Breaking down stigmas related to sexual issues has become increasingly standard. These are increasingly common topics in the public debate, and they are pertinent to the extent that they can bring quality of life to people with gender dysphoria.

However, many subjects and concepts still seem difficult to understand and mysterious, far from a focus of discussion that should, in fact, be brought closer together. Among these subjects, gender dysphoria is one that is still poorly elucidated.

After all, is it an illness, a psychiatric disorder, or not? The following article aims to inform about how to identify the causes, ways to deal with it, and possible treatments for gender dysphoria, as well as its relation to transsexuality. Let's unveil this concept to welcome those who experience it and make this world a better place?

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria disorder is a condition determined by the feeling of dissatisfaction between one's biological sex (the genital characteristics one is born with) and one's internal sense of belonging to the female, male, mixed, or neutral sex (defined as gender identity).

The subject has already been addressed in the film "The Danish Girl" (2015), a biographical drama about Lili Ebe, a Danish painter of the 1920s who became one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment surgery or transgenitalization. Lili was born with male genital characteristics, but discovers herself to be a woman when her wife asks her to dress in female clothes for aphoto shoot.

In the film, the process of gender dysphoria happens in the painter's adulthood, but it is common for it to present itself in childhood and adolescence as well.

How to identify gender dysphoria?

People with gender dysphoria and the consequent feeling of incompatibility cause feelings of distress, stress, discomfort and even depression. Some symptoms are:

Symptoms in children

• They prefer to dress like people of the opposite sex;
• They constantly claim that they are of the opposite sex;
• They show dissatisfaction with their genitals;
• They often choose to play games related to the opposite sex.

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Symptoms in Adolescents and Adults

• Strong desire to prevent the development of their sexual characteristics (during adolescence);
• Dress in clothes often associated with the opposite sex.
• Those who do not recognize their gender dysphoria until adulthood may also develop depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior.

What are the causes?

Some theories try to explain the causes of gender dysphoria and they can have biological, psychological or socio-cultural factors. Some biological studies analyze animal behavior, the correlation between male and female hormones and the behavior associated with both sexes, neurobiology and genetics.

Psychological approaches such as psychoanalysis, based on the mother-child relationship and or seeing it as a reflection of mental disorders, and psychodrama are concerned with trying to find reasons for the existence of gender dysphoria.

According to psychiatrist George Brown, an expert in gender identity disorders at East Tennessee State University, gender dysphoria is estimated to occur in five to 14 out of every thousand babies whose birth sex is male and in two to three out of every thousand babies whose birth sex is female.

How to deal with gender dysphoria?

Supporting and welcoming people who have gender dysphoria is essential to give them the strength to cope with the situation. As explained, dysphoria can trigger depression and, in some cases, suicidal behavior. Feeling accepted and loved by the people around you can be essential to get through turbulent times.

However, being present and providing sentimental support to those in this condition is not enough. It is essential that the person has individualized and constant accompaniment from a team made up of several professionals, in order to create a healthy and supportive environment for the person's decisions.

Can gender dysphoria be cured?

Gender dysphoria can be treated. People who develop depressive or anxiety disorders may need psychotherapy, which consists of weekly meetings with a psychologist, in order to learn how to deal with the feelings that cause emotional discomfort.

Another avenue of treatment is hormone therapy. Often, people with gender dysphoria adopt behaviors and clothing of the opposite sex, and hormone therapy aims to alter secondary sex characteristics to make this process more fluid. It consists of the continuous use of drugs that decrease the production of sex hormones to minimize characteristics of the birth sex.

Finally, gender reassignment surgery can be a treatment for gender dysphoria and aims to reshape the genitals according to the desired sex. The surgery can be performed on both sexes and is irreversible.

What are the relationships between gender dysphoria and transsexuality?

Gender dysphoria is sometimes a condition that precedes transsexuality, and it is natural for some sufferers to decide to become transsexual. Transsexuality can be considered the most extreme form of gender dysphoria, in which most sufferers have a strong desire to change their body by surgical means to conform to their gender identity.

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It should be noted that gender dysphoria is not related to sexual orientation. In France, gender dysphoria has no longer been considered a mental disorder since 2010, and the World Health Organization is also committed to following the same path.

Researching and seeking information about human conditions other than your own is one way to create a more empathetic and respectful society. Great strides have already been made towards a more inclusive world, but there is still a lot to do. Proposing debates about identity agendas and being anti-prejudice can be good ways towards a better place.