Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person feels dissatisfied with the biological sex assigned to them at birth. A person experiencing gender dysphoria typically identifies more with the sex they were not assigned and even feels an aversion to behaviors typically associated with the gender they were assigned at birth. Most scholars believe that people are born with gender dysphoria but have also documented cases in which the dysphoria does not occur until adolescence or (most uncommonly) in adulthood. Women experiencing gender dysphoria, like men in the same situation, can suffer from low self-esteem, emotional strain, and even physical pain.

Many important developments concerning gender dysphoria have occurred since the start of the 21st century. Contemporary society allows for more open discussion about gender dysphoria, compared with 30 years ago when many people automatically assigned this term (and other related terms like transvestitism and transsexuals) a negative association-usually that of perversion. The Internet, in particular, provides information and resources for not only people suffering from gender dysphoria but for their families and friends as well. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the Gender Dysphoria Organization serve as two helpful online resources. WPATH (formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association) consists of a team of sex disorder specialists who published a standards of care booklet. This booklet advocates [Page 604]fair and appropriate treatment for dysphoria patients and includes detailed advice for both clinicians and patients considering treatment or gender reassignment surgery. The Gender Dysphoria Organization aims to educate readers about gender dysphoria and provides links to personal resources, medical resources, and support networks.

According to the article “Diagnosing and Treating Gender Identity Disorder in Women,” women who experience gender dysphoria grow up feeling uncomfortable in situations in which they were confined to stereotypical female behaviors; they often identify themselves as tomboys, enjoyed sports with physical contact, and disliked wearing female clothing like dresses. Females suffering from gender dysphoria also often report unsatisfied feelings over sexual encounters with men; when these women experiencing dysphoria are sexually intimate with another female, they often serve as the male and set strict boundaries with their partner, who usually is not allowed to touch the dysphoric person's genital area. Women with gender dysphoria also feel uncomfortable with their biological female anatomy and desire biological male anatomy instead. The sincerity of some women with gender dysphoria has been questioned, simply because men-in most parts of the world-have more privileges and power than women. Similarly, some studies demonstrate that in countries where life for women is more difficult, more women experience gender dysphoria and undergo gender reassignment surgery than men.

Clinicians take gender dysphoria very seriously and, with the help of materials like WPATH's book on standards of care and other resources, can help patients live comfortably with their biologically assigned gender or undertake the necessary measures to adopt a new gender. In “Gender Dysphoria and Transgender Experiences,” Richard Carroll describes the vital steps in counseling patients with gender dysphoria. Carroll stresses the importance of chronicling a patient's gender history, paying special attention to elements like (but not limited to) how a patient played as a child, how they preferred to dress, and reactions to sexual experiences. Carroll also examines the intended outcomes when working with gender dysphoria patients, which include helping patients understand themselves as individuals and educating them (and their families) about alternatives, therapies, and gender reassignment surgery.

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