An Overview of Gender Identity Disorder

Gender Identity Disorder, also known as Gender Dysphoria, is a formal diagnosis used by doctors and psychologists for people who consider themselves to be transgendered (transexual). These individuals are not content with their biological sex and/or the normal gender roles associated with their biological sex. They usually present themselves as what the opposite of their biological sex, some going as far as to have reconstructive surgery (ie, biological females remove breasts, biological males are castrated). This disorder has recently gained more attention due to the giant LGBTQ movement that is sweeping the nation.

Some psychologists believe that Gender Identity Disorder goes beyond a behavioral or physiological abnormality and suggest that the person’s genetic makeup or prenatal exposure to hormones may cause someone to be born with or develop Gender Identity Disorder. It is also suggested it could be due to lack of normal childhood bonding experiences, or traumatic sexual experiences during childhood, or a combination of these two factors.

Despite the fact that the disorder is fairly rare (affecting approximately .2% of the entire world population), it can be found in both adults and children, across all demographics, and across all locations. However, it is slightly more common in biological males than in biological females. Although most people state that they recognize that they have a gender identity issue during early childhood, many do not act upon it until after adolescence. However due to a recent increase recognition of the disorder by medical professionals and the general public alike, an increasing number of transgender children are receiving puberty blockers, or injected hormones that stop the normal pubescent process of the biological sex of the child.

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The child can then wait to make a decision as whether to continue to develop as their biological sex or to receive hormone treatment for their desired sex. There are many legalities surrounding this issue it has become a huge controversy in the medical field.

The first signs of Gender Dysphoria can be expressed as early as age 2. The child express the desire to be the opposite sex, play with toys normally assigned to the opposite sex, or picks out clothing normally assigned to the opposite sex. As the child gets older, they may become disgusted with their own genitals, in severe cases biological males have been known to attempt to remove their own genitalia. Biological female children will refuse to sit when urinating. In addition to this, people with Gender Dysphoria often lack a sense of belonging and can often develop depression or anxiety, especially in children or adolescents.

Although it can not be cured, there are many ways to manage Gender Dysphoria, varying in extremity. Some people are content with just dressing as their desired sex, or performing activities outside of their normal gender role. Others inject hormones in order to feel and behave more like the opposite (desired) sex. In rare cases, people undergo intense and complex transition surgeries to have a all the physical attributes of their desired sex. However, these surgeries can be expensive and usually are not covered by normal insurance policies. Overall, Gender Dysphoria is a highly manageable disorder in comparison to other mental disorders with very high success rates among those affected by it.