Identity Defying Biology
Gender Dysphoria
What is Gender Dysphoria?
It is important to remember that gender identity is different than sexuality preference of a person and is, rather than who they prefer to have relationships or sex with, a reflection of what gender they believe themselves as in their own minds.
What causes Gender Dysphoria?
Treatment Options for Gender Dysphoria
Myths about Gender Dysphoria
People choose to be transgender. FALSE. Most experts believe that gender dysphoria has a biological basis (Blunden & Dale, 2009).
All people who are transgender want to change their body to have the sexual organs of the other sex. FALSE. Not all people who have gender dysphoria want to have gender reassignment surgery. Many cases of extreme gender dysphoria will feel the need for surgical alteration but many transgender individuals live healthy lives with the body they were born with.
Transgender individuals are homosexuals. FALSE. Sexuality is an independent variable to gender identity. A person's sexual orientation is not changed because they feel born in the wrong body (Zucker, 2013).
Seek support for Gender Dysphoria
References
Blunden, P., & Dale, J. (2009). Gender dysphoria: time for positive thinking. Mental Health Practice, 12(7), 16-19.
Zucker, K. K., Cohen-Kettenis, P., Drescher, J., Meyer-Bahlburg, H., Pfäfflin, F., & Womack, W. (2013). Memo Outlining Evidence for Change for Gender Identity Disorder in the DSM-5. Archives Of Sexual Behavior, 42(5), 901-914.