“Every time I get gendered male, I feel a pain in my chest”: Understanding the social context for gender dysphoria.

Abstract

The present study aimed to expand current understandings of gender dysphoria by explicating the social context in which it is experienced and by centering the analysis on the lived experience of trans individuals. Data were collected online from a nonclinical sample composed of 610 transgender participants.Participants answered 2 open-ended prompts to describe their gender dysphoria as experienced in a social context. Thematic analysis was used to code the data and determine main themes. Four socially salient themes emerged regarding gender dysphoria: 1) External Triggers; 2) Internal Processing; 3) Interruption of Social Functioning; and 4) Moderated by Transition. When describing their experiences, participants identified external triggers for dysphoria that were social in nature as well as internal processes that occurred in response to those triggers. Often this led to an interruption of social functioning. For some of our participants, gender dysphoria was moderated by transition. Results of the present study suggest that trans individuals' experience of gender dysphoria is greatly impacted by social context. Discussion focuses on the way the present findings may be best understood in relation to the literature on minority stress. Consideration of gender dysphoria as a proximal stressor may help to conceptually disaggregate gender dysphoria from psychological stress in the way we frame mental health considerations for trans individuals.

“Better issues to focus on”: Transgender Microaggressions as Ethical Violations in Therapy

“…Misgendering has been shown to be associated with markers of psychological distress, such as anxiety, depression, stress, gender dysphoria, and an increased perception of transgender stigma in society (Galupo et al, 2020; McLemore, 2018). More specifically, the use of gendered language within healthcare settings has been found to lead to heightened awareness of interactions with providers and a need to prove one’s gender, resulting in emotional stress and anxiety (Hagen & Galupo, 2014).…”

Gender variations, generational effects, and mental health of transgender people in relation to timing and status of gender identity milestones.

“…In a study of 300 transgender and nonbinary youth in Brazil, those who were unable to express their gender identity exhibited greater depressive symptoms and those who had a mother who never used their desired name reported greater depressive symptoms and anxiety (Fontanari et al, 2020). Other research has indicated that genderqueer people who affirmed their gender reported a decrease in gender dysphoria (Galupo et al, 2020). Generally, when TGD individuals can live according to the gender they identify with (i.e., when this milestone is experienced), they report better mental health and wellbeing (e.g., Fontanari et al, 2020; Olson et al, 2016).…”

Advancing Research on Minority Stress and Resilience in Trans Children and Adolescents in the 21st Century

“…Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Anatomical/Gender Dysphoria Gender dysphoria (sometimes referred to as anatomical dysphoria) is the experience of distress related to the incongruence of one's assigned sex/gender at birth with one's actual gender identity and expression (Galupo, Pulice-Farrow, & Lindley, 2020). While gender dysphoria is typically conceptualized as the emotional distress caused by the incongruence between one's actual gender identity and expression and one's physical anatomy (what I term intrapersonal gender dysphoria), gender dysphoria can also result from the experience of nonaffirmation of gender identity across contexts (what I term interpersonal gender dysphoria; e.g., gender dysphoria resulting from the refusal of other people or contexts to affirm a trans person's existence).…”