Gender dysphoria - Definition 

Defining gender dysphoria 

Gender dysphoria is a complex condition. People who have it believe that they were somehow born into the wrong body, and they often prefer to live as a member of the opposite sex.

Transsexuals

Transsexuals have a life-long and extreme form of gender dysphoria. They seek to alter their sex using hormone treatment and surgery. A person who seeks to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone surgery to alter their sex (also known as transition) may be known as:

  • a trans man (female to male)
  • a trans woman (male to female)

The term ‘transsexual’ should not be confused with transvestitism or cross-dressing, which involves dressing as the opposite sex for emotional or sexual pleasure.

Transvestites

Transvestites are content with their gender identity but enjoy the fantasy of pretending to be a member of the opposite sex. It is also important to remember that gender dysphoria has no bearing on a person’s sexuality. Just like anyone else, a person with gender dysphoria may be:

  • heterosexual
  • homosexual
  • bisexual

Terms used

To fully understand gender dysphoria and transsexualism, it is useful to define what the terms sex, gender, gender identity and gender role mean in relation to the condition. The definitions of these terms are outlined below.

Sex

In this article, sex refers to male or female, the biological sex that you were born with. It is determined by the sex organs (gonads) which are:

  • the testes in males
  • the ovaries in females

Gender

In this article, gender refers to the feeling of being either male or female (or, in very rare cases, neither or both). Your gender can be determined by:

  • your public persona (the image or personality that you display in public)
  • your interactions with others
  • your legal status, since the Gender Recognition Act 2004

Gender identity

Gender identity is your personal sense of knowing which gender you belong to, or the way that you see yourself. For example, if a person sees themselves as male and identifies as such, their gender identity is male.

Gender role

Gender role refers to the outer image of being male or female and is largely determined by culture and society, as well as by the way that others see you. Your gender role is determined by things like:

  • the type of clothes that you wear
  • the way you behave
  • how these allow others to see you as male or female

Gender dysphoria

For people with gender dysphoria, there is confusion between their sex, their gender identity and their gender role. They feel that their gender identity does not match the sex that they were born with, and they may prefer to take on a gender role that opposes the stereotypical image of their sex.

For example, a person with gender dysphoria who was born male may feel that their gender identity is female and prefer to dress in women's clothes.

  • show glossary terms

Testicles (testes)
The testicles are part of the male reproductive system. They produce sperm and are located in the scrotum (a loose bag of skin) hanging down behind the penis.

Ovaries
The ovaries are two small, round organs in the female reproductive system that release an egg every month.

Last reviewed: 28/04/2010

Next review due: 28/04/2012

Ratings

How helpful is this page?

Average rating

Based on 18 ratings

All ratings

Add your rating

Comments

4 Comments

Our rules

Comments are personal views. Any information they give has not been checked and may not be accurate.

Amie Marie Attridge said on 24 June 2011

It is slighty worrying to me that a body as such as the Nhs could have someone write such a badly imformed, put together artitcal such as the above, i think the person who wrote this should of really spoken to Gires or The Gender trust before posting on this site. all i hope is the person who wrote the above information does not work for any of the Gender reconistion clinics.

I am certainly not confused, i have always known I'm female. i was born with an unfortunale disfigurement, that of a male body. I do not wear female clothing to feel female either as I am a female regardless of what i wear. as the saying goes the person makes the clothes not the clothes the person.




Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

User499861 said on 16 December 2010

This article is seriously reinforcing misguided stereotypes on Gender Identity being Male or Female. Sex is binary, Gender is not. Gender is a spectrum, there are people who feel that they are neither gender, and there are people who feel they are both, and everything in between. We are not all "Male to Female" or "Female to Male".

You also miss that you can be Transgendered without wanting a medical transition, whilst it still being more than just dressing different.

Also the paragraph about Transvestites is just disgusting and wrong and extremely offensive (the all of one sentence that doesn't apply to all Trans types). Who wrote this article? You should probably scrap it and start from scratch.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

Susan Collier said on 04 November 2010

This is a really badly written piece.
It implies that Gender Dysphoria (GD) is the cause of both "conditions". Gender Dysphoria is specific to Transexuals.
It states Transexuals "seek to alter their sex" when it should say "They MAY seek to alter their sex".
It also states "gender dysphoria has no bearing on a person’s sexuality" in the paragraph relating specifically to Transvestites, when this applies to both groups.

I'm not keen on the use of the word "confusion".

The last paragraph implies that someone with GD may prefer to wear womens clothes. If you have GD it is more than a preference and it is not just about the clothes!

Regards
Susan Collier

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

annie D said on 21 October 2010

Transvestites.
I agree with the first part of your statement but I have to disagree with the next statement. Most Transvestites cannot do anything about the urge to be female. This urge comes in various stages from a full time need to be female right through to the man who just wants to be female in private i. e. wearing clothes of the female gender at home. For a transvestite such as myself I feel I fit in the middle of this spectrum and are therefore upset with your generalisation that it's all about fantsizing. I would say most transvestites urges to be female are very strong but not strong enough to require the need to go down the reassignment route. I like many other transvestites don't fantasize about being female we need to be female. This need can sometimes rule our lives and we can do nothing about that need. This need can sometimes be very destructive. Speaking for myself I do get depressed if for whatever reason I cannot excercise my need to be female, I certainly don't fantasize about it. I need to be female as and when that need arises. I cannot just fantasize about being female I have to be female.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

  • Link to Directgov – public services all in one place
  • The Information Standard - Certified member