GENDER DYSPHORIA

overview

gender dysphoria effects males more than females

medical interventions = masculinising or feminising hormones can be taken to alter physical features, with the ultimate remedy being gender reassignment surgery

a condition where an individuals gender identity does not match their biological sex

genetic explanations

a gene variant in the androgen receptor, which influences the action of testosterone and is involved in the masculinisation

Hare et al 2009 - looked at the DNA of 112 MtF transgender ppts and found they were more likely to have a longer version of the androgen receptor gene

an inherited abnormality

there is reduced action of testosterone, may under masculine the brain in the womb

lacks explanatory power - cannot explain people who are FtM

Zucker et al 2008

only 12% were still gender dysphoric at age 18

supporting the idea that the majority of people exhibit gender dysphoria do only in the short term

performed a longitudinal on 25 gender dysphoric between 2-3 years of age

argues that gender dysphoria does not persist after puberty

brain sex theory

BSTc in the thalamus has been studied

BSTc is twice as large in a heterosexual male brain compared to a heterosexual female brain

male and female brain are different

individuals with gender dysphoria has the BSTc that corresponds to their gender rather than their sex

Social

Suggests that gender dysphoria may be learned by observation and imitation of individuals modelling cross gender behaviour - SLT

individuals may be reinforced for exhibiting cross gender behaviour - operant conditioning

researchers have suggested that gender dysphoria is linked to mental illness, which may be a result of childhood trauma or a difficult upbringing