The Benjamin Scales
As many of you know, I do not always hold to the Standards of Care promulgated by The Harry Benjamin International
Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc. I think they are a little extreme. However, the original scale is of some use, and of even
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Dr. Harry Benjamin's Gender Disorientation Scale
Dr Benjamin's Scale references Dr. Alfred Kinsey's sexual orientation scale. A summary of that scale is below.
It should be noted that the relationship between gender identity (Benjamin's Scale) and sexual orientation
(Kinsey's Scale) is probably a result of the researchers biases. At one time you couldn't transition if you weren't
completely 'homosexual' because *obviously* a 'real' female is completely heterosexual. As transsexuals
discovered this bias, they lied in order to get surgery. Fortunately today most gender clinics accept sexual
orientation and gender identity are distinct.
Kinsey's sexual orientation scale
0 Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual experience 1 Predominantly heterosexual, only incidently homosexual
2 Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual
3 Equally heterosexual and homosexual
4 Predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual
5 Predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual
6 Exclusively homosexual, with no heterosexual experience
Type One: Transvestite (Pseudo)
Gender Feeling: Masculine
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Could get occasional kick out of dressing.
Normal male life.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Hetero, bi, or homosexual. Dressing and -- more --exchange
may occur in masturbation fantasies mainly. May enjoy TV literature only.
Kinsey Scale: 0-6
Conversion Operation: Not considered in reality.
Estrogen Medication: Not interested or indicated.
Psychotherapy: Not wanted and unnecessary.
Remarks: Interests in dressing is only sporadic.
Type Two: Transvestism (Fetishistic)
Gender Feeling: Masculine
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Dressing periodically or part of the time.
Dresses underneath male clothes.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual. Rarely bisexual. Masturbation with fetish.
Guilt feelings. Purges and relapses.
Kinsey Scale: 0-2
Conversion Operation: Rejected
Estrogen Medication: Rarely interested. Occasionally useful to reduce libido.
Psychotherapy: May be successful (in a favorable environment.)
Remarks: May imitate double (masculine and feminine) personality with male and female names.
Type Three: Transvestism (True)
Gender Feeling: Masculine (but with less conviction.)
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses constantly or as often as possible. May live and be
accepted as woman. May dress underneath male clothes, if no other chance.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual, except when dressed. Dressing gives sexual
satisfaction with relief of gender discomfort. May purge and relapse.
Kinsey Scale: 0-2
Conversion Operation: Actually rejected, but idea can be attractive.
Estrogen Medication: Attractive as an experiment. Can be helpful emotionally
Psychotherapy: If attempted is usually not successful as to cure.
Remarks: May assume double personality. Trend toward transsexualism.
Type Four: Transsexual (Nonsurgical)
Gender Feeling: Undecided. Wavering between TV and TS.
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses as often as possible with insufficient relief of his
gender discomfort. May live as a man or woman; sometimes alternating.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido often low. Asexual or auto-erotic. Could be bisexual.
Could also be married and have children.
Kinsey Scale: 1-4
Conversion Operation: Attractive but not requested or attraction not admitted.
Estrogen Medication: Needed for comfort and emotional balance.
Psychotherapy: Only as guidance; otherwise refused or unsuccessful.
Remarks: Social life dependent upon circumstances.
Type Five: True Transsexual (moderate intensity)
Gender Feeling: Feminine (trapped in male body)
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives and works as woman if possible. Insufficient relief
from dressing.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido low. Asexual auto-erotic, or passive homosexual activity.
May have been married and have children.
Kinsey Scale: 4-6
Conversion Operation: Requested and usually indicated.
Estrogen Medication: Needed as substitute for or preliminary to operation.
Psychotherapy: Rejected. Useless as to cure. Permissive psychological guidance.
Remarks: Operation hoped for and worked for. Often attained.
Type Six: True Transsexual (high intensity)
Gender Feeling: Feminine. Total psycho-sexual inversion.
Dressing Habits and Social Life: May live and work as a woman. Dressing gives insufficient relief.
Gender discomfort intense.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Intensely desires relations with normal male as female if young.
May have been married and have children, by using fantasies in intercourse.
Kinsey Scale: 6
Conversion Operation: Urgently requested and usually attained. Indicated.
Estrogen Medication: Required for partial relief.
