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what is gender dysphoria? - a thread
gender dysphoria is a condition where a person feels a mismatch between their gender and/or sex and experiences discomfort/distress due to this
gender dysphoria is a condition where a person feels a mismatch between their gender and/or sex and experiences discomfort/distress due to this
gender dysphoria is very similar to the definition of being trans, as trans means “not identifying with your assigned gender and sex” thus there is a ‘mismatch’
to understand the complexity of dysphoria, there are two components: social and physical
to understand the complexity of dysphoria, there are two components: social and physical
these two components are caused by environmental and biological factors.
social dysphoria is distress with the societal constructs around your assigned gender and/or sex. for example, being called the pronouns/gender assigned to you, wearing clothes assigned to your gender,
social dysphoria is distress with the societal constructs around your assigned gender and/or sex. for example, being called the pronouns/gender assigned to you, wearing clothes assigned to your gender,
your hair being too short or too long, your height, etc. social dysphoria is always caused by environmental factors, regardless of whether it leads to physical discomfort
for e.g being uncomfortable with your height is because it is common for people of the male sex to be taller than people who are female, but this is a construct that society has created to view as being normal. therefore if you fall outwith the common traits of a particular sex,
you’re going to feel uncomfortable for not fitting in and desire being the average height
physical dysphoria is distress with your assigned sex due to biological mismatch, however this is still in early research. for example, being uncomfortable with your body, tone of voice,
physical dysphoria is distress with your assigned sex due to biological mismatch, however this is still in early research. for example, being uncomfortable with your body, tone of voice,
muscle mass, body hair, sexual organs, etc. society influences the way we view gender and sex, therefore it is possible for society to cause physical dysphoria. however it is still possible to experience physical dysphoria outwith societal influence
although sex is also a social construct, there are real and visible differences between sexes. this is where physical dysphoria stems from when gender identity does not match your sex. usually social and physical dysphoria coexist
if you’re ftm, here are some examples of what dysphoria may present as:
* not wanting to speak because of the pitch of your voice
* “hating your body"
* not wanting to look in the mirror
* not being able to shower
* not being able to use the toilet
* not wanting to speak because of the pitch of your voice
* “hating your body"
* not wanting to look in the mirror
* not being able to shower
* not being able to use the toilet
* not being able to look at your body
* recognising your body for what it is but your parts are “misplaced”/“not supposed to be there”/“supposed to be there”
* understanding that your body is female, but that it should be male
* being uncomfortable with the shape of your body
* recognising your body for what it is but your parts are “misplaced”/“not supposed to be there”/“supposed to be there”
* understanding that your body is female, but that it should be male
* being uncomfortable with the shape of your body
* being distressed with fat redistribution
* wanting natural muscle mass in men (not huge muscles, just the natural development of muscles in males)
* wanting a male voice
* being uncomfortable with intimacy
* wanting more body hair
* wanting a male hair line
* wanting a penis
* wanting natural muscle mass in men (not huge muscles, just the natural development of muscles in males)
* wanting a male voice
* being uncomfortable with intimacy
* wanting more body hair
* wanting a male hair line
* wanting a penis
* phantom penis
* not being being able to leave the house
* being disconnected from your biological sex (organs/outer appearance/what your body is capable of)
* being jealous over the male body
* forgetting people see you as female as you unconsciously believe you are male
* not being being able to leave the house
* being disconnected from your biological sex (organs/outer appearance/what your body is capable of)
* being jealous over the male body
* forgetting people see you as female as you unconsciously believe you are male
* uncomfortable going into public female bathrooms
* feeling like you belong in the male bathroom
* being upset when people do not recognise you as the gender you are
* standing to pee
* not being able to look down at your body
* feeling like you belong in the male bathroom
* being upset when people do not recognise you as the gender you are
* standing to pee
* not being able to look down at your body
if you’re mtf, here is some examples of what dysphoria may present as:
* not wanting to speak because of the pitch of your voice
* being withdrawn
* “hating your body”
* not wanting to look in the mirror
* not being able to shower
* not being able to use the toilet
* not wanting to speak because of the pitch of your voice
* being withdrawn
* “hating your body”
* not wanting to look in the mirror
* not being able to shower
* not being able to use the toilet
* not being able to look at your body
* recognising your body for what it is but certain parts are “misplaced”/“not supposed to be there”/“supposed to be there”
* being uncomfortable with the shape of your body
* being distressed with body redistribution
* wanting softer skin
* recognising your body for what it is but certain parts are “misplaced”/“not supposed to be there”/“supposed to be there”
* being uncomfortable with the shape of your body
* being distressed with body redistribution
* wanting softer skin
* being uncomfortable with intimacy
* being uncomfortable with masturbation
* wanting lack of muscles
* wanting high female voice
* wanting less body hair
* wanting female hair line
* wanting a vagina
* being uncomfortable with masturbation
* wanting lack of muscles
* wanting high female voice
* wanting less body hair
* wanting female hair line
* wanting a vagina
* not being able to leave the house
* being disconnected from your biological sex (organs/outer appearance/what your body is capable of)
* being jealous over female body
* forgetting people see you as male as you unconsciously believe you are female
* being disconnected from your biological sex (organs/outer appearance/what your body is capable of)
* being jealous over female body
* forgetting people see you as male as you unconsciously believe you are female
* being uncomfortable going into public male bathrooms and feel like you belong in the female bathroom
* being upset when people do not recognise you as the gender you are
* sitting to pee
* not being able to look down at your body
* being upset when people do not recognise you as the gender you are
* sitting to pee
* not being able to look down at your body
it is possible for many things listed above to be caused by environmental influences, so it is important to be able to analyse yourself and where they maybe be coming from before assuming it is gender dysphoria
dysphoria is not just wanting to dress in clothes of the other gender or present as another gender. this is being gender non-conforming sometimes known as being “tomboy”, “butch”, “fem”, “girly”. trans people can be gender non-conforming
although “passing” (a term to describe people who successfully present in line with the gender/sex binary) alleviates dysphoria in social situations, the body is the primary issue in transsexual people and social transition is not enough to alleviate that
this is why many transsexual people medically transition, but not all transsexual people *will* transition. if there is no dysphoria upon being naked, this is often an issue with your assigned gender and the beliefs society has constructed around your gender
some behaviours that are not gender dysphoria:
* jealousy over what men/women can do
* wanting to be taken seriously
* wanting to do thing’s people of the other gender do
* having interests that align more with the other gender
* jealousy over what men/women can do
* wanting to be taken seriously
* wanting to do thing’s people of the other gender do
* having interests that align more with the other gender
* wanting to present as the other gender (through clothes, etc. some people just like to gender fuck or be androgynous and there’s nothing wrong with that. gender non-conforming cis people exist)
* you get on better with the other gender
* you get on better with the other gender
* you believe it will be easier to be a woman/man
* you want to be feminine/masculine
* you want to be the dominant/submissive person in the relationship
* you believe it will be easier to be a straight male/female, etc.
