Category: G

Gender Dysphoria, as described by the NHS, refers to a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense that it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life.

Gender Dysphoria can be experienced as being clinically distressed or impaired, accompanied by a strong desire to be of another gender. It may include the desire to change primary or secondary sex characteristics. Though Gender Dysphoria typically begins in childhood, some may not experience the condition until after puberty or much later in life.

Many people with Gender Dysphoria have a strong, lasting desire to live a life that “matches” or expresses their gender identity. Some people with Gender Dysphoria, but not all, may want to use hormones and sometimes surgery to express their gender identity.

​Gender Dysphoria is not a mental illness, but some people may develop mental health problems because of Gender Dysphoria. That is why it is important for a person to seek help if they are experiencing Gender Dysphoria.  

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Recognising and treating Gender Dysphoria reduces the chances of depression, distress, and suicide for those who experience it. When looking for treatment, someone with Gender Dysphoria may seek out a supportive environment with the freedom to express gender identity and trustworthy medical professionals.

*Not all transgender or gender diverse people experience dysphoria.

Genderqueer is a term for people who “queer” their gender in some way. Genderqueer people fall outside cisgender norms, i.e., through being non-binary, gender non-conforming, or transgender. It is especially used in the specifically non-binary sense, referencing gender identity which is neither male nor female, is a combination of the two binary genders, or is on a continuum between those two genders (among other non-binary experiences). Genderqueer can therefore refer to someone who doesn’t follow binary gender norms.

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Genderqueer has also been used as a gender modality for a person who subverts gender or expectations related to gender, regardless of assigned gender. Some, but not all, Genderqueer people identify as transgender.

​Gay is an adjective referring to those with an enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to people of the same gender. This is most commonly associated with gay men, as a gay woman may prefer to use the term “lesbian” instead. Queer and bisexual are also among the terms used for those who are attracted to members of the same gender.

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There has been controversy surrounding the use of the word “homosexual” to refer to gay people, as it has been considered an outdated term that is derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people. The term ‘gay’ is most commonly acknowledged and accepted. 

There is not just one way to experience same-sex attraction, nor is there a set period in life for a person to discover that they experience it. While some may know that they experience same-sex attraction from a young age, it can take others years to figure it out or become comfortable enough with their identity to acknowledge it to themselves and others.

Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men.  This includes norms, behaviours, and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy – as well as within the relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies in societies and can change over time.

Gender is hierarchical and produces inequalities that intersect with other social and economic inequalities.  Gender-based discrimination intersects with other factors of discrimination, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, age, geographic location, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among others. This is referred to as intersectionality.

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Gender is not the same as sex. Sex often refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males, and intersex persons (such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs). Gender and sex are related to, but different from, gender identity.

Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt, internal and individual experience of gender – which may or may not correspond to the person’s physiology or designated sex at birth.

Most people have a binary gender identity—male/man/boy or female/woman/girl—whether they are cisgender or transgender. For other people, their gender identity does not fit neatly into one of those two options, such as people who are non-binary or genderqueer.

A person’s gender identity usually develops when they are very young. Gender variance in exploring gender expressions and gender roles is an expected part of human development for children and teenagers.