Ray Blanchard

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Ray Blanchard is a Canadian sexologist and psychologist best known for his research on paraphilias, gender dysphoria, and sexual orientation. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of transsexualism and autogynephilia.

Early Life and Education

Blanchard was born in Hammond, Louisiana. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Career

Blanchard began his career at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto, which later became part of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). He worked there as the Head of Clinical Sexology Services and conducted extensive research on paraphilias and gender identity disorders.

Research

Blanchard is perhaps best known for his work on autogynephilia, a term he coined to describe a male's propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought of himself as a female. His research has been influential but also controversial within the field of sexology.

Paraphilias

Blanchard has conducted significant research on various paraphilias, including pedophilia, exhibitionism, and voyeurism. His work has contributed to the understanding and classification of these conditions in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Gender Dysphoria

Blanchard's research on gender dysphoria has focused on the typology and etiology of transsexualism. He proposed a classification system that distinguishes between homosexual transsexuals and autogynephilic transsexuals.

Controversies

Blanchard's theories, particularly on autogynephilia, have been the subject of considerable debate and criticism. Critics argue that his theories pathologize transgender identities and do not adequately account for the diversity of transgender experiences.

Awards and Recognition

Blanchard has received several awards for his contributions to the field of sexology, including the Magnus Hirschfeld Medal for Sexual Research.

Selected Publications

• Blanchard, R. (1989). The concept of autogynephilia and the typology of male-to-female transsexualism. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 15(3), 204-224.
• Blanchard, R. (1991). Clinical observations and systematic studies of autogynephilia. Journal of Sex Research, 28(2), 247-274.

See Also

• Sexology
• Gender identity disorder
• Paraphilia
• Transsexualism
• Autogynephilia