STEFAN: So what is gender dysphoria,
where does it come from, and what is it actually
like to experience gender dysphoria?
I'm Stefan.
I'm a trans man, and I'm here to talk to you today
about everything gender dysphoria.
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Dysphoria comes from the Greek word
dusphoría, which means a state of discomfort or unease.
Gender dysphoria is when a person feels distress
because their gender identity does not
match up with the gender they were assigned at birth.
There are three main kinds of dysphoria-- physical dysphoria,
social dysphoria, and mental dysphoria.
Physical dysphoria is when a trans person feels distress
because their body doesn't match up
with the gender they truly are.
For example, trans men often have dysphoria about our chests.
This is because this physical trait doesn't
align with our true male genders,
and this can cause us to feel discomfort and stress.
We can fix that by having top surgery, which
is a procedure that removes breast tissue
and creates a more masculine-appearing chest.
The second type of dysphoria is social dysphoria.
This is when a trans person feels distress
in social situations because they might be misgendered
or mistaken for the gender they were assigned at birth
rather than their true gender.
This is made worse when other people don't make the effort
to use a trans person's correct name and pronouns.
Being referred to with the correct pronouns
is a great feeling, because it shows
you're recognized as how you feel on the inside
by people on the outside.
When someone uses your old name, it's called deadnaming,
and it can feel horrible as a trans person.
Deadnaming makes social dysphoria even worse
for trans people.
Lastly, we have mental dysphoria, also
called emotional dysphoria.
This is when a trans person feels
distress because of their worries about transitioning
and the disconnect between their true gender and assigned gender.
This can be the hardest kind of dysphoria
to escape because it's something that's
always lingering in your mind.
Trans people can be badly affected
by dysphoria mentally as well.
If left untreated, dysphoria can lead
to social isolation, poor mental health,
and in some cases, self-harm and suicide.
One way trans people help lessen their dysphoria
is by altering their appearance to reflect their true gender.
This can be done by changing their hair,
wearing more gendered clothes, or binding or padding
their chest.
Gender dysphoria can also be alleviated
by medically transitioning.
This includes taking hormones and having
gender-reaffirming surgeries to make our bodies match our gender
identities.
Not all trans people have surgery or take hormones,
though.
It's not a required part of being transgender or non-binary.
If you or someone you know is struggling with dysphoria,
check the link in the description below
to find a list of organizations that can help.
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