Four Reasons To Stop Saying “Gender Dysphoria”

The vague and sexist concept creates the very symptoms it claims to describe

The gender identity debate is inherently a debate of language and concepts. Concepts like “transgender” and “transsexual” are hotly debated among radical feminists.

Many advocate against the use of these concepts as upholding the false premise behind them — that a person can change their sex.

In the search for accurate terms to question the practices and ideas of transgenderism, gender critical and radical feminists may fall back on another term: “gender dysphoria.”

Recently, I saw one woman announce on social media: “I just had a wonderful idea. From now on, I try to use the abbreviation PGD - people with gender dysphoria - instead of ‘trans people.’”

As a trained and practicing clinical psychologist, but above all a radical feminist, I reject the concept of gender dysphoria.

Rather than relying on it, I suggest we start debating the underlying assumptions of the clinical term “gender dysphoria” and stop using it in favor of clearer language describing and criticizing the practices and ideology of transgenderism. Here is why.

1. The concept of “Gender Dysphoria” is sexist
The 5th Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnosis of “gender dysphoria” uses “gender” when it means “sex” or “sex role.” It is unclear whether the authors see a difference between these two.

By using “gender” at times for “sex” and at other times for “sex roles,” they ignore the feminist definition of sex roles as patriarchal tools of control over women. By using “gender,” when they mean “sex,” they reveal that they do not believe in the material reality of sexed bodies, but are members of the cult of “gender identity.”

The DSM-5 defines “gender dysphoria” in adolescents and adults as “incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and their assigned gender lasting at least 6 months.” This state should be manifested by at least two of the following (my own translation is added in brackets):

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