The Causes And Effects Of Gender Dysphoria (GD)

Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person feels as a result of the conflict they are experiencing between their assigned sex and desired gender. This can occur in anybody and at any age. At as early as age three a child becomes aware of the differences between a boy and a girl and can label themselves as such. They will develop a stable sense of what their gender identity is, so it is at as early as this age a child can experience GD. A child can express their gender identity in many ways, some being how they dress themselves, what they prefer to be called, wanting to play and participate in activities usually associated with the other sex, and desiring their friends to be of the other sex. But GD is still very uncertain, and can be experienced

The DSM-V has replaced the previously known term, gender identity disorder (GID) with the newer term, gender dysphoria. GD and GID are both usually associated with transgenderism, transsexualism, gender nonconformity, and homosexuality. Although, most young children that experience GD do not go on to desire any form of transition later in their life. This is also known as desisting. People and children that experience GD usually either persist or desist. This means they either persist and continue to experience GD and the desire to be the other sex, or they desist. Most GD children do not remain gender dysphoric after puberty, but there is a strong correlation and high rates of nonheterosexuality later in life in individuals that experienced GD in childhood and

The world desperately needs to better understand GD. They need to know how it is different in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. They need to know that children can experience GD at a very young age, what it looks like at this age, and the possible outcomes. The world needs to accept and understand gender identity and expression, the fact that children can sometimes feel like they are not in the right body, or that children can desire to be the other sex. Childhood GD exists and it can be both complicated and simple, uncertain and absolute, but most importantly, it is valid and real. The world needs to know of the various treatment options available to people that experience GD. People need to be informed about the ways in which they can help, and be able to recognize that there is still a lot of work and progress that needs to be done, hence the importance of open discussions of GD. This paper will aim to argue the importance of treatment options, early interventions, and how society’s stigma surround GD is very harmful to those experiencing it. Children that experience GD can face many hardships, and the first step in helping them, and improving their development and well-being is to first understand what it is they are