Chapter 24 - Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria describes the conflict between one’s gender identity and their natal sex. Gender identity is the sense that one identifies themselves as male or female. Natal sex refers to the actual biological sex of the individual. The central conflict in gender dysphoria is the inconsistency between the individual’s personal feelings and their body. Individuals with gender dysphoria suffer from a variety of distress including anxiety and depression, stigma, rejection by society. More research is needed to determine the etiology of gender dysphoria. Some theories suggest a biological cause where prenatal exposure to varying levels of sex hormones influences gender development.  Gender dysphoria is relatively rare and the rates of gender dysphoria vary among countries, with rates ranging from 1.0–2.2% in various subsections of populations. Treatment for gender dysphoria involves helping individuals to change their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Treatment can also involve helping individuals to change their gender or sex through surgical and pharmacological options. An individual who was born female and changes to a male is referred to as a female-to-male transsexual or affirmed female. An individual who was born male and changes to a female is referred to as a male-to-female transsexual or affirmed male. There exists a category of treatments that are based upon changing the individual’s gender identity (repartitive therapy) and these therapies are generally regarded as ineffective if not possibly damaging.