Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria describes the discomfort and incongruence experienced when the sex a person is assigned at birth does not match their internal sense of their own gender. Gender dysphoria can be mild or profound, can start in early childhood or later life, and can increase over time. The majority of people who experience gender dysphoria identify as trans, particularly many trans women and men, but also some nonbinary trans individuals. The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which was published in 2013, uses the nomenclature of “Gender Dysphoria” to describe the diagnostic criteria necessary to receive medical and surgical treatment. The prescribed treatment involves affirming each person’s unique gender identity and expression and providing access to hormonal and ...