Running Head: GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER

THEIRS~

Gender Identity Disorder

Executive summary

The paper aims at explaining the various issues associated with Gender Identity Disorder. It begins by describing the term Gender Identity Disorder including its definition, characteristics/symptoms and the methods of diagnosing the condition. The paper also explains various ways of treating the condition. The paper ends by giving some recommendations concerning detection and treatment of the disorder.

Gender identity disorder

Gender identity disorder can be described as the formal diagnosis that psychologists and physicians give to individuals who experience reasonable gender dysphoria. Such individuals are not contented with the biological sex that they possess and will tend to strongly identify themselves with the other sex. It is a psychiatric categorization and describes characteristics that are linked to transgender identity, transvestism and transexuality and is the diagnostic categorization normally associated with transsexuals (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Gender identity disorder in kids is different from that found in adolescents or adults in that in children, the condition is exhibited from childhood while that in adolescents or adults is observed to intensify with time. Since many societies do not acknowledge the issue of cross-gender behavior, the condition leads to various problems to both the victim and those related to them. In most cases, the individuals are uncomfortable as a result of the feeling that they are carrying the wrong body (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Characteristics of the disorder

Boys suffering from this condition have a prevalence of dressing in girls’ clothes as opposed to the boys’ clothes. They will tend to avoid or resist participation in competitive sports and will have no interest in masculine and rough sporting activities (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974). Such boys will choose girls as their playmates and seam to enjoy playing with girls more than playing with boys. In play, such individual like acting a prime female figure such as mother of the chief. They will also regret that they have male reproductive parts and wish they had the female ones (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Girls with the disorder will prefer to dress like the boys and also appear like them. They will often choose boys as their playmates and will fancy competitive and masculine contact normally associated with the male sex. Such girls often wish that they were born with male reproductive parts and are not anxious about menstruating or growing breasts in future. They want to become a man when they grow up (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Adults with the disorder will sometimes spend their live as members of the other sex. They are usually uncomfortable spending their lives as members of the biological sex they possess. They often cross-dress and will fancy being seen in public as members of the opposite sex. Individuals who are adversely affected by the disorder sometimes request for sex-change surgery (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Prevalence

The disorder normally affects more males than females in the society. The disorder can be noted in early children but many people are diagnosed of the problem at adolescence (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974).

Diagnosis of GID

A mental health practitioner comes up with a diagnosis of GID by carrying out an analysis of the victim’s personal history. Since there are no lab tests involved in the diagnosis of the disorder, the medical person should be very careful not to assume a physical illness that might ape or contribute to a psychological disorder. In case the victim raises some questions concerning his/her physical condition, the medical personnel should recommend a whole physical examination by a medical doctor. In such circumstances, lab tests might be essential to evaluate the physical status of the individual (Winters, 2007).

Another diagnosis can be made by analyzing the victim’s comments concerning themselves. Individuals suffering from this disorder will bitterly complain that they were born the wrong sex. They describe their reproductive organs as ugly and may desist from touching them. Though the organs are normal, these victims will tend to conceal their secondary sexual characteristics (Winters, 2007). The boys might for example shave their body hair and take female hormone to enlarge their breasts while the ladies will conceal their breasts by tightly binding them close to their chests.

Treatment

Psychological therapy can derail the course of the disorder. Since the objective of the treatment is to assist the victim accept and function in his/her genetic sex, early detection and intervention can minimize transsexual conduct later in life (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Adults who are adversely affected for many years might require or request sex-reassignment or sex-change surgery. Before the surgery, the victims are subjected to lengthy periods of hormone therapy in an effort to suppress the present sex characteristics and heighten the desired. Boys for example will be given estrogen which is a female hormone to enlarge their breasts, decrease the size of their testes and lessen their body hair. The ladies in turn will be given the male hormone, testosterone to assist them break their voice and may be grow a beard (Winters, 2007).

Conclusion

There exists a controversy linked to GID since many victims of the disorder do not take their cross-gender feelings as a disorder. Instead, these victims question what normal gender identity/role is and is often argued that gender characteristics are socially formulated and thus unrelated with biological sex. The more the victims question or argue about their normality the more complicated the issue becomes. It is recommended that parents should closely observe the behavior of their children so that they are better placed to detect the symptoms of the disorder early enough so as to take the necessary intervention measures. This assists in minimizing the chances of possessing transsexual behavior in later life.

References

Kenneth, J. Z. & Bradley, S. J. (2002). Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.

Maccoby, E.E., & Jacklin, C.N. (1974).The Psychology of Sex Differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Winters, K. (2007). "Issues of GID Diagnosis for Transsexual Women and Men. Retrieved August 13, 2009 from http://www.gidreform.org/GID30285a.pdf.

