Some Things to Learn About Gender Dysphoria

As someone who experiences gender dysphoria on a daily basis, I wanted to include some information about it in this post for those who may also be struggling or those who have no idea what dysphoria even means. Gender dysphoria is defined as the discomfort or distress that arises from the difference of gender identity and gender assigned at birth.

A lot of people may think you need to have gender dysphoria to be transgender which is incorrect. A lot of trans individuals do not experience dysphoria and there are trans individuals that do. It is up to you and you only to determine your gender identity or gender expression. No one else should be able to tell you who you are or what you feel. Dysphoria does not determine your transness.

I recently did a photoshoot to capture some of the emotions I’ve experienced recently with gender dysphoria.

People may ask, what’s the difference between transgender and transsexual? Transgender is a non-medical term that has been used increasingly since the 1990’s as an umbrella term describing individuals whose gender identity (inner sense of gender) or gender expression (outward performance of gender) differs from the sex or gender to which they were assigned at birth. Transsexual is a historic, medical term that refers to individuals who have undergone some form of medical and/or surgical treatment for gender affirmation.

Personally, I prefer not to use the term transsexual because I do not feel that people need to know my medical/surgical history on top of knowing that I am trans. I suggest using transgender as it is an umbrella term where transsexual is not. Transsexual is also a rather outdated term.

The topic of whether dysphoria is considered an illness or not also comes up often. Being trans is not an illness. The DSM-V aims to separate the distress (gender dysphoria) which can be a disorder, from the identity of the person (being trans). People with gender dysphoria decide which treatment options are right for them, there is nothing to “fix” about being trans. However, the dysphoria is something that often needs treatment (GAHT, medical transition, etc.)

Dysphoria can feel different for everyone. It can manifest as distress, depression, anxiety, restlessness, or unhappiness. It may feel like anger or sadness. You may feel slighted or negative about your body, or that there are parts of you missing. Even after seeking medical treatment (hormones, surgery, etc.) your dysphoria does not just go away. Please do not assume that someone who is trans and who has gotten surgery will no longer have dysphoria. It comes in different ways. If you personally know someone who has gender dysphoria, don’t push them to talk about it, they will if they are ready.

As someone who experiences gender dysphoria it is extremely difficult to confide in people who do not experience it. The best way is to allow your loved ones to feel comfortable enough to confide in you about their dysphoria. Some days may be worse than others. Be patient. There are so many things that could trigger someone’s dysphoria and it can be different for every person.

Personally for me, reassurance is something that helps a lot with my dysphoria. Some things you can do are asking us what we need, suggesting a distraction, continuing to validate our experience. Just be compassionate and try your hardest to understand.