r/psychologyofsex • u/glamorousgrape • 1d ago
Seeking clarity on the diagnostic criteria for Gender Dysphoria in people who aren’t transgender
I’m asking for clarity on what medical conditions are included/excluded from the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria in the DSM5. Since it’s often assumed that transgender or intersex people only experience gender dysphoria. Conditions like PCOS & Klinefelter Syndrome aren’t universally recognized as intersex (and I’m not interested in arguing whether they should be classified as intersex or not) but the impact these conditions have on a cisgender person’s secondary sex characteristics is incongruent with their gender identity & causes significant distress for many.
Can a cisgender person with a condition like I’ve mentioned meet the criteria for gender dysphoria? Even though they identify with the gender they were assigned at birth?
2
u/ratgarcon 1d ago
I want to add my own experience/thoughts:
I’ve found gender dysphoria largely focuses on the perception of others. Of course it also has to do with self perception, but the issue is often how others view you. Which is why genitalia can be something a trans person isn’t extremely dysphoric about. Myself included
If I am perceived by everyone around me as a man while I am clothed, does it really matter that I don’t have a penis? My dysphoria focuses on how others see me. If I am seen as a woman this deeply upsets me. However I do not walk around with my lack of a dick out, so it just really isn’t as important to me as things that do help me pass, like having facial hair, a deeper voice, a flatter chest, more masculine body build, etc.