928:Social Desirability; D014190:Transvestism / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult