Transvestic fetishism is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to people who are sexually aroused by the act of cross-dressing and experience significant distress or impairment – socially or occupationally – because of their behavior. It differs from cross-dressing without distress or impairment, and/or for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal. Under the name transvestic disorder, it is categorized as a paraphiliac disorder in the DSM-5.

In the DSM-5

The DSM-5 states that late-onset gender dysphoria in adolescent and adult males is preceded by "transvestic behavior with sexual excitement" in many cases. According to DSM-IV, transvestic fetishism was limited to heterosexual men; however, the DSM-5 does not have this restriction, and opens it to women and men with this interest, regardless of their sexual orientation. It is, however, usually documented in males. There are two key criteria before a psychiatric diagnosis of "transvestic fetishism" is made: