gender dysphoria

[jen-der dis-fawr-ee-uh]

noun

1. a psychological condition marked by significant emotional distress and impairment in life functioning, caused by a lack of congruence between gender identity and sex assigned at birth.

gender dysphoria

noun

1. a condition in which a person feels uncertainty or anxiety about his or her birth gender

Sensitive Note

Some transgender individuals and their advocates object to the use of the word "disorder" to describe this condition and therefore reject use of the variant term gender identity disorder, which was once used more widely. However, others feel that classifying it as a disorder may facilitate access to medical care related to the condition.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gender dysphoria¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The president also signed an order stating that those with gender dysphoria or “shifting pronoun usage” are unfit to serve in the military.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tapped into these anxieties, blaming chemicals, food additives and medications for increasing rates of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety and gender dysphoria.

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., for example, described “gender dysphoria” as a “mental illness” in a post on X. In a separate post, she urged Congress to pass legislation that she had introduced, which would make it illegal to provide medical care to transgender minors.

Read more on Salon

The majority is quick to dismiss the impact of Arkansas’ ban on doctors who wish to support patients with gender dysphoria.

Read more on Slate

The Belfast Health Trust runs the Brackenburn Clinic, based in south Belfast, which has a service for adults experiencing gender dysphoria.

Read more on BBC