The Science of Being Transgender ft. Gigi Gorgeous

What can science teach us about gender identity and dysphoria?
Thanks so much to Gigi Gorgeous! https://youtu.be/83jGTVHGj1Y
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The Trevor Project's 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or https://www.thetrevorproject.org
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Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860

Created by: Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown
Written by: Jodre Datu, Greg Brown and Mitch Moffit
Illustrated by: Max Simmons
Edited by: Sel Ghebrehiwot
Narrated by: Mitch Moffit

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Further Reading/References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9967/
http://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/xx-male-syndrome-0
https://academic.oup.com/endo/article/142/8/3281/2988779
http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/males-and-females-differ-in-specific-brain-structures
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896179/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350266/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21334362
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350266/
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/917990-overview#a4
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7477289
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22941717
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4037295/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10983252
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17765230
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23398495
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/AFSP-Williams-Suicide-Report-Final.pdf
https://globalnews.ca/news/3648571/transgender-gene-study/
http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx
http://www.bu.edu/research/articles/lgbt-issues-stem-diversity/
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26511-out-in-the-open-is-science-lgbt-friendly/
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/remembering-the-transgender-scientist-who-changed-our-understanding-of-the-brain/549458/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lgbt-biology/born-this-way-researchers-explore-the-science-of-gender-identity-idUSKBN1AJ0F0

There's a lot of misinformation out there
about what it means to be transgender,

but recently, scientists
have begun to look more closely

into the neurology,
physiology and psychology behind it.

So today, we're going to break down
what science does know

in a respectful and educational way.

Hey, guys, I'm Gigi Gorgeous

and today I'm here with AsapSCIENCE

to break down the science of being transgender.

Before we get too deep into it,

we have to look at your genetic sex or the chromosomes you have.

These were determined right at fertilization,

when the sperm cell from your father, which carries an X or a Y chromosome,

fused with the egg from your mother, which carries an X chromosome.

But until six or seven weeks after fertilization,

both XY and XX embyos have identical gonads.

Around seven weeks, the male sex organs start to develop

because of a gene on the Y chromosome called SRY.

It causes cells to become more specialized

and these cells create testosterone,

which in turn triggers the development of structures like the penis and scrotum,

while other cells block female development by degerating the female ducts.

However, in female development,

because there is no Y chromosome with the SRY gene,

these ducts stay intact and become the uterus, cervix,

upper vagina and the oviduct,

with the help of estrogen and chemicals secreted by the early kidney.

But it's not always that simple.

There are sometimes even rare combinations like XXY,

XXX, XXYY, etcetera,

and even people with XX chromosomes that develop male genitals and characteristics,

due to a piece of the Y chromosome breaking off and switching places to an X chromosome.

But sexual differentiation in the brain actually happens much later than gonadal differentiation.

And yes, although controversial, male and female brains

have structural and functional differences between each other.

Studies have found that males generally have a larger cerebrum,

cerebellum, and hippocampus,

while females have higher-density left frontal lobes

and larger volumes in the right frontal lobes.

So what exactly do we see when we look at the brain of a transgender person?

Several studies have shown that transgender brains

are both structurally and functionally more similar to their experienced gender identity

than their biological sex.

One study found that trans women who, despite being assigned male at birth,

had a smaller female-sized structure in the hypothalamus.

MRI scans also show the brain structures of trans people

to be more similar in thickness to their experienced gender and not their sex.

Finally, the pheromone androstadienone

causes different hypothalamic responses in male and female brains.

And when individuals with gender dysphoria were exposed to it,

the hypothalamic response matched their perceived gender rather than their sex.

These studies help to highlight how masculinization or feminization of the gonads

is not always the same as the brain

and that there's a difference between your sex or your anatomy

and your gender or how we perceive our own bodies.

There also seems to be a genetic component to transgender identity.

Looking at family histories, gender identity incongruence seems to run in the family,

meaning they may be inherited.

The CYP17 gene, which control the body's level of sex hormones,

has a changed

that is expressed frequently in trans men.

Although more research could be done,

scientists are currently looking at over three million DNA markers for transgender identity

to investigate any genetic link for being trans.

Even though scientific studies validate the experience of transgender people,

they're still suffering from more depression and anxiety

than the general public.

The risk of suicide is more prominent in transgender people

who have been rejected by their family,

discriminated in the workplace or in health care.

Suicide risks seem to decrease after gender transitioning,

suggesting that gender dysphoria can cause an extreme amount of emotional pain,

even to the point of suicide.

If you, a family member or a friend is suffering from gender dysphoria,

there are a few links in the description for more information.

Thank you so much, Gigi, for being part of this video.

It means so much, and we're happy that you were here to do this with us.

Thank you guys for using your channel, your platform,

validating transgender experiences with science,

which just brings us closer to equality.

Absolutely. If you guys want to check out Gigi's channel, we'll put links in the description or on the screen somewhere.

Otherwise, you can subscribe for more science here, every week, and we'll see you next time.

Peace!