Gender, Medicine, and Psychology

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the medical and psychological aspects of gender, beginning with a discussion on gender development. An unspoken assumption in much of the gender development work to date is the alignment of bodily sex with gender identity. Children who do not develop in accordance with societal expectations have historically been pathologized as not having achieved a critical developmental milestone. Only recently has transgender identity begun to be considered a valid developmental trajectory. Historically, transgender children have presented with heightened levels of depression and anxiety, among other signifiers of distress, including poor school performance and poor social integration. However, recent studies have shown that transgender children match their cisgender peer groups when raised in affirmed settings. The chapter then defines gender dysphoria, which is characterized by significant distress or difficulty functioning related to an incongruence between assigned sex and experienced gender identity. It also traces the history of treatment for transgender people, including medical and surgical interventions. Finally, the chapter considers the role gender has played over time in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health concerns.