Gender transition: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:16, 4 October 2024

Revision as of 03:37, 4 October 2024

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{{Redirect|Gender change|sex change|Sex change (disambiguation){{!}}Sex change}}

{{Transgender sidebar}}

'''Gender transition''' is the process of [[Gender affirmation|affirming]] and [[Gender expression|expressing]] one's [[Gender identity|internal sense of gender]], rather than the gender [[Sex assignment|assigned to them at birth]]. It is the recommended course of treatment for individuals struggling with [[gender dysphoria]], providing improved mental health outcomes in the majority of people.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Baker |first1=Kellan E |last2=Wilson |first2=Lisa M |last3=Sharma |first3=Ritu |last4=Dukhanin |first4=Vadim |last5=McArthur |first5=Kristen |last6=Robinson |first6=Karen A |date=April 2021 |title=Hormone Therapy, Mental Health, and Quality of Life Among Transgender People: A Systematic Review |journal=Journal of the Endocrine Society |publication-date=2 February 2021 |volume=5 |issue=4|pages=bvab011 |doi=10.1210/jendso/bvab011 |doi-access=free |pmid=33644622 |pmc=7894249 }}</ref>

A '''social transition''' may include coming out as transgender,{{Efn|While the label Transgender is used here, people of diverse gender identities may socially or medically transition.|name=a|group=lower-alpha}} using a new name and pronouns, and changing one's public gender expression.<ref name="Brown&Rounsley">Brown, M. L. & Rounsley, C. A. (1996) ''True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism – For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals'' Jossey-Bass: San Francisco {{ISBN|0-7879-6702-5}}</ref> This is usually the first step in a gender transition. People socially transition at almost any age,<ref name=":33">{{Cite journal |last1=Kennedy |first1=Natacha |last2=Hellen |first2=Mark |date=2010 |title=Transgender Children: more than a theoretical challenge |url=https://www.gjss.org/sites/default/files/issues/chapters/papers/Journal-07-02--02-Kennedy-Hellen.pdf |journal=Graduate Journal of Social Science}}</ref><ref name=":43">{{Cite book |last=Fabbre |first=Vanessa D. |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315731803-5/gender-transitions-later-life-significance-time-queer-aging-vanessa-fabbre |title=Gender Transitions in Later Life: The Significance of Time in Queer Aging |date=2015 |isbn=9781315731803 |doi=10.4324/9781315731803-5/gender-transitions-later-life-significance-time-queer-aging-vanessa-fabbre |doi-broken-date=2024-07-22}}</ref> as a social transition does not involve medical procedures. It can, however, be a prerequisite to accessing transgender healthcare in many places.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

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In [[transgender youth]], [[puberty blockers]] are sometimes offered at the onset of puberty to allow the exploration of their gender identity without the distress<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":8" /> of [[Puberty|irreversible pubertal changes]]. Upon reaching the age of consent, they become eligible to pursue a medical transition if it is still desired.

A '''medical transition''' may include [[Cross-sex hormone therapy|hormone replacement therapy]] (HRT), [[transgender voice therapy]], and [[gender affirming surgery|gender affirming surgeries]]. The ability to start a medical transition is typically offered after a diagnosis of [[gender dysphoria]],<ref name="j624">{{cite journal |last=Johnson |first=Austin H. |date=2019 |title=Rejecting, reframing, and reintroducing: trans people's strategic engagement with the medicalisation of gender dysphoria |journal=Sociology of Health & Illness |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=517–532 |doi=10.1111/1467-9566.12829 |pmid=30484870 |issn=0141-9889}}</ref> a form of [[medicalization]]. In recent years, there has been a push for an [[Informed consent|informed consent model]] of transgender healthcare which allows adults to access HRT without a formal diagnosis.<ref name="c152">{{cite journal |last=Schulz |first=Sarah L. |date=2017-12-13 |title=The Informed Consent Model of Transgender Care: An Alternative to the Diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria |journal=Journal of Humanistic Psychology |publisher=SAGE Publications |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=72–92 |doi=10.1177/0022167817745217 |issn=0022-1678}}</ref>

Transitioning is a process that can take anywhere from several months to several years. As a personal journey, there will never be a one-size-fits-all approach to transition.

