Discussion on Gender & Sexuality Disorders

Discussion on Gender & Sexuality Disorders

Please feel free to address EITHER or BOTH of these TD points. You are welcome to share as much or as little as feels safe and comfortable, with the goal of becoming self-aware clinicians who are ethically-minded and strive to do good in our field. Feel free to ask questions about terminology, implications, or other aspects of working around issues of sex and gender, many of which are often undiscussed.

Check tips on how to do your Psychology Assignments. 

Regarding Gender Dysphoria:

The APA recognizes that Gender Identity Disorder (GID) may be a stigmatizing diagnosis and has proposed that the term be changed to Gender Incongruence. Also of note, the committee discussed the issue of whether this was a psychiatric or medical condition and decided to leave that open in an attempt to help patients obtain insurance coverage for cross-gender hormones, sexual reassignment, and other therapies. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently (2019) moved away from this language. Gender Dysphoria involves a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least 6 months duration. The issue of medical vs. psychiatric diagnosis was again raised here.

Discussion on Gender & Sexuality Disorders

It was noted that many of the individuals with Gender Incongruence ceased having distress once they were on cross-gender hormones or had sexual reassignment. Ceasing the treatment would cause the individual to again experience distress. Overall there is an increased sensitivity to not stigmatize the patient. There are many who feel that this is not a psychiatric condition at all and that it should not be listed as such, and thus this is an extremely controversial area. Please consider your personal thoughts on this area, and share on the DB if (and however much) you feel comfortable – Please, however, consider how your thoughts may impact patient care.

Check tips on how to do your Psychology Assignments. 

Regarding Sexual Disorders:

Often, students report having little experience or knowledge around sexual disorders, including disorders of arousal, performance and health, and paraphilic disorders. As professionals working with social and sexual beings, we will encounter these issues (even when they are not primary to treatment) across the developmental lifespan. Children are often curious about their bodies, gender, and roles, teenagers are solidifying identities, experimenting in relationships and learning about pubertal changes, and adults are navigating mature relationships, physical changes due to age, pregnancy, birth, injury and many more permutations. What did you encounter in your readings, PowerPoint(s) and/or lecture that was new, confusing, or that is related to how you would work with your clients? Please remember to cite sources as you are encouraged to go beyond the text, the DSM, and unit readings to formulate a thorough, well-supported initial post.