Gender Dysphoria And Gender Identity

Internal conflict is something that the transgender community knows all too well. Feeling as though you are living in the wrong body can do serious damage to the way that someone sees themselves. One of the hardest time for transgender teens is puberty. Researchers have said that “This is a particularly hard age, since the body begins to change and adapt gender specific features (breasts, changes in genitals, menses, etc..). Transgender individuals have reported “I was disgusted by (hair, breasts…etc)” (Ami B. Kaplan, 2014). It already puts a child or teen under great stress to see themselves living life as a gender they feel is completely wrong, but, as puberty begins to hit and they see this body changing it only increases that self-hatred that slowly builds. Even though transitioning can be the best decision a transgender person might make, it can still be just as difficult to finalize this. Many transgender youth have said that they have “Fears about finding a partner, feelings about having to experience surgeries, hormones, (and for MTF transsexuals) facial hair removal and voice changes, and fears about violence and prejudice when one is read transgender”(Ami B. Kaplan, 2014). Even when the option to transition arises, doubt may still linger. Some transgender youth that have gone through with transitioning face many issues emotionally such as “Disappointment that transitioning didn’t solve all problems, level of satisfaction with appearance, level of satisfaction

There has been an increasing number of cases in the United States involving transgender children going through gender social transition. Transgender people are individuals who have a gender identity that does not correspond with their sex at birth (Olson, Durwood, DeMeules, & McLaughlin, 2016), and these individuals may undergo several forms of transition. Gender social transition can be defined as the situation in which individuals make changes in their social life by expressing themselves and live according to the gender that they identify with, instead of their sex at birth. These life changes may include using a different name, using different pronouns, changing physical appearances on the surface level (e.g., clothing, hairstyle), and even using a bathroom that aligns with the person’s identity. However, these changes do not include any medical or hormonal intervention. Thus, making it purely social intervention. This phenomenon also appears amongst children, which raised debates among the people, including the scientific community. Existing psychological literature have studied children who experience gender dysphoria (GD), defined as a sense of discomfort that resulted from from incongruence between gender identity and assigned sex (Steensma, 2013). The term was historically known as gender identity disorder (GID). The psychology community have explored the topic on whether or not parents should allow their children to go through gender social transition, and the

In class, we have learned and discussed how during the period of adolescence, it is known that this is the period of time where individuals are finding themselves and figuring out where they belong. It is during this time where individuals are the most sensitive and personal problems tend to arise more commonly during this stage. A major issue adolescents struggle during this stage is gender identity and sexuality. Adolescents are trying to figure out who they are attracted to and how they perceive themselves to be. While the norm is to identify oneself as their biological gender, there are those who develop gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a reoccurring feeling that one’s biological gender is the opposite of one’s sexual identity (Cole,

The formation of gender identity is not completely understood as it is much more complex than just getting a sperm and egg cell to join; an XX or an XY genotype is only the first part in gender identity. There are many biological, psychological and sociological factors involved. The biological includes chromosomes, gonads, prenatal hormones, internal accessory organs, external genital appearance. The psychological includes assigned gender role and gender identity. The sociological could come from family, mass media and society (Kenyon, PhD, 2006). Sammons (2007) states that biological psychology

In a world moving advancing with near instantaneous publication worldwide the fringe edges of society have become more visible. One group of people that has had the spotlight shined on them is those suffering from gender dysphoria–persons who are not comfortable living in the bodies that they are born with and are often referred to as transsexual. As of 2010, there was an estimated population of less than 1,000 of these fringe members of our society incarcerated in state and federal facilities. (Brown)

In the United States Transgender women (individuals who are sex-assigned male at birth but identify as female) experience high rates of severe depression due to pervasive discrimination that they face in society. According to Hoffman (2014), when compared to the general population, Transgender individuals experience much higher rates of depression with estimates as high as 62% (as cited in Clements-Noel, Marx, Guzman, and Katz, 2001). Due to these high rates of depression, Transgender women are at increased risk for overall negative health outcomes, which severely limits them from living happy, healthy, and productive lives. According to studies by Nemoto, Operario, Keatley, Nguyen, and Sugano, (2005) there is a growing understanding of the

