Transgender can be defined as a person whose self-identity does not conform precisely to conventional notions of the male or female gender. This self-identity problem can usually be accompanied by numerous forms of treatment to change ones’ physical appearance, and make it more consistent with their identified gender identity. In many cases, the individual can identify with the gender of the opposite sex to the point one believes that he or she is a member of that gender group trapped in the wrong body. This is also called Gender Dysphoria or formerly known as Gender Identity Disorder. The person with gender dysphoria or GD at times does not know that he or she have an actual disorder but more of a general discomfort with his or her biological sex. This also creates complications in their everyday life, when they are unable to interpret their feelings or rationalize problems they experience in a social setting (Gender Dysphoria, 2014).
Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria is usually defined by constant strong feelings of identifying with the opposite sex and displeasure with one’s own biological gender. These feelings can ultimately result in emotional distress or impairment. People who have been or are diagnosed with GD often feel that they are not the gender they physically see, but the one they psychologically or emotionally feel. For example, a person who has a penis and all of the physical characteristics of a male may feel that he should have been born a female, and
Gender is the intersection of the relationships between sex, gender identity, sexuality and gender expression; gender is an achieved status
Perhaps, you are asking yourself this question, what is gender dysphoria? I have the answer. Gender dysphoria is “ the diagnosis typically given to a person whose assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify.” However, let’s not confuse this with sexual orientation, this does not mean they are homosexual, this means they do not identify who they are as their given birth
Kristen A. Burgess, Emory University School of Medicine and Charles F Gillespie M.D., PhD, department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, state that “gender identity disorder is a mental disorder in which gender identity is incongruent with anatomical sex”. Individuals experience different degrees of unhappiness with their sex at birth, which in turn causes them to pursue the life and body of the opposite sex (2010).
In rational, ‘transgender’ is a natural and non-judgmental word that used to describe the people who have gender identity different to the biological sex. Most of the transgender people will change their facial appearance to the opposite sex through clothing, hormonal therapies or the transsexual operation. Their appearances, behaviors and psychological attitudes are same as the normal people. However, most of the people have a stigma about their sex based on the traditional gender roles. According to the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, the distinctive mind of gender identity diagnosed as a mental disorder called gender identify disorder. However, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) mentioned that it is not a mental illness.
Gender socialization often begins early once parents are shown the sex of their child; from then on, baby showers are planned according to gender “appropriate” colors, which are often pink for girls and blue for boys. Even differences in how children are spoke to can be picked up easily in Western cultures. Girls are called pretty and sweet, whereas boys are handsome and strong. Ultimately, the way children learn to identify with their gender culture is in part due to not only family and friends, media, schools, and religion, but also from the toys that may inexplicitly advertise gender expectations. Gender-typed toys may be bought for children as a way for parents to encourage and reinforce gender-appropriate behaviors. However, recent debates have engulfed toy manufacturers and major retailers, which has brought about changes in toy design and marketing in an effort to make reflect more realistic and gender neutral options.
People with gender identity disorder may act and present themselves as members of the opposite sex and may express a desire to alter their bodies. The disorder affects an individual's self-image, and can impact the person's mannerisms, behavior, and dress. Individuals who are committed to altering their physical appearance through cosmetics, hormones and, in some cases, surgery are known as transsexuals A person with a gender identity is a person who strongly identifies with the other sex. The individual may identify with the opposite sex to the point of believing that he/she is, in fact, a member of the other sex who is trapped in the wrong body. This causes that person to experience serious discomfort with his/her own biological sex orientation. The gender identity disorder causes problems for this person in school, work or social settings. This disorder is different from transvestism or transvestic fetishism where cross-dressing occurs for sexual pleasure, but the transvestite does not identify with the other sex (Ruble DN 1994)
Living a life feeling out of place, with the wrong feelings, and in the wrong body, for a person with Gender Identity Disorder, this is how they feel day to day. According to the DSM-IV-TR, Gender Identity Disorder is characterized by a strong, persistent cross-gender identification, persistent discomfort with his or her sex or sense of inappropriateness in their gender role of that sex. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), children, adolescents and adults who exhibit a preoccupation with getting rid of or losing their primary and secondary sex characteristics, associated with different mannerisms and actions of the opposite sex; while holding a belief that he or she was born the wrong sex are believed to be classified
There are many names for transsexuality but the classic name is gender dysphoria. This is a recognized problem where the individuals mind is “physically, trapped in a body of the opposite sex” (Reitz, 1). This complication can motivate a person to change or die trying.
