Gender dysphoria

Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress or discomfort a person feels due to a mismatch between their gender identity—their personal sense of their own gender—and their sex assigned at birth. This incongruence can lead to significant distress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues for individuals experiencing it.

History of Terminology

Prior to the release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in 2013, the diagnostic label for gender dysphoria was gender identity disorder (GID). The name change to gender dysphoria was intended to remove the stigma associated with the term "disorder" and to emphasize the distress associated with the condition, rather than the gender identity itself.

Declassification Debate

Some researchers and transgender individuals advocate for the declassification of gender dysphoria as a mental health condition. They argue that the current diagnosis pathologizes gender variance and reinforces the binary model of gender, contributing to the stigmatization and marginalization of transgender people.

However, others argue that maintaining gender dysphoria as a recognized medical condition is important for ensuring access to appropriate medical care and insurance coverage for transgender individuals seeking treatments such as hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries.

Summary

Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person feels due to a mismatch between their gender identity—their personal sense of their own gender—and their sex assigned at birth. The diagnostic label gender identity disorder (GID) was used until 2013 with the release of the DSM-5. The condition was renamed to remove the stigma associated with the term disorder. Some researchers and transgender people support declassification of the condition because they say the diagnosis pathologizes gender variance and reinforces the binary model of gender.

Gender dysphoria Resources
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