Feminist linguistic activism has gained prominence among Western feminists as a way to eliminate sexism in language and everyday life. In Russian, gender specification (known as feminitivy) represents the mainstream approach practiced by grassroots feminist reformers. However, alternative approaches aimed at gender neutralization proliferate. The paper examines the prospects and challenges of gender neutralization both in writing and oral speech. Results of a survey documenting attitudes of Russian-speaking feminist and LGBTQI communities to language reform attempts are presented, with a special focus on comparison between gender specification and gender neutralization.

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In 2024, Russia will change over to the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) where the diagnosis transsexualism will be replaced by gender incongruence. At present, clinical practice guidelines rooted in evidence-based medicine are being developed. This means that validated instruments of experimental psychological diagnostics should be used. In the present review, we identify ten instruments used in international practice. After discussing their strengths and weaknesses we can recommend four instruments for diagnosing gender dysphoria and gender incongruence: Transgender Congruence Scale, Trans Collaborations Clinical Check-In (TC3), Gender Congruence and Life Satisfaction Scale, and Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale Gender Spectrum (UDGS-GS). Six instruments are recommended for prescribing psychotherapy aimed to help the patients accept their gender identity and build resilience: Transgender Congruence Scale, Gender Identity Reflection and Rumination Scale, Gender Preoccupation and Stability Questionnaire, Trans Collaborations Clinical Check-In (TC3), Gender Congruence and Life Satisfaction Scale, and Transgender Identity Survey. At the same time, we do not recommend two widely used instruments Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale (classical version) and Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults due to their inapplicability to gender non-binary individuals and those in the process of gender transition. In the article we also discuss issues related to differential diagnostics in the context of ICD-11, as well as peculiarities of using diagnostic scales with gender non-binary individuals, intersex people and detransitioners.

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Significance. Medical procedures of gender transition are aimed at modifying primary and secondary sex characteristics. Effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition in reduction of gender dysphoria, improvement of health-related quality of life and psycho-social outcomes attracts attention of a growing number of researchers. However, many authors emphasize poor quality of data explained by the complex nature of gender transition that involves medical, social and legal dimensions. Taking account of non-medical (social) factors when conducting epidemiological studies is necessary to obtain more reliable data on effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition, which is important, among other reasons, for the development of clinical practice guidelines on gender dysphoria rooted in evidence-based medicine. Purpose. Identify social factors affecting the quality of studies on effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition and give recommendations for the design of future epidemiological studies. Material and methods. A systematic search of systematic reviews on effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. The discovered reviews and underlying studies were analyzed in order to identify limitations in their design, especially related to the influence of social factors. In addition, an analysis of publications in journals Transgender Studies Quarterly, International Journal of Transgender Health and Transgender Health was conducted to identify social factors that affect the effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition. Results. Among the main limitations affecting the quality of epidemiological studies on effectiveness of medical procedures of gender transition are: (a) difficulties of establishing the number of trans people; (b) no consensus on drawing a sample; (c) individual medical needs of trans people; (d) non-linearity and non-chrononormativity of gender transition; (e) poor understanding of social pathways affecting psycho-social outcomes for trans people.