Still confused; is the OP talking about females with ambiguous genitalia or ex-males who have undergone gender reassignment?
Just on a guess he is talking about neither. She-male usually refers to someone who looks like a woman and has a penis.
I know the Straight Dope is supposed to be about fighting ignorance and all that, but I think some ignorance is just best left untouched. You might catch a disease or something…
I will, however, point out that “she-male” does not refer to transvestites (who have detachable breasts) or post-operative transsexuals, or even to most pre-operative transsexuals. Most “professional she-males” are only doing it to get the money for their reassignment anyway. If you were a true gentleman, you’d give her the money and send her on her way.
I’m neither hetero nor a man, but I’ve just got to say that this is a great response:
Rock on, Cliffy.
Been there, boinked that. She was gorgeous and had a delightful personality…but she was a he from the waist down. It was enjoyable at the time, but I prefer genetically correct women.
No.
To me, a “she-male” is a pre-operative transexual with a boob job (or enough hormone treatments to produce breasts).
Just to be clear, I did a search on ‘shemales’. Holy-moly! There a lot of really pretty guys with boobs out there. But still…
…NO!
Genetics don’t really matter to me, but I would require the proper equipment below the waist on her, and current plastic surgery techniques are not sufficient for me - from what I’ve read the imitation vagina is rather obviously not the real thing, lacks the sensitivity of a natural vagina, and is prone to odor problems. I’ve read plenty of science fiction stories set in a future where sex-change techniques are considerably more refined and have decided I wouldn’t have a problem with a former male who was indistinguishable from an XX female.
The question is addressed to “hetero men” as if “she-males” were somehow more likely to have “non-hetero men” as their sex partners. As a gay man living in urban areas for over 20 years, my observations (and I do get around) are that “she-males” tend to me more aligned with “hetero men” anyway and are quite distant and separate from mainstream gay populations.
I refer to “she-males” as those who desire to “be” a woman with hormones and/or surgery… not show performers or men in drag for halloween.
There are exceptions to everything of course, but I have never met one gay man that had any sexual interest whatsoever in a “she-male”. Again, this is strictly my own observation, although I’m sure they’re out there.
And the responses on this board imply that there is definitely a hetero male contingent of willing takers.
I also think the term is generally meant to refer to people with penises and actual breasts (whether hormone or surgically developed), usually also with long hair, make-up, and fishnet stockings; that is, someone you wouldn’t necessarily know wasn’t an XX woman until you got her knickers off, even if topless. (Although if you ride the D.C. Metro with any frequency, you learn to spot which Michelles were born Michael.)
–Cliffy
P.S. Thanks for the shout out, vix.
::looks up:: Woman ::looks down:: Penis ::looks up:: Woman ::looks down:: Penis
Not gonna happen with this doper.
Many alternative weeklies, including old and respected ones like the The Village Voice, carry scores of ads for prostitutes, and there are plenty of ads for “she-males.”
Why is this so? I have no idea. But someone’s buying.
Yeah, I’d sleep with a she-male. Hey, if she says she’s a woman, I’m not going to argue. That’s her business. I’m just happy to be there.
'Course, I’d probably be willing to sleep with a guy, too, so I’m not sure if I’m covered in the OP.
And yes, I’d touch the package.
I also like “rusty sheriff’s badge”. 
[hijack]
The Washington CityPaper (the D.C. alternative weekly that carries The Straight Dope). They too have lots of thinly-veiled prostitute ads, but they also have ads for “Adult Employment”; that is, thinly-veiled ads recruiting prostitutes (well, call girls, really). I was browsing this section once while I was still in law school while waiting for a class to start. After a while I turned to my friend and said, “It’s a good thing we’re attending professional school; according to these ads, you need two years of college just to be a hooker!”
[/hijack]
–Cliffy