Questions about Gender Dysphoria

[Vas Deferens]

(12-03-2015, 05:14 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The simplest answer is that as much as we break down gender roles, gender is still something that is typically listed officially as a binary with clearly defined lines. It is viewed synonymously with sex more than not at present.

What Benton said is all very true as well, though. But I'd like to add that gender dysphoria is not just identifying as a gender other than your biological sex. It is the distress involved in this identification. The disorder is more about the anxiety, depression, stress, etc., that can come about from coping with the situation and/or trying to navigate the world with the feeling of rejection, whether real or imagined. We may see society as progressing on this issue, but we are not very far along in all reality, and so trying to cope with it all can be a huge struggle.

I don't have a lot to say on the issue, only that I've seen a few people struggle with it one being a pretty close friend of many years.  He was always a pretty masculine individual, but you could tell it was really tough for him that others didnt identify him as a male (was still female at the time.)

I'm not sure we'll have a really clear view of the causes in my lifetime and doubt the social stigmatism will make much progress either.  Like benton, I'm not a scientist.  Even if they did figure it out, I wouldn't be able to understand half of it at this point.  What I do know is that unless you are in that position, passing judgement on someone in that position (as a few people here have shown a proclivity towards), is one of the cruelest things a person can do.  The internal struggle alone seems like hell enough to me, others shouldn't be making things worse on them.

A lot of the societal pressure and animus towards people in this position is merely a self preservation tactic against something they don't understand.  I get that.  But why we can't just let people be is beyond me.  If someone's gender / sexuality makes you feel uncomfortable, walk away.  That easy.