The, Or Gender Dysphoria

Discussion of issues related to non-normative sexual and gender identities as related to mental health began in the 19th century (Drescher, 2010). Initially medical and psychiatric providers viewed issues related to gender identity as resulting from delusional thought processes (Drescher, 2010). As a result the concept of surgery as a solution to gender identity differences was viewed as unnecessary and ultimately an incorrect form of treatment (Drescher, 2010). In 1952 the first gender reassignment surgery was performed in Denmark on an American citizen (Drescher, 2010). The publicity in the American media that followed this surgery brought the concept of gender identity to the public eye. During the 1960s research about gender identity started to develop and it was the work of Money, Stoller, Benjamin, and Green that ultimately change professional and public concept of Gender Identity (Drescher, 2010). These four individuals were among the first to conduct clinical and academic research on gender identity and gender roles (Drescher, 2010). As a result of their research beliefs about non-normative gender identity shifted from a problem of the mind to a biological disorder that was fixed and should be treated with

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,

Gender Dysphoria is a name given to the condition of children who express a gender that is opposite of their biologically given gender. Children and teens who present and verbalize the desire to be of the opposite gender for at least six months are then diagnosed and treated medically. This issue is ethically controversial due to many parents, medical doctors, mental professionals, and myself believing that biological gender identification is not fully understood until puberty has taken place, noticing that children are exposed to transgender terminology and situations on the internet that are persuasive and confusing, and being concerned about the medications used to treat a disorder that can barely be explained and is misunderstood. Medications such as hormone blockers and opposite-sex hormones have become readily available to them without any long term testing. Not only should parents, doctors, professionals, and society be concerned about the safety of these medications, we should be asking ourselves, is gender dysphoria even a medical condition that should be treated with drugs or is it a psychological disorder that should be treated with therapy? Gender Dysphoria is a condition in children and teens that the general population does not understand, however, after doing research I believe the definition of gender dysphoria is

Gender dysphoria is one of the characterizing aspects of being transgender, and while not all transgender people experience this, for those who do mental health often suffers; for this reason many consider medical treatment necessary to improve their well-being. Gender dysphoria, as described by the DSM-5, “manifests in a variety of ways, including strong desires to be treated as the other gender or to be rid of one’s sex characteristics” (Kupfer). It’s often accompanied with distress, which can lead to depression, anxiety, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts. In fact, suicide is all too common in transgender people. A survey of over 6,000 transgender people done in 2010 found that 41% had attempted suicide at some point in their lives (Grant 82). This high number is a trend that continues to be reflected in other surveys, such as one in

There’s been a lot of debate on the treatment of transgenders, in efforts to better the lives of those who suffer from gender dysphoria, both in a social and medical context. However, there isn’t much scientific understanding of the important ideas and questions that have sparked these debates. For instance, there haven’t been any explanations as to why, even after gender affirming and sex reassignment, transgenders are still at higher risks of mortality and suicidal behaviour than the general population (Dhejne et al. 2011). Despite this lack of understanding physicians and mental health care providers have arrived at a number of methods for treating individuals with gender dysphoria. One such practice is “gender-affirming,” rather than challenging, the therapist accepts

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

However, many people whose “appearance or behavior is gender nonconforming will identify as a transgender person” (APA Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Office). There are many different types of transgender as well. People who identify as other than transgender usually self-identify as genderqueer, genderfluid, “androgynous, multigendered, gender nonconforming, third gender, and two-spirit” (APA Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Office). The meanings of these labels vary from individual to individual. Gender identity is a very personal subject, shaped by and individual’s experiences and values. Gender variance can be seen on a spectrum, varying between cross-dressing individuals who are comfortable with their biological sex, to individuals who experience extreme dysphoria when dealing with the conflict between their gender and sex. There is not yet a determined cause for the reason people identify as transgender. Scientists have reasoned that “genetic influences and prenatal hormone levels, early experiences, and experiences later in adolescence or adulthood” likely contribute, but are not the sole causes (APA Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Office). Lack of research into the psychology of gender variance is likely due to the social stigma attached to people whose identities fall outside the socially accepted gender

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.

