Psychological Study Normalizing Homosexuality and Transvestism titled "Sexual Variations" 1980

1980. [Crossdressing] [LGBTQ] Gosselin, Chris and Wilson, Glen. Sexual Variations: Fetishism, Sadomasochism, Transvestism. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1980. First American edition. 191 pages. Original tan boards with red clothbound spine, authors, title, and publisher stamped on spine in silver. Original dustjacket with black and pink text on a tan background with silver borders. This 1980 book presents findings on human sexuality from studies by psychologists Chris Gosselin, PhD and Glen Wilson, PhD. Gosselin and Wilson draw from interviews, case studies, and questionnaires to present a nuanced view of human sexuality and challenge common perceptions about what is or is not "normal" when it comes to sex. The book touches on sexually taboo subjects from homosexuality to BDSM to transvestism. In the first chapter, titled "Who, and What, is Normal?", the authors outline the difficulties in classifying a topic as intimate and fluid as sexual preference as simply "normal" or "abnormal". Referring to a study conducted by the psychologists, the book states that 37% of men have homosexual experiences after puberty and an additional 13% have homosexual thoughts on which they never act - by these statistics homosexuality is as "normal" as heterosexuality among men. Gosselin and Wilson propose this simple and nonjudgmental definition of normality; "That which promotes love, caring, and affection between people is normal; that which divides them is abnormal", a strikingly progressive idea within the deeply homophobic culture of the 70s and 80s. Small rip to front of dustjacket at top. Overall very good condition. A 1980 psychological study of human sexuality which attempts to normalize homosexuality and other sexual preferences seen as taboo in mainstream culture.