What Is the Cause of Autogynephilia?
While Socrates thought it terribly clever to answer a question with a question, my teachers thought it was terribly rude. Thus, though I hate to do it, I have to begin my answer with a question (but you should already know, everything to do with autogynephilia is complicated, including its causes and origins.)
The Question That Needs to Be Answered First
Before we can determine the cause of autogynephilia (AGP), we must address a fundamental question: is Autogynephilia a fetish or an orientation?
This question is crucial because fetishes and orientations are thought to have different causal pathways.
Is Autogynephilia a Fetish?
If AGP is a fetish, it would belong to the category of what John Money described as a “vandalized love map.” This means that a person’s sexual development was altered by specific life experiences, such as exposure to certain stimuli during a formative period. For instance, a child may encounter an object like female clothing, feel arousal, and over time, this association could evolve into a fetish.

Case Study: The Rubber Boots Fetish
A famous example of a fetish caused by a life event involves a man who developed a sexual fixation on rubber boots after hiding in a closet full of them during a moment of heightened emotional intensity. This singular event shaped his lifelong fetish.
If AGP were a fetish, its roots might similarly lie in an early, specific trigger event that conditioned sexual arousal.
Is Autogynephilia an Orientation?
On the other hand, if AGP is an orientation, it implies an innate aspect of a person’s sexuality. Orientation suggests that these feelings stem from biological or congenital factors, such as genetics or prenatal hormone exposure, and are not the result of external triggers or experiences.
Unlike fetishes, which tend to remain narrowly focused on specific objects or scenarios, AGP often extends far beyond clothing. It encompasses behaviors, roles, and a deep connection to the essence of femininity, suggesting a more intrinsic and comprehensive part of a person’s identity.
Why This Distinction Matters
The difference between a fetish and an orientation is significant. If AGP is a fetish, its cause might be linked to specific life events or environmental influences. If it’s an orientation, it likely shares the same origins as other sexual orientations, such as heterosexuality or homosexuality—an interplay of genetic, hormonal, and developmental factors.
So, What Is the Cause of Autogynephilia?
If AGP is best understood as an orientation, its cause lies within the broader framework of sexual orientation development. Scientists generally agree that sexual orientation results from a combination of:
- Genetics
- Prenatal hormone exposure
- Brain structure differences
- Environmental influences
However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear, and no single factor has been identified as definitive.
Thus, the cause of AGP, like other orientations, likely involves a complex interplay of biological and developmental factors. While this may be unsatisfying to those seeking a clear-cut answer, it’s important to recognize that AGP is not fundamentally different from other forms of human sexuality.
What does Blanchard think is the cause of autogynephilia?
Ray Blanchard suggests that autogynephilia likely arises from a combination of innate predispositions and postnatal environmental influences. He believes that individuals are born with varying capacities to develop paraphilic interests (including autogynephilia), which means there is likely a biological or neurological vulnerability present at birth. This vulnerability predisposes certain individuals to erotic mislearning or atypical sexual arousal patterns during development.
He is clear, however, that pornography or environmental factors alone do not cause autogynephilia, as similar patterns of behavior and interests were observed in individuals before widespread access to pornography or social influences. Instead, he emphasizes that the capacity for developing paraphilias varies across individuals, meaning some are more susceptible to these interests due to their inherent neurological or psychological makeup.
In summary, Blanchard’s position is that autogynephilia emerges from a mix of biological predisposition and environmental shaping, with learning and experiences interacting with an innate potential.
Conclusion
In summary, autogynephilia is likely caused by the same factors that shape all sexual orientations. Whether AGP is a fetish or an orientation remains debated, but its expansive nature suggests something more innate than a simple conditioned response. Ultimately, much about the origins of human sexuality, including AGP, remains a mystery.
Further reading
Is autogynephilia an orientation, paraphilia, fetish… or none of the above?