* you want to be feminine/masculine
* you want to be the dominant/submissive person in the relationship
* you believe it will be easier to be a straight male/female, etc.
there is also atypical dysphoria, where a person experiences distress with some parts of their sex, or gender, but not all
social dysphoria is caused by environmental factors such as internalised sexism, sexualisation, homophobia, trauma, abuse, etc.
social dysphoria is caused by environmental factors such as internalised sexism, sexualisation, homophobia, trauma, abuse, etc.
therefore can lead to physical distress with your body and gender
dysphoria is not “hating your body” - ‘hating’ is an emotional reaction to dysphoria. dysphoria is often on a scale from mild, moderate to severe and can fluctuate
dysphoria is not “hating your body” - ‘hating’ is an emotional reaction to dysphoria. dysphoria is often on a scale from mild, moderate to severe and can fluctuate
it may be noticeable for a few hours and calm down or even feel like it’s “disappeared” for a few days or possibly weeks, depending on your coping strategies
it is possible to manage dysphoria by the activities you do and keeping your mind active with other things, as medical transition is not always the path to alleviate dysphoria for some people
some important questions to ask yourself:
* do I wish I was male/female so I could dress stereotypically male/female without being judged?
* do I wish I was male/female so that I could like ____ without being judged or seen as ‘weird’?
* do I wish I was male/female so I could dress stereotypically male/female without being judged?
* do I wish I was male/female so that I could like ____ without being judged or seen as ‘weird’?
* do I think I am male/female because I fit in better with the other gender?”
* do I think it would be easier to be male than a lesbian or gender non-conforming female?
* do I think it would be easier to be female than a gay or gender non-conforming male?
* do I think it would be easier to be male than a lesbian or gender non-conforming female?
* do I think it would be easier to be female than a gay or gender non-conforming male?
* do I unhealthily hate my birth sex? why? is it sexist? trauma?
* do I feel like I could never be what a ‘normal’ girl or boy is supposed to be like?
* do I feel like I could never be what a ‘normal’ girl or boy is supposed to be like?
* is past bullying/abuse/etc causing me my current distress?
* do I dislike/hate my body because I feel it is ugly and being the opposite sex would make me look more attractive?
* do I dislike/hate my body because I feel it is ugly and being the opposite sex would make me look more attractive?
* am I uncomfortable with my male body because I want to be ‘soft’, ‘gentle’ and ‘feminine’, but I feel like male characteristics are too ugly to be that way?
* am I uncomfortable with my female body because of how society sexualises my body?
* am I uncomfortable with my female body because of how society sexualises my body?
* am I tired of being shamed and bullied into performing femininity/masculinity and feeling ‘terrified’ or ‘upset’ when I don’t?
* Am I trying to escape from something about myself by creating a new identity to distance myself from trauma?
* Am I trying to escape from something about myself by creating a new identity to distance myself from trauma?
* do I feel like my homosexuality is disgusting and unnatural, and therefore my body is also disgusting and unnatural?
* am I jealous of my female/male peers because of how they are treated and viewed?
* am I jealous of my female/male peers because of how they are treated and viewed?
* am I tired of romantic partners behaving towards me in ways that correspond to my gender role; e.g. men being dominant towards me if I am female or women being submissive towards me if I am male?
* am I tired of romantic partners assuming things about me in ways that correspond to my gender role; e.g. men assuming I want to get pregnant and raise children/that I am fragile and timid if I am female/that I should do all the housework?
* am I tired of women assuming I want to financially support them/that I am always interested in sex if I am male/that I should be the dominant one if I am male?
If you said yes for one or more of these questions, it is very likely you are being influenced by societal/environmental factors
there is a misconception that only trans people experience dysphoria. the history of gender dysphoria, previously known as gender identity disorder and transvestism, included people who are gender variant, gay and lesbian and crossdressers
this is because there was no understanding or consensus on the difference between sexuality, gender identity and gender role. it was led to believe that homosexual people were ‘hermaphrodites’ due to same gender/sex attraction
as explained above, social and physical dysphoria can occur from environmental factors and the symptoms that are displayed correspond with the gender dysphoria diagnosis
because there is no difference stated between dysphoria caused by environment and dysphoria caused by biology, the two types are gender dysphoria
this also means that although transgender people often experience social dysphoria, and transsexual people experience physical dysphoria, they are both identified as being trans
