Gender Identity Disorder

(American Psychological Association ) "Recently however, the APA announced that it would be replacing GID with gender dysphoria, which will be defined as a “marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned

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

What is the experience of identity development on individuals who were born sexually ambiguous and medically assigned to a classification of female or male? The impact of being born intersexed (or hermaphroditic; that is, having physiological sexual ambiguity) will have on identity development. Who you think you are? How you, in your head, define your gender, based on how much you align, or don’t align, with what you understand to be the options for gender. As you know it, do you think you fit better

The patient reported that he had never felt comfortable in his own skin and was exclusively attracted to females (Bradley, S.J., Oliver, G. D., Chernick, A. B,, & Zucker, K. J., 1998). This case study displays that genetic factors have a higher effect on gender identity than modeling or parental rearing. Despite the social and environmental factors rearing her to be a girl he always showed his masculinity. This study is interesting and should also be included in transsexual studies.

Despite the transgender population’s small size, more people identify as transgender now than in any previously recorded time period. This is largely due to social movements that aim to improve upon and normalize LGBT experiences. As it becomes more common to think outside of traditional gender roles and the Western gender binary, more individuals discover that they do not psychologically conform to the genders they are assigned at birth and instead seek to make social and physical transitions that better align with their chosen gender identity. For many, the decision to transition is partly due to gender dysphoria, a feeling of unease in one’s body because it does not match their gender identity. This discomfort can be severe enough to cause

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.

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

They know it will not change throughout life. Even though children begin to see the difference of male and females, children born boys may feel and identify as girls and girls may feel and identify as boys. Parents might dismiss their child’s claim as a simple phase because of the expectations they have about their sons and daughters. However it is not a phase. Gender dysphoria, also known as gender identity disorder, is a condition of feeling one’s emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one’s biological sex. Children with gender dysphoria are affected both psychologically and sociologically; however, with the proper diagnosis and treatment parents will have the knowledge to properly bring up a child with gender dysphoria. Psychologically a child may have suicidal tendencies, be depressed, have emotional problems, and have high levels of stress and anxiety. Sociologically a child tends to be alone, tormented by peers and frightened of never being accepted by

Gender Dysphoria, or GD, is a condition in which an individual feels like their biological sex does not correspond with the gender they feel comfortable identifying as. To understand the disorder, you must first understand the meaning of the words. Gender is “the state of being male or female” (Merriam-Webster). Dysphoria is a synonym for dissatisfaction. Therefore, Gender Dysphoria means the individual is dissatisfied, or uncomfortable, with being either a biological male or a biological female. In the past, Gender Dysphoria used to be called “Gender Identity Disorder” (Web MD). Another name is “Transvestic Fetishism” (Britannica).

There are concerns for the physical and psychological well-being of transgender people particularly for those who identify as transgender at a later stage in life. Many of the issues surrounding the transgender community challenges the current binary assumptions of gender, gender expression, sex, and sexual orientations (Norton & Herek, 2013). According to Budge (2013), there are two reasons transgender clients seek therapy: 1) personal growth and 2) help with gender

As early as the age of four (Vitale, 1996), some children begin to realize that the gender their body tells them they are, and the gender their mind tells them they are don't correspond. The sense of gender and the anatomical sex of a person mature at different times and different regions of the body (Vitale, 1997b). Sometimes the gendermap, the template within the mind of a person that codes for masculinity, femininity and androgyny doesn't coincide with the body of the individual (Vitale, 1997a). This condition is commonly referred to as Gender Identity Disorder (GID). GID is characterized by unrelenting confusion or discomfort of one's own

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5) made changes to ensure clinical care that is proper and without stigma for individuals with gender dysphoria. The DSM-5 does provide an overarching diagnosis, but with specific criteria for children and for adolescents and adults (DSM, 2013). A marked discrepancy between the individual’s communicated gender and his or her natal gender must be ongoing at least six months (Parekh, 2016). Children and adults must verbalize or show a desire to be the other gender under the guidelines of DSM-5. Children must meet six of the eight listed criteria, which are: strong desire to be the other gender or insisting one is the

After the depathologization of homosexuality, the DSM included yet another disorder known as gender identity disorder (GID) (Ross, 2009; Kamens, 2011). The following are some symptoms listed under this disorder: a strong cross-gender identification, continued discomfort with one’s biological sex, and that these disturbances cause clinically significant distress or impairment in all functioning aspects of life (Hozid, 2013). The populations that became stigmatized with this new diagnosis were the transgender and queer communities. Rather than focusing on the difficulty that the individual may be experiencing due to the mismatch between their biological sex and identified gender, the DSM-IV emphasized that it is gender variance that is the source of problems for the individual’s mental well-being (Ross, 2009). Again, society’s construction of what is “correct” oppresses those who do not find themselves belonging in the gender binary. With the rising momentum in the transgender movement, GID was removed from the DSM in the year of 2012 and renamed as gender dysphoria (Erickson-Schroth, 2014). While it appears that field of mental health was becoming more conscientious of its role in politics and culture, this relabeling is not without problems, nor does it serve as a real solution to issues arising in the mental health

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

This paper summarizes the criteria and research on Gender Dysphoria (GD). GD is a marked incongruence between one’s experienced or expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least six months’ duration. Gender Identity Disorder (GID) taken from the DSM-IV was replaced with GD in the DSM-V because there was nothing wrong with a gender’s identity and because there are more descriptions for the disorder. There is an emotional disturbance among gender dysphoric individuals as they are not happy with their identity or gender. Studies show that the mismatch of the gender causes distress and that sexual reassignment surgery is the most successful as effective treatments. This study will explore the significant factors affecting gender dysphoric children and adults through literature reviews. It will aim to identify treatment approaches and its outcome among the population.