So yeah, I wanted to ask a few things. And maybe rant as well. But your comments are welcome. Gender dysphoria used to be called gender identity disorder, but it was renamed in the new DSM to gender dysphoria, most likely to address concerns about calling it a disorder. My question is, do you think it should be in there at all? Generally, to be allowed to transition, you have to be diagnosed with this, and well, it really isn't pleasant to have your life pathologised, particularly as you carry this label for the rest of your life. I'm not saying we don't experience dysphoria, certainly not. But that we shouldn't be treated as sick for it, and certainly not for the rest of our lives. More than that, it puts up barriers against transition. You're right to transition is withheld unless the right doctors and psychiatrists decide that you're trans enough. As far as I know, its general practice to deny the right to transition if someone admits to not feeling significant dysphoria, and while these are in the minority, they should have as much right to transition as any of us. You're forced to undergo months, sometimes years of therapy in order to prove to them that you should be allowed to transition. And you're forced to go without hormones and surgery, sometimes indefinitely, having to deal with constant judgement from others, difficulty passing, severe dysphoria. Its worth noting that caution does not prevent harm. Its sometimes assumed that just 'waiting' will make everything clear and easy, and no one gets hurt. I can say, both from personal experience and statistics that this isn't true. 50% of transpeople attempt suicide before transition. Years of depression, self harm and suicidal feelings are not to be simply ignored in favour of caution. Oh, and lets not forget about money. I am fortunate enough to be in a country where the health service will fund my transition, in theory. However, they didn't. I was sixteen, and seeking hormones, and the health service's under-18's gender clinic puts up barriers specifically designed to delay treatment until people turn 18. So my grandparent's funded private treatment. And more recently, I was suffering from serious back pain and dysphoria, so much I could barely leave my bedroom, and again they wouldn't help, and my dead grandfather paid for my surgery. But most people aren't going to be that fortunate. It isn't right that people should have spend their savings/go into debt/save for years (if that is even possible) just to have the bare semblance of a life free from hell.
I do think its inclusion in the DSM is relevant. That's not to say that I think that trans individuals are mentally ill, but it is a condition that can cause massive disruption in daily life if left undealt with. Also, in the US it would be hard to justify therapy and/or transitioning under insurance without its inclusion. It seems as though to get treatment there has to be a condition to treat, otherwise it's categorized with cosmetic surgery, and this is a far bigger deal than that. It's an unfortunate circumstance of first-world medical systems that stigma follows the patients for life, patients can't receive treatment under insurance/health services, and can't receive treatment until a doctor recommends it. The way things are now, it needs to be there, but perhaps we should consider a change in the system, so that it (and other conditions like it) wouldn't have to be considered a mental illness.
Well, I can see how it is relevant in the accessing treatment sense, but thats my whole problem with it, how hard it is to access treatment in the first place. But I don't see how it simply being disruptive justifies its inclusion. A broken chair can cause disruption, and that isn't in the DSM
Hmmm, this topic is REALLY confusing for me. I live in the US and FWIW.... I did not have to do basically anything to start my transition. My endo prescribed me the meds immediately because I was already living as a girl. I've never even been diagnosed with anything, she just prescribed it as hormone imbalance (though apparently that shared a dx code with GID). But, I wish I had experimented and explored more first, because my feelings and attachments to transition weren't entirely about feeling like the other gender, a lot of it was just validation seeking related to low self-esteem and fear of abandonment, I have a whole bunch of comorbid mental health issues and I wish I would have talked to somebody about that thoroughly before transition, and tried to actually live a little bit as my birth sex. I just wish I had tried to make it work, but I had nobody to really honestly listen to how I was feeling, so I told myself transition would solve everything. I don't know... I think the reason it's so difficult is because if you really really need the transition and it's right for you, the year it takes or whatever will be short compared to the permanent life change you made. I think they want it to be a little difficult so people have to prove they actually want it. Though in the US, I didn't find it difficult at all to do the actual transition. I know it's hard though as a young transitioner... I lived in the closet for basically my whole teenage life waiting to transition and only did at 20 when I left home, but... OTOH, when I actually did get access to transition, it certainly wasn't the system that held me back, not at all. But, if I remember right, if you are in the US you don't actually need a therapist or anything to transition anymore, a Dr. can do the Dx and write the script. Please don't take this as preachy or anything like that because it is just my perspective (*hug*) I know it's really hard and depressing when you feel stuck. Hexagon, I really hope you can find better resources soon. Hugs and TC!
