Understanding Gender Dysphoria

Presener: Aydin Olson-Kennedy

"Coming in before coming out"
-Coming in: Exploration of gender in order to understand their experience

• Taking information in privately (YouTube, forums) before they can come out
• People can have gradual coming out process as they perceive themselves, understand their own gender

-Coming out: at times people to come out in spaces where there is some distance/safety (text or grocery store

• People can be resisted in coming out: being disbelieved as "attention seeking" or a phase
• Questions can feel like accusations at first exposure
• Coming out is exhausting! People have been doing work to understand themselves for months/years before bringing the information to whoever they're coming out to
• (Based on study participants) Ave. age when people recognize their difference (coming in) at 13; disclosure at age 27--ppl doing lots of work coming in for years before coming out
• Never ask ppl to "de-evolve" or step back in their movement forward

-Factors that can influence coming in and out

• Racial/ethnic identity
• Family structure
• Religious identity or affiliation
• Geographic location
• Access to information
• Perceived family/social support structure
• Designated gender at birth, gender identity, sexual identity
• Media

-What is gender dysphoria?

Diagnosis: An incongruence between experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender (for at least 6 mos) based on specific criteria leading to clinically significant distress

• This can be harmful as it withholds care until people are in distress--and is not preventative

What it can look like:

• Depression, anxiety, disengagement, anger, poor academics, negative body image, exhaustion, distracted but able to focus on specific things (escapism)

Sound like:

• What will my family identity be if I come out?
• I do/don't hate my body--feeling like they're not doing trans "right" if they don't hate their body
• Grief over never being "real"--less than the real they want to be

Might get dysphoric over:

• body, facial features, periods, emotions, mannerisms, voice, interests

Dysphoria is trauma; dysphoria can feel like being born in the wrong body

• Suicidality may be a something dysphoria evokes