While gender dysphoria is not necessarily a mental illness in itself, more than 71% of people with gender dysphoria develop another mood disorder in their lifetime, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and/or suicidal thoughts (WebMD). Children are especially affected, and according to the American Psychiatric Association, many adolescents find themselves alone and rejected, and are oftentimes unable to shower or wear a bathing suit. Many even undertake self-harm behaviors. The significant distress caused by dysphoria must persist for 2 years for a diagnosis to be made and treatment to begin. Treatment usually includes a social and physical transition into the gender the patient feels that they are. A social transition almost always includes correct bathroom

In recent years, a growing body of research and literature from a variety of professional organizations, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH), has attempted to better understand and meet the needs of transgender individuals and the clinicians who provide their care. This is reflective of a societal shift towards inclusion, as well as a growing number of transgender individuals on the caseloads of clinicians. The APA, for example, made changes to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013 to reduce stigma and improve clinical care available to the transgender community. Specifically, the DSM-5, “changed gender identity

A Swedish study performed over 30 years (1973-2003) attempts to evaluate the mental health stability of transgendered patient having undergone some form of sex reassignment surgery or hormonal treatment. The study was attempted to help better clarify the outcomes of sex reassignments impact on gender dysphoria as previous studies seemed to have inconsistent results. The study took a mix of 324 reassigned male-to-females and female-to-males and followed them long term after their sex reassignments. The results of the study showed that the sex reassigned individuals did not experience a better quality of life or mental stability after their reassignment and were actually worse off than their birth sex counter parts because of increased number of suicides, psychiatric morbidity rates, and higher health issues overall possibly due to lack of overall treatment.

One percent out of ten thousand people that were tested in an area have some sort of gender dysphoria. Treatment for that disorder? Therapy for many, many years is really the only thing doctors recommend. A person would have to be in therapy for at least two years with those same feelings, to get diagnosed with gender identity disorder. I found it very intriguing that the sources online list causes, symptoms and etcetera. It is amusing how people think if they do not understand something, they need a medical cognition. Oh well, I suppose people like myself will just have to come to terms with

Previous to the 19th century, most intersexual individuals led ordinary lives. Their genital difference was mostly accepted as part of the difference which occurs in nature. Intersex was never a health problem (Daaboul, 2000). It was in the 19th century where intersex became a medicalized and individuals born intersex were categorized as “abnormal” and “diseased” (Daaboul, 2000). The drive of medicine in the last century has been to “cure” intersexed individuals by using surgical, hormonal and psychological therapies to make them clearly female or male. However, the practical and psychological outcomes of this approach have been poor. Many intersexed individuals have suffered severe mental and bodily damage from medicine’s efforts to make them

The study’s hypothesis was to determine whether the cortical thickness (CTh) pattern in transsexuals before hormonal treatment follows their biological sex or their gender identity (p. 2855). Zubiaurre-Elorza et. al had about ninety-four participants, which were split up into four different groups; twenty-four untreated female-to-male transsexuals (FtMs), eighteen untreated male-to-female transsexuals (MtFs), and twenty-nine male and twenty-three female controls. In order to participate in the study, the individuals had 1) to present early-onset gender nonconformity, 2) to be erotically attracted to subjects with the same anatomical sex, 3) no history of previous hormonal treatment before the MRI scan, and 4) being assigned to the hormonal replacement therapy program (Zubiaurre-Elorza et. al, p. 2856). The results showed that females have a thicker cortex than males in several regions. FtMs showed the thicker cortex in the right parietal lobe and the medial left parieto-temporal regions compared against the male control group. MtFs showed that they did not differ from control females, but when compared to the male control group, MtFs have greater CTh in the right hemisphere involving the lateral and medial orbito-frontal regions, the insula, and the medial occipital cortex (p. 2857). To summarize Zubiaurre-Elorza et. al study (2012), they did not find significant differences between FtMs and female controls in CTh and MtFs did not differ from control females in any region

In this paper, I will define and use the term “transgender” according to how it has been described by Bilodeau (2005) and Bilodeau and Renn (2005). Traditionally gendered (or cisgendered) individuals are those whose biological sex at birth aligns with their male or female gender identity and behaviors. Conversely, transgendered (also referred to in this paper as trans) individuals’ gender identity or gender expression is incongruent with their biological sex and/or societal expectations. “Transgender” serves as a sort of