Gender dysphoria is a feeling of extreme discomfort or unhappiness with one’s physical sex. It is considered a symptom of a gender identity disorder. It manifests, often in early childhood, as a wish to be, or a feeling that one is of the opposite sex. A boy may engage in typically feminine behavior, such as playing with dolls or dressing in feminine clothing. A girl may wish to have her hair cut short, engage in rough-and-tumble play and generally displays tomboyish behavior. If the feeling of having the wrong physical sex persists, a transgender teen may feel disgust with his or her body as they begin to develop sexually.

Many in the transgender community dispute the notion that non-conformity with traditionally accepted gender roles is a sign of a mental disorder. Many children grow out of gender dysphoria, and come to feel comfortable with their gender, but are identified as homosexuals. Some teens try desperately to fit in with their socially defined gender roles. This may cause them great emotional distress. Those who object to the idea of a gender identity disorder point out, particularly in the case of a transgender teen who may be exploring his or her sexual identity, the idea that they may have a mental illness and this reinforces the notion that “different is bad.”

Sometimes gender dysphoria persists into adulthood. A person may feel that he or she is of one sex, but trapped in the body of the other. As transgender teens, they may have had a desire to live as the opposite physical sex. When they become adults, these persons may decide to get transgender therapy. They then receive psychological counseling, and are treated with hormones to give their bodies the appearance of the desired sex. Ultimately, they may have sexual reassignment surgery. Usually, the transgender surgery will be done only after the person has lived as a member of the desired physical sex for a period of a year to two years.

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