Medical practitioners have a history of not accurately reflecting the understandings of people who trans gender, dating back to the 1800s when they upheld the sexually dimorphic model that states that everyone has “one true sex” (Enke, lecture 2/18). Even in the early 1900s, medical professionals advised trans people to take hormones more closely aligned with their designated sex at birth, as it would help them “feel better”. However, medical treatment of people who trans has improved dramatically over the years. Now, in the 21st century, there are laws in place to prohibit discrimination against people who trans. In order to get from that point to this point, it took growth in both the trans community and the medical community. Medicine mimics society just as society mimics medicine, and as the trans community grew more forthright and educated from those within its community as well as the medical field, the medical field grew more understanding of people who trans. It is all a cycle.

The lack of education in medical schools regarding transgender-related care results is a shortage of provider willing to perform transition-related care. Therefore, there is simply a lack of providers able to treat transgender people, making it difficult for transgender people to receive care. Transgender people report having to drive countless hours in order to reach providers for hormone treatment or report having to leave the country in order to receive genital reconstruction surgery (Puckett 7). Unsurprisingly, 29-63% of male-to-female transgender persons in urban groups report unsupervised hormone use (Roberts 984). This is a serious point of concern considering hormone treatment has dangerous side effects including

Transsexuals rank lowest in overall wellbeing (Gates). SIRS researcher writes, “The American Psychiatric Association uses the term ‘gender dysphonia’ as the medical diagnosis for people who feel their birth-assigned sex and their gender identity do not match.” Civilians need a better understanding that transgender people need better protection. People against transsexuals believe that transgender are “ghastly” and are having an “identity crisis.” Transsexuals need protection in the workplace, public facilities, and in athletics/sports.

Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People, Version 7. (2011). International Journal of Transgenderism, 13:165–232. Routledge. ISSN: 1553-2739 print / 1434-4599 online DOI: 10.1080/15532739.2011.700873

Amongst disorders of modern day psychiatry, gender dysphoria (GD) is one of the more controversial diagnoses (Comer, 2014). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) defines GD, previously listed as gender identity disorder (GID), as “a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least 6 months duration” (as cited in APA, 2013, p. 452). Individuals with GD generally feel extreme discomfort around their assigned gender, and have a desire to change their social identity and/or secondary sex characteristics to more closely resemble those of the other gender (Comer, 2014). Treatments for GD include psychotherapy, hormone therapy, and sexual reassignment surgery.

Transgender people have certainly pioneered through the journey of acceptance and individuality. For many, this transition can take a toll on them and the people around them. Mentally, this can

The medical and behavioral (DSM) community has chosen to let go of the more shadowy term “Gender Identity Disorder,” in favor of a less charged and hopefully more suitable term, “Gender Dysphoria,” for transgender individuals. This paper will explore conventional clinical perspectives and subsequent changes therein; survey a few theoretical frameworks, both conventional and more post-modern, in order to gain a better understanding of how to effectively work with gender dysphoria. The main body of this paper will be structured under specific headings, beginning with a brief historical description of gender dysphoria, followed a brief discussion on etiology with some clinical implications. Current theoretical frameworks will be presented

“Before I knew I was transsexual, I went through years of pain... It’s only now that I’m living as a woman that I finally feel comfortable with myself” (“Real Lives - Three Transsexuals”). This quote, from a male-to-female transsexual individual who was living as a woman while waiting to qualify for gender re-assignment surgery (GReS), shows the pain that those who struggle with gender identity disorders (GIDS) undergoi while “trapped” in the physical and social constraints of living as their original gender, as well as the relief that comes with living as a member of their “true” gender. Some may argue that use of surgery for purposes of treating gender identity disorders is morally unacceptable since trans sexuality does not belong

For a person who is transgender, gender dysphoria sets in at a young age. The individual is uncomfortable and displeased with their biological sex because it does not match their gender identity. This is compounded with societal norms that use symbolic interactionism to show what the gender expression should look like. The pressure from family, friends, and society can cause discomfort and disappointment with the biological sex they are born, which results in anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. The dysphoria often is a promoter to make the individual change their body and gender expression to be more in line with what is felt to be their gender identity. "A lot of the trauma that gender dysphoric children particularly experience is the lack of validation, the kind of ongoing, 'No, you 're not what you say you are; you are what the