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It is important to note that most transgender individuals will receive few, if any surgeries throughout their lifetimes and some may never receive HRT. Barriers to accessing medical transitioning can include: a lack of financing, a lack of desire, or a lack of accessibility. There is no one way to transition, and while a medical transition or surgery can absolutely be medically necessary for some individuals' personal wellbeing, no two transitions are the same.

* [[Puberty blockers|'''Puberty blockers / hormone blockers''']] are terms that refer to medications used to block natal sex hormones. For transgender youth, hormone blockers may be offered at the onset of puberty to allow the exploration of their gender identity without the distress<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Turban |first1=Jack L. |last2=King |first2=Dana |last3=Carswell |first3=Jeremi M. |last4=Keuroghlian |first4=Alex S. |date=1 February 2020 |title=Pubertal Suppression for Transgender Youth and Risk of Suicidal Ideation |url=https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/2/e20191725/68259/Pubertal-Suppression-for-Transgender-Youth-and?autologincheck=redirected |pmid=31974216 |access-date=2024-07-21 |websitejournal=publicationsPediatrics|volume=145 |issue=2 |doi=10.aap1542/peds.org2019-1725 |pmc=7073269 }}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last=Lambrese |first=Jason |date=2010-08-01 |title=Suppression of Puberty in Transgender Children |url=https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/suppression-puberty-transgender-children/2010-08 |journal=AMA Journal of Ethics |language=en |volume=12 |issue=8 |pages=645–649 |doi=10.1001/virtualmentor.2010.12.8.jdsc1-1008 |issn=2376-6980 |pmid=23186849}}</ref> of [[Puberty|irreversible pubertal changes]]. Puberty blockers are considered reversible<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Rölver |first1=Angela |last2=Föcker |first2=Manuel |last3=Romer |first3=Georg |date=2022 |title=Desisting from gender dysphoria after 1,5 years of puberty suppression: A case report |department=Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |journal=University Hospital Münster |volume=1 |issue=2 |doi=10.1016/j.psycr.2022.100049|doi-access=free }}</ref> and their use is deemed safe and effective<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rew |first1=Lynn |last2=Young |first2=Cara C. |last3=Monge |first3=Maria |last4=Bogucka |first4=Roxanne |date=February 2021 |title=Review: Puberty blockers for transgender and gender diverse youth—a critical review of the literature |url=https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/camh.12437 |journal=Child and Adolescent Mental Health |language=en |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=3–14 |doi=10.1111/camh.12437 |issn=1475-357X |pmid=33320999}}</ref> as treatment for gender dysphoria in gender-diverse children<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Giordano |first1=Simona |last2=Holm |first2=Søren |date=2020-04-02 |title=Is puberty delaying treatment 'experimental treatment'? |journal=International Journal of Transgender Health |language=en |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=113–121 |doi=10.1080/26895269.2020.1747768 |issn=2689-5269 |pmc=7430465 |pmid=33015663}}</ref> and [[precocious puberty]] in [[cisgender]] children;<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Eugster |first=Erica A |date=May 2019 |title=Treatment of Central Precocious Puberty |journal=Journal of the Endocrine Society |volume=3 |issue=5 |pages=965–972 |doi=10.1210/js.2019-00036 |pmc=6486823 |pmid=31041427}}</ref> their use may be discontinued at any time if natal puberty-blocking is no longer desired.<ref name=":2" /> For transgender adults, hormone blockers may be offered in a course with cross-sex hormone replacement therapy in order to treat gender dysphoria.

* [[Transgender hormone therapy|'''Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)''']] is a medical treatment that replaces the primary sex hormones in one's body, in order to develop the secondary sex characteristics of the opposite sex. Individuals seeking masculinizing HRT are prescribed the male sex hormone [[testosterone]], while individuals seeking feminizing HRT are prescribed the female sex hormone [[estrogen]].