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Sissy (transgender)
Encyclopedia
A sissy is a man who crossdresses, adopts hyper-feminine behaviors, and engages in stereotypical "feminine" activities (e.g. housekeeping, putting on make-up), often within the context of BDSM
. Particularly within the BDSM community, a "sissy" will typically assume the submissive role to a dominant female and/or male partner(s). Often sissies in a BDSM context also identify with other fetishes and sexual practices such as: erotic humiliation
, bondage
, petticoating, cuckold
ry, chastity
, leather
, latex/pvc
, infantilism
, corporal punishment
, etc.
As a lifestyle desire or fetish
activity a sissy's feminization is a voluntary transformation from male to female, either physically, behaviorally, or both. The process is known as feminization
or sissification. This transformation can either be permanent, or temporary. Additionally, this transformation can be something that the male goes through only in private (temporarily - fetish) or in public, temporarily or permanently.
Additionally, individuals who identify as a sissy represent a broad spectrum in regards to sexual orientation
and to the type of feminine dress and appearance they fetishize. A sissy might entirely identify as a heterosexual and only desire to be dominated by a woman, while other sissies might be bisexual or homosexual and desire to dominated by a man. And in forced feminization gender-play, a heterosexual (or bicurious) sissy might have the desire to be forced by his female partner to engage in sexual acts with a man. In terms of dress, some sissies prefer ornate maid uniforms, while others prefer to dress hyper-sexual female clothing.
As with most transgender and sexuality issues, there is much debate in the psychiatric community as to the reasons and motivations for undergoing feminization and identify as a sissy.
To further illustrate the inclusiveness of the term, individuals who would be considered transvestites, (which by Magnus Hirschfeld
, the originator of the term transvestism, is used to describe persons who habitually and voluntarily wears clothes of the opposite sex.), and live full-time as females often identify themselves as sissies, while heterosexual married men who cross-dress on the weekend in front of webcams for viewers on the internet might also identify themselves as sissies.
In addition to online merchants and advice websites, there are also sites that are chiefly pornographic in nature and cater to feminization fantasies or feature sissies engaged in sexual acts. These sites often include S&M themes and feature erotic humiliation, "sissy training", corporal punishment, and the strap-on dildo
play (see pegging
). These sites often feature photographs or videos of male participants either being dressed, or "forced" to dress in female clothing and instructed on feminine and often submissive behavior. The dominants on these sites are most often female, however dominant males are not rare.
In particular, a very common theme in sissification is "sissy maid" training. In a typical scenario, a male submissive, or sissy maid, is dressed in an often sexy and frilly maid uniform to help enhance the sexual thrill. The activities the sissy is made to perform range from mundane household tasks that a real maid would perform, to degrading tasks that invoke erotic humiliation. The "sissy maid" might also be instructed to perform sexual acts, however, these acts usually place the sissy in submissive or passive role.
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
. Particularly within the BDSM community, a "sissy" will typically assume the submissive role to a dominant female and/or male partner(s). Often sissies in a BDSM context also identify with other fetishes and sexual practices such as: erotic humiliation
Erotic humiliation
Erotic humiliation is the consensual use of psychological humiliation in a sexual context, whereby one person gains arousal or erotic excitement from the powerful emotions of being humiliated and demeaned, or of humiliating another; often in conjunction with sexual stimulation of one or both...
, bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
, petticoating, cuckold
Cuckold
Cuckold is a historically derogatory term for a man who has an unfaithful wife. The word, which has been in recorded use since the 13th century, derives from the cuckoo bird, some varieties of which lay their eggs in other birds' nests...
ry, chastity
Chastity belt
A chastity belt is a locking item of clothing designed to prevent sexual intercourse. They may be used to protect the wearer from rape or temptation. Some devices have been designed with additional features to prevent masturbation...
, leather
Leather subculture
The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures...
, latex/pvc
Latex and PVC fetishism
Latex fetishism is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride and...
, infantilism
Infantilism
Paraphilic infantilism, also known as autonepiophilia and adult baby syndrome is a sexual fetish that involves role-playing a regression to an infant-like state. Behaviors may include drinking from a bottle or wearing diapers...
, corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
, etc.
As a lifestyle desire or fetish
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
activity a sissy's feminization is a voluntary transformation from male to female, either physically, behaviorally, or both. The process is known as feminization
Feminization (activity)
Feminization is used to describe the practice, especially in female dominance, of switching the gender role of a male submissive. It is usually achieved through cross-dressing, where the male is dressed in female attire, ranging from just wearing female undergarments to being fully dressed in very...
or sissification. This transformation can either be permanent, or temporary. Additionally, this transformation can be something that the male goes through only in private (temporarily - fetish) or in public, temporarily or permanently.
