gender "issues"

[rac1]

I am looking for articles, studies, books.... on the gender identity issues.

I had the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Success book from 2009, and it had chapters in it for gender identity "disorders." The updated newest version is retitled "issues related to sexuality."

As a provider of health care, I do not feel it is responsible of me to believe that gender identity issues are "normal," if in fact they are actually not. It seems to me this is a similar psychological issue as anorexia. The person feels fat, believes they are fat, does everything in their power to keep themselves from gaining weight - no one can convince them that they are not fat. We don't walk around pretending that they are normal. We tell them they need help. So I am struggling with the politics of these gender issues that are in the media, news, and within the healthcare community.

I have not studied, nor were we taught about this topic AT ALL in school. I know homosexuality used to be classified as a mental illness, and of course now it is not. I have read some articles that likened gender identity to homosexuality saying that being homosexual used to cause great distress and turmoil, and therefore it was classified as a mental illness, and so similarly this is why gender identity was classified as a mental illness.

Is it about the numbers? The more people that do it, means that it is actually NOT an illness? I mean, if more and more people start becoming anorexic, then it becomes okay, and not such a distressing life event..? Obviously there are physical implications that are different here, nonetheless...there are physical manifestations of any mental illness.

Trying to wrap my head around all of this and come to grips with providing good care and good mental health if/when I run into this growing population (or growing vocal population I should say).

Also, want to add, I am open to all sides of this. I do not judge people for the way they want to live. That is not my intent here at all. My goal is to provide the best care possible, but is it, or is it not a mental health issue..??

[deliriumtrigg3r]

I think you make good points and I appreciate your post. I consider myself quite socially liberal and am not "against" gays or trans people. I don't think I'm judging mental illness by what someone DOES (climbing Mount Everest), but more the belief in untrue things/delusions. For example, if you have two male patients. One demands to be referred to as "Dr. Smith" because he erroneously believes he is a doctor. The other patient believes he is a woman and wants to referred to as "she" and other female pronouns. Why do we indulge the latter but not the former?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Because sexuality is on a continuum, and as we learn more scientifically, we are becoming more flexible in our approach to gender identity.

Because a black/white approach might be wrong, and could really hurt the person we're caring for if we insist on misgendering.

Lastly, because the person that self identifies as a doctor has the potential to injure others if we go along with it, but what a person identifies with gender wise, really won't hurt anyone but themselves. If they think its worth the pain, I think they are pretty committed to the identity they chose, and I should respect that decision.

Remember a hundred years ago when black people were considered almost a different species? If you lived then, you'd consider a black man deviant if he learned to read, wanted to own his land, or married a white woman. History has proven those beliefs wrong, and I think the transgender issue mirrors race issues. I want to land on the right side of history.

[deliriumtrigg3r]

Hmmm ok. I don't agree with the second paragraph at all. I think people with mental illness have more support than ever right now. But yes, I suppose if someone identifies as an infant, or as a cat, that doesn't really hurt anyone else. And all the surgeries that one might go through for whatever reason are their own choice. But I still don't think it is "hateful" or wrong to feel that these choices are worthy of discussion or even scrutiny. Sexuality is one thing, but having your member amputated because your masculinity causes you such mental such distress is extreme.

[elkpark]

Because sexuality is on a continuum, and as we learn more scientifically, we are becoming more flexible in our approach to gender identity.

Because a black/white approach might be wrong, and could really hurt the person we're caring for if we insist on misgendering.

Lastly, because the person that self identifies as a doctor has the potential to injure others if we go along with it, but what a person identifies with gender wise, really won't hurt anyone but themselves. If they think its worth the pain, I think they are pretty committed to the identity they chose, and I should respect that decision.

Remember a hundred years ago when black people were considered almost a different species? If you lived then, you'd consider a black man deviant if he learned to read, wanted to own his land, or married a white woman. History has proven those beliefs wrong, and I think the transgender issue mirrors race issues. I want to land on the right side of history.

Also, "doctor" is a concrete, objective characteristic that can be measured. One either is a physician, or isn't. There are defining characteristics of a physician (med school graduate, license) on which we all agree. There isn't any grey area. Gender identify, as you note, is a much more fluid and subjective construct.

[deliriumtrigg3r]

You don't think man/woman or male/female is an objective characteristic? We constantly identify patients by age/birthdate, name, and male/female. Identifying as something isn't the same as actually BEING something. Again, there are plenty of people who think they are a different species altogether.

[OpinionatedCNA, CNA]

But yes, I do wonder what makes believing you're a man when you're biologically a woman NOT a mental illness in the way that believing you are a different person or an animal does.

I am also a trans man. As far as I'm concerned whether or not being transgender is a mental illness is arguing on semantics based on the norms of the way our culture is gendered and what qualifies a mental illness; it's not in the DSM 5 that's all I can tell you. But whatever you choose to believe, your attitude is downright shameful and I am embarrassed for you. Personally I believe that in nursing you have to treat all your patients respectfully; no matter if you think they're faking the pain, or you think they're 'just crazy,' or you don't understand what they are going through. Mainly because I was treated like a piece of hot **** before by medical professionals like yourself and I would never wish that upon anyone. Not even you!

Yes, I "war with my natural body!" every time I take my hormones, although I usually call it taking medication for a chronic condition like everyone else who isn't blessed with a perfect mind or body.

I am extremely thankful for my good health because there are a lot worse things that happen to people than being trans. I am in better physical health than most people and I am stable enough mentally. God forbid I am told I could have been one of those people who believe they are truly a cat on the inside! I lucked out there because male hormones are a lot cheaper than a full-body cheetah spots tattoo would be

[deliriumtrigg3r]

Who said we don't treat patients with respect? I treat all my patients with respect, no matter how ill they are. To suggest otherwise is misinformed. Just because someone doesn't share your beliefs doesn't make them "shameful". Practice some tolerance perhaps.

[deliriumtrigg3r]

And gender dysphoria IS in the DSM, check it out. What Is Gender Dysphoria?

[elkpark]

Practice some tolerance perhaps.

I suggest you take your own advice.

[elkpark]

And gender dysphoria IS in the DSM, check it out. What Is Gender Dysphoria?

Yes, and per the site you linked, the treatment is to transition to the appropriate gender. Not to try to convince them that they're wrong to feel that way, or provide some kind of "treatment" to make that conviction go away.

[deliriumtrigg3r]

Right, so getting surgery, taking hormones, and psychotherapy is the treatment for gender dysphoria. So is being trans not an attempt at remedying a psychological problem?

[elkpark]

Right, so getting surgery, taking hormones, and psychotherapy is the treatment for gender dysphoria. So is being trans not an attempt at remedying a psychological problem?

Please note that the term "gender dysphoria" doesn't refer to the condition of being transgendered. It refers to the distress over the mismatch between your true gender and your physical gender (much of which, many of us would argue, is a result of societal stigma and discrimination, plenty of which is on display in this thread). There's nothing wrong or "sick" about believing that your true gender is different than your physical gender. The distress about the mismatch is something that we can treat -- by helping people transition to their true gender identity.