Assume that one has to have satisfy the conditions of the DSM IV TR to be labeled Gender Dysphoric, hence you must be Mentally Ill or have a Mental Disorder. I have lifted the relevant text from the DSM IV TR page 578 and assigned a corresponding analysis to each of those Criterion.
There are two components of Gender Identity Disorder, both of which must be present to make the diagnosis. There musty be evidence of a strong and persistent cross gender identification, which is the desire to be or the insistence that one is, of the other sex (Criterion A).
"Evidence for who?" I never told my psychiatrists anything about my 'strong desire' or 'desire' to be a female or insistence that I was a female or better still, we can discount 'insistence' because I never once voiced it to any one so lets discount that, shall we?
Lets count how many times during my life that I wanted, wished, imagined, dressed, played or part took in activities that were for girls or females only. From a rough count I would say about 30 for the first 30 years of my life. But lets say there are actually 90 and this occurred between the ages of 20 and 30 just before I actually changed. This translates roughly to 1 event per month per year up and till I actually changed. So this does not indicate a strong and persistent cross gender identification or does it? So I should have failed the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria for Criterion A
This cross gender identification must not merely be a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex.
This one is easy, I would have no advantage because I was going to become the weaker sex, less pay, more easily be assaulted and job options limited. So I most certainly did not do it for any cultural advantage. Oh wait maybe my swimming prowess might give me an advantage, well lets see, I was good at the 50m and 100m free and 50 Butterfly, anything beyond that or style, I was just like another stone in the pond. So for this perceived advantage I should also fail the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria.
There must also be evidence of persistent discomfort about one's assigned sex or a sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex (Criterion B).
I did not have any persistent discomfort in my assigned sex at the time, it was just part of me. I knew I did not want to act the part of my assigned gender role that was given to me at birth. So I should have failed the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria for Criterion B
The diagnosis is not made if the individual has concurrent physical intersex condition (e.g. partial androgen insensitivity syndrome or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (Criterion C).
Well I don't know if I have these conditions. Lets assume that I do not have these conditions. So the Diagnosis for Gender Dysphoria can be made for me in this case.
To make the diagnosis, there must be evidence of clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important ares of functioning (Criterion D).
I worked, lived and played, spent time with my friends and family. I dated enough to just throw the hounds of the scent, to prevent others thinking, I was gay (and no I was not) and when I left and changed, I worked, lived and played, spent time with my friends, dated and gradually I become involved with my family again. I just wonder if my psychiatrist thought I was distressed? I doubt it because I was just living virtually a normal life as a female. So I should have failed the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria for Criterion D
So lets sum all of this up shall we. Diagnosis can be made because of Criterion C. However, by Criterion's A, B and D. I fail totally and utterly. But wait, there's more, my psychiatrist in his letter to my surgeon stated basically the following.
"Sarah B was referred to me in March 89 and has been seen by her endocrinologist and her other psychiatrist, both of whom have written to you. I believe she is suitable for gender reassignment surgery."
It would have been very interesting to know what he wrote in his notes about me when I was visiting him. However, I will never know because those records were destroyed 20 years ago. Did my psychiatrist make a mistake or did he get it right? I will never know unless I go back and ask him.
So according to me the DSM IV TR says I do not have Gender Dysphoria and I guess they are right and I would agree with them. Oh me, Oh my, but I had surgery! My surgeon stated in a letter and I quote (virtually verbatim).
"This is to certify that Sarah B, born in February 1959, has undergone gender reassignment surgery from male to female in February 1991. She is to all intents and purposes a female. The surgery is irreversible." Thank god for that.
You see the problem is, I have always been female and I always will be and I never did have Gender Dysphoria, the reason I keep saying this is because I have knowledge and understanding. I have never been as happy as I have been the last 20 years of my life and I have done more in that time than I ever did before I changed. I love my life, I'm happy and I have never ever regretted my decision.
So am I, the exception to the rule? Did my psychiatrist not follow the correct procedures? Or am I stark raving mad for doing what I did? How about, I manipulated the information to the desired outcome? Well, I'm giving you an honest account, maybe all this should have been done twenty years ago and if it had, then maybe I would not be here today. Only you can decide on the veracity of what I have said.
Because if there is one exception there are others. Therefore the diagnosis for Gender Dysphoria is fatally flawed.
Kind regards
Sarah B