Atypical Gender Development

Question 1

What is Gender Dysphoria?

Answer 1

• some men and women experience a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity
• individuals who have gender dysphoria do not identify as their sex given at birth
• Source of stress and discomfort and is so recognised as a psychological disorder in DSM-5

Question 2

What are the biological explanations for gender dysphoria?

Answer 2

• DSM-5 includes intersex conditions that a have a recognised biological basis (Klinefelters syndrome)
• Nevertheless, it is plausible;e that gender dysphoria may be subject to some biological influences

Question 3

What is Brain Sex Theory?

Answer 3

• Gedner dysphoria has a basis in brain structure - the bed nucleus of the stria terminal is, involved in emotional responses and also in male sexual behaviour in rats, larger in men than women and has found to be female-sized in transgender females (kruijver)
• Leads to suggestion that those with gender dysphoria have a BST the size of the gedner they identify with, not the size of their biological sex, this dimorphism in BST fits with the report made by people who are transgender that they feel from early childhood they were born the wrong sex
• follow up study six transgender individuals showed an average BST neuron number in the female range (Kruijver)

Question 4

How do Genetic factors explain gender dysphoria?

Answer 4

• Coolidge assessed 157 twin pairs (96 MZ and 61 DZ) for evidence of gender dysphoria. 62% of variance could be accounted by genetic factors, strong heritable component to gender dysphoria
• Heylens compared 23 MZ twins with 21 DZ twins where one of each pair was diagnosed with gender dysphoria. 9 of MZ twins were concordant for gender dysphoria compared to non of the DZ twins which indicates a role for genetic factors

Question 5

How does social constructions explain gender dysphoria?

Answer 5

• ‘invented’ by societies, the gender ‘confusion’ arises because society forces people to be either a man or a women (must ‘pick a side’ and act accordingly). Here dysphoria is not a pathological condition but a social phenomenon
• McClintock cites the case of individuals with a a genetic condition (5-alpha-reductive deficiency) in the Sambia of New Guinea. Causes bio males to be girls at birth due to labia and clitoris, puberty genital change because of testosterone increase (vag turns penis).
• common in Sambia routinely accepted men women and females-then-males (Kwolu-aatmwol) However, as this culture has contact with other cultures Kwolu-aatmwol are judged as having gender dysphoria

Question 6

What is Psychoanalytic Theory?

Answer 6

• Ovesey and Person emphasise social relationships with the family as cause of dysphoria
• in boys caused by extreme separation anxiety before gender identity has been established, boy fantasises a symbiotic fusion with his mother to relieve the anxiety
• The boy becomes the mother and adapts a women’s gender identity. Stoller reports GD bio males displayed close relationships with their mothers.

Question 7

What evidence contradicts brain sex theory?

Answer 7

• Hulshoff used MRI scans taken during hormone treatment, scans showed size of BST changed significantly over time.
• suggests differences in BST nay have been an effect of hormone therapy

Question 8

What other brain differences support the idea?

Answer 8

• Rametti studied white matter and found there are regional differences in the proportion of white matter in male and female brains
• Before hormone treatment brains of both female and male transgender individuals analysed and found in most cases amount/distribution of white matter corresponded more closely to the gender the individuals identities themselves as being rather than bio sex

Question 9

What is one strength of social constructionism?

Answer 9

• not all cultures have two genders e.g fa’afafine of Samoa. Challenges traditional binary classifications of male and female - increasing numbers of people describe themselves as non-binary suggests that cultural understanding is only now beginning to ‘catch-up’ with the lived experience of many

Question 10

What is one limitation of psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 10

• Doesn’t provide an adequate account of gender dysphoria in bio females as only explains transgender women. Rekers found gender dysphoria in those assigned male at birth is more likely associated with absence of father than fear of separation from mother
• not a comprehensive explanation