Gender Dysphoria, By Magnus Hirschfield

Kidd and Witten define the term transgender vaguely, stating it “describe[s] people who transcend the conventional boundaries of gender, irrespective of physical status or sexual orientation” (Kidd & Witten, 2007, p. 36). This term is a reference for the ‘other gender’ that is not particularly male or female. Currently, within the American society, there is a growing awareness of individuals who are transgender. Much of this awareness comes from LGBT movements and

According to the articles, the causes of transgender is a person having vague feelings of not fitting in with people of their same sex, and some experiencing gender-conforming attitudes and behaviors later in life. A controversial cause is gender dysphoria according to the American Psychiatric Association. Gender dysphoria is defined as persistent gender incongruence. This is a very debated topic and its current classification may change in the future.

Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published an article by Peggy T. Cohen-Kettenis and Daniel Klink titled Adolescents with gender dysphoria in 2015. The article discusses the increase of youth diagnosed with gender dysphoria and receiving medical treatment and possibly surgery as well. The authors stressed the importance for psychotherapy and/or family therapy. The article also discussed the factors that influence gender development psychological, social, and biological. There are not many studies on determinants of gender dysphoria, and no epidemiological studies in children younger than 15 exist at all. Although, more recently research has focused on histological and brain imagining studies on individuals diagnosed

The study took place over the course of five years, and the 125 participants were eighteen or older at the time of enrollment. Of the 125 participants, 66 were male-to-female transgender individuals and 59 were female-to-male transgender individuals. In order to be included in the study, all participants needed to be pre-SRS, starting or willing to start CHT, and professionally diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Researchers recorded hormone dosages and treatment lengths, and administered both the Symptom Checklist and the Body Uneasiness Test to assess levels of bodily distress. The study also included a pre-SRS control group that did not engage in CHT (Fisher et. al., 2014, p.

Chapter eleven focuses on sexual disorders and gender identity disorders. For this discussion I wanted to talk about gender identity disorder. For ordinary individuals they can describe themselves or identify themselves as either males or females since we are a child. But, there are some individuals who do not experienced this type of clarity. For some individuals it is a sense that their identity is different from the gender category which they were born with or that it is something that lies outside of the usual male versus female categories. These individuals are known as transgender experiences. It is something that we are seeing more and more of in society today. Many of these transgender individuals come to terms with themselves and they find

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

Gender dysphoria might cause people to misinterpret a person’s sexual orientation and or preferences. In addition, it causes a person to be very confuse about who they are, and who they identify as. With that being said, at what age should children be allowed to surgically transition into the gender that they are more comfortable with, and wants to be associated as? Furthermore, is it mentally, sexually, and physically healthy for an adult who suffers from gender dysphoria to raise children?

Gender identity disorder has been classified as a psychiatric disorder in the handbook for psychiatric disorders since 1980 (Abraham). Gender identity disorder or trans sexuality involves a strong, long identification with another gender, a long concern about the sex assigned to the individual biologically and clinically significant discomfort or impairment at work, in social situations, or other important areas of life (American Psychological Association).

Gender dysphoria is very stressful to the individual. It can potentially lead to internal struggles of trying to find their identity, problems with their family, problems with their partner, or even not being accepted by their peers or by society. This is why around

The common term used is transgender. Although transgender or gender dysphoria can be described as a mental disorder, treatment does not include curing the individual. The standard treatment for transgender individuals is help alleviate the significant distress and potential social or functional impairment through transitioning, education or hormonal therapy (APA, 2013). Transgender people experience their gender differently and may choose not to pursue surgery or hormonal therapy. Several terms are included under the comprehensive term of transgender (Erickson-Schroth, 2013). Transsexual, although a dated term, generally refers to individuals that aspire to some form of surgery or hormonal treatment to complete their transformation. Genderqueer individuals may define themselves as either encompassing both genders or neither gender as defined by stereotypical roles and behaviors. Additional, terms that incorporate the conversion from assigned gender to preferred gender are male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM). Individuals that do not have a conflict between their assigned gender and expressed gender are referred to as cisgender, which is defined as a congruent gender identity (Erickson-Schroth,

Biologically, sex is determined by chromosomes, (XX = female and XY = male). That is primarily how one is determined male or female. However, Daniela Crocetti (2013), argues that chromosomes are not the only determining factor, that instead some people can be born with an imbalance in their hormone and testosterone system, this imbalance attributes to qualities that are more commonly seen in the opposite sex. This trait is most commonly seen through transexuals. Hormonal therapy is an option for those who experience these certain types of imbalances, it focuses on the “gendered presentation of the body and behavioral components…”. As a result, the therapy tends to make one feel “like how they're supposed to feel”. However, what if one prefers

When someone is subjected to gender roles and they are having problems with their gender identity it can because something called Gender Dysphoria. This is when someone’s gender identity does not connect with the gender roles of their assigned sex. These roles feel virtually unreachable, sometimes they might not even want to fit these roles.

Many may wonder what being a transgender person really is, a lot of people may see or refer to it as someone who has gone gender transformation, or is confused with who they are. The word transvestite is very much used when referring to a person who identifies with the opposite gender, the word 'Transvestite' itself originated in 1910 by the well known German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld, who also founded the Berlin institute which was where the first 'sex change' surgeries took place. 'Transsexual' was not used until 1949, the word 'transgender' not until 1971, and 'trans not until 1996, but they all refer to the same thing. The idea of being transgender goes as far back as 1503 BC to the Egyptians. It was believed that their second

Also, the client situation is as similar as transvestism. The term “transvestism” formed a part of the movement among sex-gender inversion which views same sex attraction and cross-gender characteristics as identical of two coins (Sutton, 2012). He likes cross-dressing which means dressing up as a female and matching the cross-gender characteristic. Cross-dressing leads to personal impairments which are related to family, social, interpersonal and occupational. Although cross-dressing starts in early childhood, most transvestites do not seek help or attention til their childhood. Therefore, the problem becomes a couple issues but not an individual issue (Bullough & Bullough, 1993). Just like this client, he realized he enjoyed cross-dressing

According to Hagg and Fellows (2007:4), sex generally refers to anatomy and biology such as male or female, whereas gender refers to the qualities and behaviours society expects from a boy or girl, a man or woman. The definition of transgender refers to a person having no identification with, or no presentation as, the gender one was assigned at birth (Hagg and Fellows 2007:4). The definition of transsexual in Hagg and Fellows (2007:4) refers to a person who had undergone a sex change operation or a person identifying with the opposite sex.