2014 Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages 199-218
Individuals with gender dysphoria experience incongruence between their experienced and assigned genders. Despite the dire needs, there is currently little research on professional services for reducing the psychosocial problems experienced by people with gender dysphoria. Therefore, the author explored the process of re-constructing psychosocial identity by examining 16 participants’ accounts of their male-to-female transitions (or transitions to an alternative, non-male gender; M to F/X) using the modified grounded theory approach.
Results indicated that (a) sex dualism causes serious self-loathing in people with gender dysphoria; (b) such people often experience pleasure when acknowledged by others; and (c) people with gender dysphoria can achieve a sense of psychosocial well-being by discovering a unique position for themselves within the community,
Thus, people with gender dysphoria can experience psychosocial well-being during the M to FIX transition if they find their unique positions within society and feel recognized by others. Psychologists should aim to further help people with gender dysphoria connect with those without it and integrate into the cultural and social frameworks; this can be done through psycho-education, raising awareness about sex/gender dualism, and enhancing the advocacy and empowerment of people with gender dysphoria, allowing them to live with support for their alternative identities.
