Dysphoria and Transness

[Iliana.Found]

If one was to transition to a state where they felt like they reached their transitioning goal and no longer suffered from dysphoria, then would that person still be trans? Is Gender dysphoria required to be trans. Is GD what causes us to feel like what we are on the inside is not what we are on the outside or is GD a "symptom" of being trans? Sorry if my questions don't make sense, but I am a little confused on the subject. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated!

[KathyLauren]

Hmm, it's always tricky when talking about semantics.

Gender dysphoria is a specific condition that is defined in the DSM-V.  It can be cured, and once it is cured, it is gone.

'Transgender' usually refers to a person whose sex assigned at birth does not match their experienced gender.  So, in my opinion, which means nothing at all in the grand scheme of things, one would still be trans even after a successful transition. 

At some happy time in the future, I will feel no dysphoria.  I will feel fully female and will be experienced by others as female.  My transition will be over.  But in my history, I will always have been assigned male at birth.  So, I think I would still be trans.

[Barb99]

Transgender is a large umbrella. To me I will always be someone that transitioned, but now that that is complete, and I feel no gender dysphoria, I no longer consider myself transgender. I'm simply a woman.

[Ypsf09]

Technically, once a trans always a trans. Lol.

However if one is so successful in their transition that their beauty/feminity surpasses that of most others and that too in a natural way thus society treating you beautifully. This reaction coupled with some reconditioning of the brain(programming your mind to change/tweak  some facts about previous life, childhood etc)  overtime can make one overcome the mindset  that they are trans, thus thinking of their own selves as just a normal female and nothing else. But the most important criteria with this technique is to be able to pass flawlessly and beautifully at all times as it's the society that is helping one in reinforcing the fact that they are nothing but a female. And once you don't think of ourselves as trans, gender dyshoria is automatically resolved too

I personally know a few Asian transwoman who were able to acheive this.

[JB_Girl]

Transgender is a large umbrella. To me I will always be someone that transitioned, but now that that is complete, and I feel no gender dysphoria, I no longer consider myself transgender. I'm simply a woman.

I think that this has merit.  I do not feel dysphoria about my body and my mind is comfortable with being and living a woman.  Where I part company with Charley is that transgender is still a reasonable adjective in the lexicon of how I am legitimately described.  I spent most of my life living in the half light of dysphoria and the last six years in the struggle of becoming whole.  But I do not despise nor do I deny the person I was.  He tried to do what he believed was the right thing.  And he did so lovingly and honestly.

While he is no longer me, I came out of him.  I am the product of his fear and his courage.  I am the result of transcending the improbable and embracing the possibility.  I am a woman and I am also trans.

Peace,
Julie

[Iliana.Found]

Thank you for all of the great replies!

KathyLauren - So if a persons gender dysphoria is cured before they begin transition, then will they no longer wish to be that of the opposite sex and would be fine with their born physical body? Or is trans knowing that your body and mind don't match and the stress or symptoms that come from that are GD? So it would be like any other person trying to cope with let's say their depression.

JB_Girl - So plus one for not needing GD to be trans? So would you say that it is just a symptom of some sort? I'm sure there's a better name for it than symptom lol

Ypsf09 - Yes, I agree lol

[KathyLauren]

KathyLauren - So if a persons gender dysphoria is cured before they begin transition, then will they no longer wish to be that of the opposite sex and would be fine with their born physical body? Or is trans knowing that your body and mind don't match and the stress or symptoms that come from that are GD? So it would be like any other person trying to cope with let's say their depression.

As far as I know, the only 'cure' for gender dysphoria is transition.  Not everyone needs to transition.  Some people prefer to accept the dysphoria rather than deal with the challenges of transition, and that is okay.  For some people most of their dysphoria comes from their body not matching who they are.  For some, most of it comes from living in the wrong social role.  For others, it comes from society's taboos on gender expression.  For most, it is a mixture of all three, in different proportions.  Dysphoria is the feeling that "this ain't right; I need to be me".

[Dani]

As far as I know, the only 'cure' for gender dysphoria is transition.

This is my experience. I struggled for over 50 years with gender dysphoria. Once I had SRS, I had no conflict within myself. I feel like I should have been this way all along. I am at peace with everything and everybody. 

[Dena]

If one was to transition to a state where they felt like they reached their transitioning goal and no longer suffered from dysphoria, then would that person still be trans?

I was transsexual and I say that because a transsexual is somebody who desires to be the opposite gender. I freely admit to my past but I am no longer uncomfortable with my gender so I am no longer transsexual. It's somewhat being picky with the wording and I won't call out the word police if somebody gets it wrong. This was explained in one of my therapy meetings many years ago and still applies.

[tgirlamg]

Ahhh!!!..  Words, words, words!!!!... Terms!!... Labels!!!... They help us communicate and they can also limit in so many ways...Our brains have millions of incoming things to process each day and placing things into pigeon holes is our natural inclination to help get through it all... To say this goes here and that goes there..

I guess that the transition is truly just to the place of authenticity... Where you are showing the world who you truly are and feel like it is you within and without, wherever that may sit on the spectrum of gender or any other spectrum for that matter... Transition is stripping away all the layers we hide behind... Looking at who we are at our core and then living that truth and showing that self to the world... This is me!!!! ...When this point is reached.. Dysphoria is but a distant memory...

Onward we go!!!

Ashley

[Julia1996]

90% of my dysphoria was gone after going full time female. I have never really had major dysphoria regarding my genitals. Do I want them gone? Yes. Am I having grs? Yes. But I don't totally hate them and I can have sex just fine without feeling too weird. For me just wanting to be female caused my dysphoria. People don't look in my pants so I have pretty much accomplished that. But I don't think I ever will feel  like I'm a normal cis woman. I will always be trans. But I can accept that and still be happy.