Additionally, individuals who identify as a sissy represent a broad spectrum in regards to sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and to the type of feminine dress and appearance they fetishize. A sissy might entirely identify as a heterosexual and only desire to be dominated by a woman, while other sissies might be bisexual or homosexual and desire to dominated by a man. And in forced feminization gender-play, a heterosexual (or bicurious) sissy might have the desire to be forced by his female partner to engage in sexual acts with a man. In terms of dress, some sissies prefer ornate maid uniforms, while others prefer to dress hyper-sexual female clothing.
As with most transgender and sexuality issues, there is much debate in the psychiatric community as to the reasons and motivations for undergoing feminization and identify as a sissy.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle ranges of those who identify themselves as sissies varies considerably. However, the one element that most sissies have in common is the desire and practice of wearing feminine clothing and adopting feminine behavior. A homosexual male who is a full-time cross-dresser or transvestite, and is not interested in kinky fetish-play, can identify herself/himself as a sissy. While on the other-hand, a heterosexual male who only part-time crosses-dresses and is heavily engaged in fetish-play may also identify as a sissy.To further illustrate the inclusiveness of the term, individuals who would be considered transvestites, (which by Magnus Hirschfeld
Magnus Hirschfeld
Magnus Hirschfeld was a German physician and sexologist. An outspoken advocate for sexual minorities, Hirschfeld founded the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, which Dustin Goltz called "the first advocacy for homosexual and transgender rights."-Early life:Hirschfeld was born in Kolberg in a...
, the originator of the term transvestism, is used to describe persons who habitually and voluntarily wears clothes of the opposite sex.), and live full-time as females often identify themselves as sissies, while heterosexual married men who cross-dress on the weekend in front of webcams for viewers on the internet might also identify themselves as sissies.
Online
With the proliferation of the internet, a wide variety of websites—both pornographic and non-pornographic—geared toward sissies and the general transgendered community have flourished. There are many websites that sell wigs, makeup, women's clothing fitted to male body-shape, large-size women's shoes, and even how-to guides for feminization. The internet has allowed for much greater anonymity for those interested dressing and appearing as the opposite sex.In addition to online merchants and advice websites, there are also sites that are chiefly pornographic in nature and cater to feminization fantasies or feature sissies engaged in sexual acts. These sites often include S&M themes and feature erotic humiliation, "sissy training", corporal punishment, and the strap-on dildo
Strap-on dildo
A strap-on dildo is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity. Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the dildo attaches to the harness, as well as various features intended to facilitate...
play (see pegging
Pegging (sexual practice)
Pegging is a sexual practice in which a woman penetrates a man's anus with a strap-on dildo. The neologism "pegging" was popularized when it became the winning entry in a contest in Dan Savage's Savage Love sex advice column, held after an observation was made that there was no common name for the...
). These sites often feature photographs or videos of male participants either being dressed, or "forced" to dress in female clothing and instructed on feminine and often submissive behavior. The dominants on these sites are most often female, however dominant males are not rare.
Maid training
See also
- List of transgender-related topics
- TransvestismTransvestismTransvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
- Transvestic fetishismTransvestic fetishismTransvestic fetishism is having a sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing. It differs from cross-dressing for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal and is categorized as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association...
- Cross-dressingCross-dressingCross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
- Bottom (BDSM)Bottom (BDSM)In BDSM, a bottom or submissive is the partner in a BDSM relationship or a BDSM scene who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant....
- Domination and submission
- Erotic humiliationErotic humiliationErotic humiliation is the consensual use of psychological humiliation in a sexual context, whereby one person gains arousal or erotic excitement from the powerful emotions of being humiliated and demeaned, or of humiliating another; often in conjunction with sexual stimulation of one or both...
- Female dominanceFemale dominanceFemale dominance is those BDSM relationships and BDSM scenes in which the dominant partner is female. Often a dominant woman, she may prefer to be called a Domme , Femdomme, Domina, or Dominatrix, depending on context or personal preference...
- Petticoating
- Rubberdoll
Further reading
- Susan Stryker, Transgender History, Seal Press, 2008
- David Valentine, Imagining Transgender: An Ethnography of a Category, Duke University Press, 2007
- Veronica VeraVeronica VeraVeronica Vera is an American human sexuality writer and actress.Vera is best known for the films Times Square Comes Alive, Gerard Damiano's Consenting Adults, Mondo New York and Rites of Passion....
, Miss Vera's Cross-Dress for Success: A Resource Guide for Boys Who Want to Be Girls, Random House Inc. NY, 2002 - Helen BoydHelen BoydHelen Boyd is the pen name of Gail Kramer, the American author of two books about her relationship with her transgender partner. Her partner is referred to in both books as "Betty Crow", though this is also a pseudonym.-Biography:...
, My Husband Betty, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003 - Lucy Chesser, Parting With my Sex: Cross-dressing, Inversion and Sexuality in Australian Cultural Life, Sydney University Press, Sydney, 2008. ISBN 9781920898311.