Horror or revulsion when looking at or touching one’s own body parts
This might manifest as a persistent awareness of body parts that feel like they should not be there (like the weight of breasts, or the presence of testicles or a uterus), or the feeling that a body part that isn’t there should be there (a phantom vagina or penis)
Depersonalisation and derealisation — a sense of detachment from your own thoughts, feelings, or body
Feeling out of place while with peers of one’s assigned gender
For instance, trans people who are assigned male at birth (AMAB) may find it difficult to be vulnerable around men, something that might become evident when they go through National Service
Shame or guilt when one is unable to fit into common gender roles
Anger or sadness at being forced to cut one’s hair (for AMAB trans people) or being pressured to keep their hair long or wear makeup (for AFAB trans people)
Freepik
What do experts say about gender dysphoria?
Is gender dysphoria a mental health disorder?
Some health systems – including Singapore’s – require a psychiatric evaluation before trans people can obtain gender-affirming care
Insurers depend on either the ICD-11 or DSM-V to determine if your hospital bill should be reimbursed
A definite mismatch between the assigned gender and experienced/expressed gender for at least 6 months duration as characterized by at least two or more of the following present:
A marked incongruence between experienced or expressed gender and gender manifested by primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)
A strong or persistent desire to rid oneself of the primary or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one’s experienced/expressed gender (or in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)
A strong desire to possess the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender
A strong desire to be of the other gender
A strong desire to be treated as the other gender
A strong feeling or conviction that he or she is reacting or feeling in accordance with the identified gender
The gender dysphoria leads to clinically significant distress and/or social, occupational and other functioning impairment. There may be an increased risk of suffering distress or disability.
The subtypes may be ones with or without defects or defects in sexual development.
A definite difference between experienced/expressed gender and the one assigned at birth of at least 6 months duration. At least six of the following must be present (one of which must be the first criterion):
A strong desire to be of the other gender or an insistence that one is the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)
In boys (assigned gender), a strong preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong preference for wearing only typical masculine clothing and a strong resistance to the wearing of typical feminine clothing
A strong preference for cross-gender roles in make-believe play or fantasy play
A strong preference for the toys, games or activities stereotypically used or engaged in by the other gender
A strong preference for playmates of the other gender
In boys (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically masculine toys, games, and activities and a strong avoidance of rough-and-tumble play; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically feminine toys, games, and activities
A strong dislike of one’s sexual anatomy
A strong desire for the physical sex characteristics that match one’s experienced gender
The gender dysphoria leads to clinically significant distress and/or social, occupational and other functioning impairment. There may be an increased risk of suffering distress or disability.
The sub-types may be ones with or without defects or defects in sexual development.
