In the modern world, the term "gender dysphoria" is used quite often. What is such a mysterious disorder? Is it really possible to solve such a problem exclusively by surgery? What is the reason for this violation? These questions interest many people.
What is commonly called gender dysphoria?
It is unlikely that an average person will ever experience discomfort or dissatisfaction with his own gender. But, alas, this is not always the case. Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person simply cannot accept his gender status.
Congenital sexual characteristics and the appearance of a person with a similar violation do not correspond to how he feels inside. For example, gender dysphoria in women is expressed in the fact that, despite a set of genital organs, they feel like men and, conversely, men consider themselves women. Such a dissonance between the appearance and characteristics of the psyche is difficult to tolerate by a person, causing constant anxiety, suffering and disappointment.
Gender Dysphoria: Causes
A few years ago, this phenomenon was considered a mental disorder, and people with a similar diagnosis were recommended courses of psychotherapy. But recent studies have determined that gender dysphoria is not a mental illness or disorder. In most cases, this condition is associated with a violation of certain biochemical and physiological processes that are responsible for the development of sexual identity, and these disorders appear even in the period of intrauterine development. On the other hand, active research on this issue has only just begun, and scientists and researchers have yet to figure out the exact causes of such changes.
Gender Dysphoria: Symptoms
In fact, the first signs of this condition can be seen in childhood, and in different children it is expressed differently. Here are just a few of the most common symptoms that accompany gender dysphoria:
- Refusal of the model of behavior characteristic of the gender of the child. Instead, there is a desire to participate in games or events with children of the opposite sex.
- Refusal or dislike of clothing worn by other children of the same gender.
- Rejection of the generally accepted method of urination, for example, girls can write while standing, and boys, on the contrary, while sitting.
- The hostility to their own genitals and the hope of getting rid of them in the future.
- Persistent attempts to prove their belonging to the opposite sex.
- For such children, the appearance of signs of puberty becomes a real tragedy (for example, boys do not like voice changes and characteristic hairiness, and for girls, the appearance of a breast becomes extremely severe stress).
In fact, gender dysphoria can look different. In some people, signs appear almost from infancy, while in others they occur during puberty. Each case of violation of gender identity is unique in its manifestations.
Disorder Classification: Harry Benjamin's Gender Identity Scale
The first attempt to create a classification system for violations of sexual identification is the so-called Benjamin scale, which consists of six categories:
- Pseudo-transvestism.
- Fetish transvestism.
- True transvestism.
- Non-op transsexualism.
- Nuclear transsexualism with an average degree of gender dysphoria.
- Nuclear transsexualism with severe gender dysphoria.
Child gender nonconformity and its consequences
Gender non-conformity is a condition in which there is a violation of the correspondence between gender and a model of human behavior. By the way, they say about non-conformity if the disorder is diagnosed in children. What is the discrepancy? For example, a pre-adolescent child may identify with the opposite sex. For example, little boys love to dress up in dresses, girls play traditionally boyish games, etc. Often, such a violation is one of the first signs of gender dysphoria, and sometimes leads to the development of homo- or bisexuality in the future.
Are there effective treatments?
Of course, methods of helping people suffering from problems with gender identity are only just beginning to be developed. First of all, such patients need the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist. Classes with a specialist help people realize the characteristics of their personality and come to terms with them. In addition, patients with gender dysphoria often simply cannot adapt in society, as they suffer from a lack of understanding from relatives, acquaintances, and even strangers. These problems can also be solved with therapy sessions. Of course, these are far from all correction methods for people with a diagnosis of “gender dysphoria” - treatment may be more radical.
In some cases, with the help of special procedures, a person is helped to change sexual characteristics. For example, using hormonal drugs, you can change the physiological characteristics of the body, making a man look like a woman and vice versa. Naturally, the surgical procedure to change the sex, which, alas, is not suitable for everyone with similar problems, is considered the most effective means.
Does everyone need a sex change operation?
Quite often, the only way to improve a person’s life is a sex change operation. With such surgical intervention, women are removed from the uterus, and the male genital organs reproduce from the patient’s own tissues and special implants. Men, on the contrary, are relieved of the external genitalia by forming a female vagina from their own tissues.
Of course, before going to the surgeon’s table, the patient undergoes a lot of research, as doctors first need to make sure that there is indeed gender dysphoria and whether a person can cope with the consequences of the operation. For example, there are some standard patient requirements. To begin with, it is worth noting that they all must be adults. In addition, a person who wants to change sex must undergo a series of psychological tests that make it possible to determine the absence of mental illness.
Sex change helps a person create a balance between different facets of his personality. In turn, this gives the patient a sense of integrity, happiness and harmony.
Lack of treatment and its consequences
For many people with normal gender identity, questions about gender reassignment surgery are truly perplexing, and the phenomenon of gender dysphoria is perceived as a kind of quirk. In fact, transsexuality is by no means a whim, and gender reassignment is the only way out. After all, as already mentioned, the mismatch between gender and consciousness affects the mental state of a person. For example, the denial of the problem, the lack of understanding among others and the inability to get rid of one’s own thoughts and desires cause constant emotional discomfort, suffering and pain, which often leads to clinical depression, drug or alcohol dependence, and the development of suicidal tendencies.