In today's world, the term "gender dysphoria" is used quite often. What is this mysterious disorder? Is it really possible to solve such a problem exclusively by surgery? What is the reason for this violation? These questions are of interest to many people.
What is commonly referred to as gender dysphoria?
It is unlikely that the average person ever experiences discomfort or dissatisfaction with their own gender. But, alas, this is not always the case. Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person simply cannot accept their gender status.
The innate sexual characteristics and appearance of a person with such a disorder do not correspond to how he feels inside. For example, gender dysphoria in women is expressed in the fact that, despite the set of genitals, they feel like men and, conversely, men consider themselves women. Such a dissonance between appearance and mental characteristics is hard to bear by a person, causing constant anxiety, suffering and disappointment.
Gender dysphoria:reasons
A few years ago, this phenomenon was considered a mental disorder, and people with a similar diagnosis were recommended courses of psychotherapy. But recent research has determined that gender dysphoria is not a mental illness or disorder. In most cases, such a 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 during fetal development. On the other hand, active research into this issue has just begun, and scientists and researchers have yet to figure out the exact reasons for such changes.
Gender dysphoria symptoms
In fact, the first signs of this condition can be noticed even in childhood, and in different children it is expressed in different ways. Here are just some of the most common symptoms that accompany gender dysphoria:
- Rejection of the model of behavior characteristic of the representatives of the sex of the child. Instead, there is a desire to participate in games or activities with children of the opposite sex.
- Rejection or dislike of clothes worn by other children of the same sex.
- Rejection of the conventional way of urination, for example, girls can pee while standing, while boys, on the contrary, sitting.
- Dislike of one's own genitals and hopes to get rid of them in the future.
- Persistent attempts to prove their belonging to the opposite sex.
- For suchFor children, the appearance of signs of puberty becomes a real tragedy (for example, boys do not like voice changes and characteristic hair growth, and for girls, the appearance of breasts becomes extremely stressful).
In fact, gender dysphoria can look different. In some people, symptoms appear almost from infancy, while in others they appear during puberty. Each case of gender identity violation is unique in its manifestations.
Disorder Classification: Harry Benjamin Gender Identity Scale
The first attempt to create a classification system for gender identity disorders is the so-called Benjamin scale, which consists of six categories:
- Pseudo-transvestism.
- Fetish transvestism.
- True transvestism.
- Non-op transsexualism.
- Nuclear transsexualism with moderate gender dysphoria.
- Nuclear transsexualism with severe gender dysphoria.
Children's gender non-conformity and its consequences
Gender nonconformity is a condition in which there is a violation of the correspondence between gender and a model of human behavior. By the way, they speak of non-conformity if the disorder is diagnosed in children. What is the inconsistency? For example, a pre-pubescent 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 just now beginning to be developed. First of all, such patients need the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist. Classes with a specialist help people to realize the peculiarities 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 on the part of loved ones, acquaintances, and even strangers. These issues can also be addressed through therapy sessions. Of course, these are not all methods of correction for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria - treatment can be more radical.
In some cases, with the help of special procedures, a person is helped to change sexual characteristics. For example, with the help of hormonal drugs, you can change the physiological characteristics of the body, making a man look like a woman and vice versa. Naturally, the most effective remedy is the surgical procedure for sex reassignment, which, alas, is not suitable for every person with similar problems.
Does everyone need gender reassignment surgery?
Quite often, the only way to improve a person's life is to changegender. With such a surgical intervention, women undergo a removal of the uterus, and the male genital organs are reproduced from the patient's own tissues and special implants. Men, on the contrary, get rid of the external genital organs, forming the female vagina from their own tissues.
Of course, before lying on the surgeon's table, the patient undergoes a lot of research, as doctors must first make sure that there is indeed gender dysphoria and whether the person will be able to cope with the consequences of the operation. For example, there are some standard requirements for patients. To begin with, it is worth noting that they all must be of legal age. 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.
Gender reassignment helps a person create a balance between different facets of his personality. In turn, this gives the patient a sense of wholeness, happiness and harmony.
Lack of treatment and its consequences
For many people with normal gender identity, questions about gender reassignment surgery cause sincere bewilderment, and the very phenomenon of gender dysphoria is perceived as a kind of fad. In fact, transsexuality is by no means a whim, and sex change is the only possible way out. After all, as already mentioned, the discrepancy between sex and consciousness affects the mental state of a person. For example, denial of the problem, lack of understanding among others, and inability toget rid of their own thoughts, desires cause constant emotional discomfort, suffering and pain, which often leads to clinical depression, drug or alcohol addiction, the development of suicidal tendencies.
