Dr. C Vijay Kumar: This blog is dedicated to the topic of ‘Gender Dysphoria’. So, all those who are planning to get gender change surgery should have clarity over their thoughts so that they proceed in the right direction.

How transgender and transsexual are different from each other?

• Transgender is referred to as a non-medical term that has been used since the 1990s and it is used in terms of gender identity to understand how someone’s gender differs as to what was assigned to them at birth.
• Transsexual is used for the individuals who come under the binary gender category which are one of them: Male or Female.

Bear in mind, not every individual deals with the situation of gender dysphoria planning to get the male to female gender change. Moreover, this situation is likely to trigger at any age, and many times people hide their feelings as to what they are going through. In case, you wish to get sex reassignment surgery then better be clear on your thoughts.

Can hormone therapy affect the emotional state?

In many cases, transgender people consider the choice of masculinizing hormones or feminizing hormones which include estrogen & testosterone. It was noted that their emotions were addressed as the gender dysphoria state got down with time. In case, a person already has a psychiatric disorder then they may have symptoms of manic or psychotic episodes. So, if your consideration is to get the female into Male then it’s better to know about the benefits & risks. You have to be ready to begin this journey so that no issue is triggered.

I have gender dysphoria, Should I not get gender change surgery?

Every individual has their preference as to whether they want to get surgical or medical treatment. If someone has gender dysphoria then it is up to them which treatment they want to get. Many of them feel happy and content just by getting hormone therapy. So, there is no such requirement that you have to get medical treatment. As we have mentioned, some choose to remain silent all this time and don’t feel like expressing their thoughts in front of everyone.

If a man likes to wear women’s clothes but doesn’t consider himself a woman, Does it mean he has a psychiatric disorder?

NO! Such cases are referred to as transvestite & this is not referred to as psychiatric disorders. Liking yourself to dress up in the opposite sex clothes does not mean that there is some problem with you.

Do you have any doubts?

It’s an important phase of your life and do what makes you feel comfortable. But, the most important thing is to be aware of the surgery and how everything will proceed further.