AGP Life

Why do people end up gender dysphoric and transgender? There are multiple answers to this, depending on the person, but a common one for trans women is autogynephilia, a sexual and romantic interest in being women. Autogynephilia exists in a broad spectrum of degrees and forms; most autogynephiles do not end up transgender. This site is about those of us who do, including both some who are binary and some who are nonbinary.

The purpose of this website is to provide information about autogynephilia. You can read about our experiences as autogynephilic trans people, and about the science and theory behind autogynephilia. If you have heard about autogynephilia before, it is recommended you read our list of common misconceptions about autogynephilia.

Statistics

It is estimated that in the west, 80% of trans women are autogynephilic, while in more-collectivist countries, the rates may be lower. Thus, it may be that the majority of trans women are autogynephilic. About 3%-15% of men may be at least slightly autogynephilic; however, the vast majority have little desire to be women. Perhaps 20% of autogynephilic men would rather be women than men, and of these, probably no more than 20% end up severely gender dysphoric and transitioning.

This website is primarily about the small minority of autogynephiles who transition, and so not all of the information here will be relevant for all autogynephiles. However, we also present information which may be applicable more generally.

Controversies

While most trans women are autogynephilic, most don't believe that this is the source of their dysphoria. We believe this is likely partly because there are a lot of misconceptions about autogynephilia floating around, and partly because many find the idea invalidating. In our page about the science of autogynephilia, we have some links addressing the controversies surrounding it.

Famous autogynephiles

There are a number of famous men who are believed or suspected to be autogynephiles:

  • Prince
  • David Bowie
  • Kurt Cobain
  • Arin Hanson
  • Brian Molko
  • Nicky Wire
  • Eddie Izzard

Many trans women are autogynephilic, and have been autogynephilic through history:

  • Lili Elbe
  • Christine Jorgenson
  • Roberta Cowell
  • Anne Lawrence