History of Transgender Medicine in the United States

Although transgender people have been described throughout the world since early humans began keeping records, the history of medical intervention for individuals with gender dysphoria (distress caused by a discrepancy between assigned sex at birth and gender identity) dates back just to the start of the 20th century. Medical and mental health providers have spent the last hundred years developing an understanding of transgenderism, as well as language that accurately reflects patient experience and that can be used to guide treatment. The history of transgender health in the United States is tied to the history of medical research and technology, the popular press, academic thought, and various human rights movements. It is peppered with accounts of extraordinary individuals whose voices have shaped social change, often ...