Gender dysphoria - What is it and how to deal with it? - DYKKA.com

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria means that we feel that our bodies do not match our gender . For example, if we are transgender men, we may be anxious about having large breasts or menstruation, or about having a beard if we are transgender women. However, gender dysphoria does not have to be avoided even if we are non-binary people.

On the Reddit discussion forum, user Cascadeon described his experience with gender dysphoria as follows:

“Gender is a lot like a pair of shoes. When you have good, comfortable, and fitting shoes on, you don’t notice them or think about them. /…/

But when they're too small and tight or there's a stone in them, you can't stop thinking about them. Every step is a terror and a pain, and you don't want to do anything until you get rid of that stupid stone. There's no point in doing anything else until those shoes stop hurting.

So I think for many people, their own gender is not entirely imaginable in this regard, because it has always suited them well, and so it is difficult for them to imagine the despair over all sorts of little things, ordinary things, even when they are not out and about and no one is looking at them."

Is gender dysphoria a sign of being trans*?

Not every trans* person experiences gender dysphoria, but that doesn't mean they're any less trans* than the person who does.

On the other hand, there is no consensus on whether cisgender people can also experience gender dysphoria . Some believe that it is possible because cisgender people can also feel dissatisfaction with their bodies if they do not fit gender boxes (for example, excessive body hair in women, so-called hirsutism), others argue that it is not possible because cisgender people experience this dissatisfaction with their bodies differently .

What should I do about gender dysphoria? Is there any treatment?

The best cure for gender dysphoria is to remove the mismatch. Some people can benefit from minor changes (hairstyle, clothing, makeup, binders , packers , etc.), while others need more drastic changes, such as hormone therapy or surgery.

If you feel dysphoria but don't know exactly what would help you, try to resolve it first with small changes (hairstyle, clothing, and so on), and if that doesn't help, entrust yourself to the hands of professionals.