MINE~

Gender identity disorder

Gender identity disorder also referred to as gender variance, and in other cultures as “two-spirited,” can be described as the formal diagnosis that psychologists and physicians give to individuals who experience reasonable gender dysphoria. Such individuals are not contented with the biological sex that they possess and tend to strongly identify themselves with the other sex. It is a psychiatric categorization and describes characteristics that are linked to transgender identity, transvestism and transexuality and is the diagnostic categorization normally associated with transsexuals, or individuals who feel they were born into the wrong physicality (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Gender identity disorder manifests itself differently in early pediatrics than in adolescents or adults, in that, in young children, the condition is exhibited from childhood while that in adolescents or adults is observed to intensify with time. Many societies have acknowledged and accepted the condition, in some cultures, even more so than homosexuality. Yet, the individidual's level of discomfort with their physical appearance leads to various problems to both the victim and those related to them. In most cases, the individuals are uncomfortable as a result of the feeling that they are carrying the wrong body (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Characteristics of the disorder

Boys born with condition have a preferance to dressing in girls’ clothes as opposed to boys’ clothes and will display feminine mannerisms. They will tend to avoid or resist participation in competitive sports and will have no interest in masculine and rough sporting activities (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974). These boys will choose girls as their playmates and enjoy playing with girls more than with boys. In role-play activities, these children prefer acting as a prime female figure, such as the mother or wife instead of father or husband and nurse instead of doctor. They will also regret that they have male reproductive parts and desire female parts (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Girls with the who are born with this condition prefer to dress like boys and demonstrate male characteristics. They will often choose boys as their playmates and will fancy competitive and masculine contact normally associated with the male sex. Such girls often wish that they were born with male reproductive parts and unlike their female counterparts born without this disorder, are not anxious about menstruating or growing breasts in future. They desire to become men when they grow up (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Adults with the disorder will sometimes spend their lives as members of the opposite sex. They are uncomfortable with their bodies and sexual organs. They often dress in the attire of the opposite sex and would rather be recognized in public as members of the opposite sex. Many individuals who are affected by gender identity disorder request for sexual reassignment surgery or more commonly referred to as a sex change operation (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).

Prevalence

The disorder normally affects more males than females in society. According to WebMD, in Europe, there are 1 in 30,000 males and 1 in 100,000 females who are diagnosed with gender identity disorder (WebMD-Prevalence, 2006). Sometimes G.I.D. is mistaken with accompanied by transvestic fetishism, which is, could be seen in heterosexual males accompanied with intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors which involve cross-dressing (DSMIVp.258-59). The disorder can be noted in early children but many people are diagnosed of the problem at adolescence (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974).

Diagnosis of GID

A mental health practitioner comes up with a diagnosis of GID by carrying out an analysis of the patient’s personal history. Since there are no lab tests involved in the diagnosis of the disorder, the medical person should be very careful not to assume a physical illness that might ape or contribute to a psychological disorder. In case the patient raises some questions concerning his/her physical condition, the medical personnel should recommend an entire physical examination by a medical doctor. In such circumstances, lab tests might be essential to evaluate the physical status of the individual (Winters, 2007).

Another diagnosis can be made by analyzing the patient’s comments concerning themselves. Individuals suffering from this disorder bitterly complain that they were born the wrong sex. They may describe their reproductive organs as ugly and may desist from touching them, indicating an aversion to their own genetalia. Though the organs are physically normal, these patients will tend to conceal their secondary sexual characteristics (Winters, 2007). The boys might for example shave their body hair and take female hormone to enlarge their breasts while the ladies will conceal their breasts by tightly binding them close to their chests.

Treatment

Some individuals in this field feel that psychological therapy can the course of the disorder. Since their objective of treatment is to assist the patient to accept and function in his/her own genetic sex, early detection and intervention can minimize transsexual conduct later in life (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002). Others will work with the patient in continuum with said patient's requests.

Adults who are live affected by GID for many years might require or request sex-reassignment or sex-change surgery. Before the surgery, the patients are subjected to lengthy periods of hormone therapy in an effort to suppress the present physical sex characteristics and heighten the desired transformation. Boys for example will be given estrogen which is a female hormone to enlarge their breasts, decrease the size of their testes and lessen their body hair. The ladies in turn will be given the male hormone, testosterone to assist them to deepen their voice and may be encouraged grow facial hair. All candidates for SRS must live and function in society as the opposite sex prior to undergoing surgery (Winters, 2007).

Conclusion

There exists a controversy linked to GID since many people who are born with gender identity disorder do not view their feelings as gender dysphoric feelings as a disorder. Instead, these individuals question what “normal” gender identity/role is. It is often argued that gender characteristics are socially formulated and thus unrelated with biological sex. The more the people question or argue about one's “normality” the more complicated the issue becomes. It is recommended that parents should closely observe the behavior of their children so that they are better placed to detect the symptoms of the disorder early enough so as to take the necessary intervention measures, such as hormone therapy. This assists in minimizing the chances of developing psychosocial difficulties later in life.

References

Kenneth, J. Z. & Bradley, S. J. (2002). Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.

Maccoby, E.E., & Jacklin, C.N. (1974).The Psychology of Sex Differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Winters, K. (2007). "Issues of GID Diagnosis for Transsexual Women and Men. Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://www.gidreform.org/GID30285a.pdf.

Levey, Robert,PHD,MPH & W Corbet Curfman, MD (2006). Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders. Retrieved August 11,2009 from

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/293890-overview.

DSMIV-TR. (2000). Sexual and Gender Identiy Disorders. Washington DC: The American Psychiatric Association