The construction of a self-identity can be a very complex process that every individual is identity is developed through the lenses of cultural influences and how it is expected to given at birth. Through this given identity we are expected to think, speak, and behave in a certain way that fits the mold of societal norms. This paper aims to explain how gender perform gender roles according these cultural values. I intend to analyze the process in which individuals learned and internalized their respective gender identities, through their cultural background. I will be conducting a set of interviews with the intention to compare my experience as a self-identified male of Mexican descent, to the experience of another male character of Japanese heritage in order to understand how we come to self-identify as masculine in diverged cultures. In this paper, I argue that the construction of gender identities is a direct consequence of societal influential factors such as family values; values that reflect the individual’s culture. This analysis will not only utilize evidence from these identity formations, but also in explaining why and how these self-identities were constructed using both theoretical sources and empirical studies as a framework.
Gender identity disorder (GID) is the formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe persons who experience significant gender dysphoria (discontent with the biological sex they were born with). It is a psychiatric classification and describes the attributes related to transsexuality.
The following terms are defined by the National Council of Teachers of English as the following: Cisgender is a term used to describe one whose gender identity aligns with that assigned to them at birth. Gender affirmation surgery is when any surgical procedure a transgender person undergoes as part of their transition. Gender dysphoria is a psychological diagnosis recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, replacing the more controversial previous term “gender identity disorder” characterized by severe distress caused by the incongruence between one’s gender identity and the gender assigned to them at birth. Gender expression is one’s exhibited external gender, often deciphered as either masculine or feminine or in the ways in which a person outwardly aligns the self as male, female, or another gender and/or gender normalities communicated by dress, mannerisms, and interactions, among other aspects of appearance and behavior. Gender identity is one’s innate, intrinsic self-identification as a male, female, or another gender that may not necessarily match that assigned to them at birth and distinct from sexual orientation. Genderqueer or genderfluid is a non-specific umbrella term referring to those who do not identify as one of the traditional gender identities on the traditional
While identity and identification are just word variations of one another, they actually convey different but powerful meanings and outlooks. This theme of identity versus identification is prevalent in the South Asian community and, therefore, prominent amongst the readings throughout this course. Identity is the embodiment of one’s beliefs and values that shapes who they are and how they express themselves. In contrast, identification refers to the manner in which one identifies oneself; it is subjective, as it is not necessarily an authentic portrayal of one’s identity because white communities too often posit the model minority label upon colored, ethnic communities. The difference between these two terms are both implied or stated throughout Sayantani Das Dasgupta and Shamita Dasgupta’s unique perspective writings on South Asian feminist issues, Kumarini Silva’s research on the label of “brown”, Vijay Prashad’s chapters about solidarity and religion in The Karma of Brown Folk, and Marina Budhos’s coming-of-age novel Watched about a Bangladeshi teen whose mistakes led him to spy on his own Muslim community after the 9/11 incident.
One area of social interaction within a culture that is symbolically dictated by images and expectations is gender identity. Because western society recognizes a two-gendered system, there exists a dichotomy between the characteristics and objects associated with both males and females. Notably, the colour blue frequently conveys masculinity while pink is instead aesthetically feminine. Likewise, where boys traditionally play with action figures as children, girls receive dolls. Belief in these signs—even if they are oversimplified—influences the language surrounding these gender roles and subsequently, produces assumptions of acceptable behaviour and actions. For instance, since action figures usually personify the characters of superheroes or soldiers, men, similarly become seen as being tough or brave. Furthermore, these images encourage them to perpetuate those traits. Contrastingly, dolls as models of babies, illustrate a view of women as being gentle and domestic figures. As such, in communities that distinguish between more than only two gender types, this polarity in the impressions of males and females would probably vary, or not exist at all.
The roles of genes clearly play an important part in defining sex as every one of us. However, with genes comes at birth male or female in whom will generally by categorized into gender roles from the very beginning. As soon as a baby is born its already a topic of what clothes she’s going to wear, professions and everything about her will most likely be thought as either male or female ways of life. Even with our cultural changes (gay rights, transgender) you still have to relay on the fact that you always born either male or female; hormones are the key factor in determining what sex thus influencing your gender identity in our society. In this paper I wanted to answer the title question providing insights on both subjects, how genders roles are not important in our society and how they are important.
Within recent years, the media has sensationalized the topic of gender and gender identity. This has allowed the public to maintain as an active participant in the fight for equal rights, whether it be the fight to end discrimination for: same sex marriage, gender equality, non-binary, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals (LGBTQ). Since the needs and issues for members of the above listed communities have come into the eye of public voice many things have changed in North America. There has been an increasingly greater shift in public focus on the civil rights of LGBTQ peoples. Not only has there been an increase in public discourse but actual laws have been changed in the interest of social justice for members of the LGBTQ community, including but not limited to: same-sex marriage, that same-sex couples must be afforded the same rights as opposite-sex couples in a common-law relationship, protection from bullying due to gender identity. Currently, the only provinces that explicitly include gender identity under their human rights codes are Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories, although other provinces have begun debating whether they should add gender identity under their human rights codes. Federally, gender identity is not specifically mentioned in legislation. Bill C-279, which would amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to include gender expression or identity, is currently undergoing second reading in the Senate (Garrison,