Psychotherapy: Psychological guidance or psychotherapy for symptomatic relief only.
Remarks: Despises his male sex organs. Danger of suicide or self-mutilation, if too long frustrated.
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that I like this scale much better--there is no Kinsey scale stuff, and it seems a little closer to real life.
A Modified Harry Benjamin Scale
A Modified Version of the Harry Benjamin Sex Orientation Scale (S.O.S.)
Modifications to reflect changes since initial publication, by Anne E. Curr, Ph.D., Sc.D.
Sex and Gender Disorientation and Indecision
(Persons Born Genetic Males)
List of Types:
TYPE 0
Normal sexual orientation and identification, heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. The ideas
of "dressing" or "sex change" are foreign and unpleasant. Includes the vast majority of all people.
TYPE I - Transvestite (Pseudo)
Gender "feeling" : Masculine
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Normal male life. May get a "kick" from "dressing". Not truly TV.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Usually heterosexual. Rare bisexual. Masturbation with fetish. Feels guilt.
"Purges" and relapses.
Conversion Operation (SRS): Not considered in reality.
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Not considered. / Not indicated.
Psychotherapy: Not wanted. Unnecessary.
Remarks: Only a sporadic interest in "dressing". Rarely has a female name when "dressed".
TYPE II - Transvestite (Fetishistic)
Gender "feeling" : Masculine
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Dresses periodically or part time. Dresses under male clothes.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Usually heterosexual. May be bisexual or homosexual. "Dressing" and
"sex change" in masturbation fantasy mainly.
Conversion Operation (SRS): May consider in fantasy. Rejected
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Rarely interested. / May help to reduce libido.
Psychotherapy: May be successful in favorable environment.
Remarks: May imitate male & female double personality with male and female names.
TYPE III - Transvestite - True
Gender "feeling" : Masculine (but with less conviction)
Dressing Habits and Social Life: "Dresses" constantly or as often as possible. May live and be accepted as a woman.
May dress under male clothes.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual except when dressed. Dressing gives sexual satisfaction, relief of
gender discomfort. Common to purge and relapse.
Conversion Operation (SRS): Rejected but the idea is attractive.
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Attractive as an experiment. / Can be helpful as a diagnostic.
Psychotherapy: If attempted, almost never successful as to cure.
Remarks: May assume a double personality. Trend may be toward Transsexualism.
TYPE IV - Transsexual - Non-Surgical
Gender "feeling”: Uncertain Wavering between TV and TS. May reject "gender".
Dressing Habits and Social Life: "Dresses" often as possible with insufficient relief of gender discomfort. May live as
man or as a woman.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido low. Generally asexual or autoerotic. May be bisexual.
Conversion Operation (SRS): Attractive but not required.
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Needed for comfort & emotional balance.
Psychotherapy: Only as guidance, most often refused and unsuccessful.
Remarks: Social life dependant on circumstances. Often identifies as "transgenderist".
TYPE V - True Transsexual - Moderate Intensity
Gender "feeling”: Feminine "Trapped" in a male body.
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives and works as a woman if possible. Insufficient relief from "dressing".
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Low libido. Asexual, autoerotic, or passive homosexual activity. May have been
married and have children.
Conversion Operation (SRS): Requested.
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Needed for a substitute for or preliminary to SRS operation.
Psychotherapy: Rejected. Unless as to cure. Permissive psychological guidance.
Remarks: Operation hoped for and worked for, often attained.
TYPE VI - True Transsexual - High Intensity
Gender "feeling”: Feminine. Total "psycho-sexual" inversion.
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Usually lives & works as a woman. No relief from "dressing". Gender discomfort
intense.
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Intensely desires relations with normal male as a "female" if young. Later libido low.
Heterosexual, bisexual or lesbian identification. May have been married and have children.
Conversion Operation (SRS): Urgently requested and usually attained.
Hormone Therapy/Estrogen Therapy: Required for partial relief.
Psychotherapy: Psychological guidance or psychotherapy for symptomatic relief only.
Remarks: Despises her male sex organs. Strong danger of genital self-mutilation or even suicide if too long frustrated
before SRS is attained.
My problem is, I seem to fit in a range between IV and VI. Not really too helpful, if you ask me. I don't like either scale all
that much. You don't like either of them, either? I thought so. Click here to see what I came up with.
