Gender - Explanations of GID

Question 1

what is gender dysphoria?

Answer 1

chronic stress due to perception of sex and gender mismatch

excludes intersex conditions

Question 2

what is gender dysphoria also known as?

Answer 2

gender identity disorder

Question 3

what are the biological theories for explaining gender dysphoria?

Answer 3

the transsexual gene

brain-sex theory

cross wiring

pesticides

Question 4

what was the method of the study into the transsexual gene?

Answer 4

DNA from over 100 MtF transsexuals studied

Question 5

what were the findings from the study into the transsexual gene?

Answer 5

androgen receptor gene significantly longer in MtF transsexuals

that brains of MtFs may be much less masculine than average if threshold for masculine development never reached

Question 6

how could a longer androgen receptor gene cause a less masculine brain?

Answer 6

it reduces the ability of testosterone to cause changes in development

Question 7

what is the brain-sex theory for explaining gender dysphoria?

Answer 7

theory that transsexual’s brains do not match genetic sex

Question 8

what evidence is there for the brain-sex theory of explaining gender dysphoria?

Answer 8

BSTc twice the size in straight men than women

BSTc correlates with preferred sex, not biological sex, in transsexuals

Question 9

what is the role of the BSTc?

Answer 9

integrate information across the limbic system

info used to moniter stress-readiness levels

Question 10

what are the brain differences between men and women?

Answer 10

male brains larger

female brains have a thicker cortex and more grey matter/less white matter

males have larger ventricles

female neurons have more dendritic spines

Question 11

what evidence contradicts the theory of male/female brains?

Answer 11

stress can alter the sex of brain areas:

after 15 mins of stress, typical female neurons had switched to typical male neurons in a study on rats

‘mosaic’ theory

nature/nurture/diathesis-stress issue with the theory

Question 12

which environmental factors have been found to switch the sex of brain regions?

Answer 12

size of social group

level of environmental stimulation

during pregancy

Question 13

what is the mosaic theory of gender and the brain?

Answer 13

all brains intersex/androgynous

all born with a ‘mosaic’ of female + male parts of the brain that change throughout your life

Question 14

what is the cross-wiring theory for explaining gender dysphoria?

Answer 14

amputees may feel phantom limbs due to cross wiring

FTM transsexuals may experience phantom penis and lack of sensation in female genitals due to disrupted wiring

Question 15

what proportion of FTM transsexuals reported experiencing phantom penis?

Answer 15

2/3

Question 16

what could disrupt wiring to cause phantom penis?

Answer 16

low fetal testosterone activity

Question 17

what is the pesticide theory for gender dysphoria?

Answer 17

insectiside DDT used in some countries

contains oestrogen

boys born to exposed mothers were more feminine

Question 18

what are the social explanations for gender dysphoria?

Answer 18

childhood trauma

atypical mother-son relationships

atypical father-daughter relationships

Question 19

what is the trauma explanation for gender dysphoria?

Answer 19

gender dysphoria is similar to a mental illness that results from childhood trauma

Question 20

what is the case study for the trauma explanation for gender dysphoria?

Answer 20

boys mother had an abortion when he was around 3

mother became depressed

boy develops gender dysphoria to understand mother

Question 21

what is the mother-son explanation for gender dysphoria?

Answer 21

boys that developed GD were very close with their mothers

may have over-identified with mother as boundaries very blurred

identification with wrong model may lead to identity issues

Question 22

what is the father-daughter explanation for gender dysphoria?

Answer 22

dysphoric girls usually rejected by fathers at young age

results in over-identification with father

increased imitation of male behaviours leads to confused identity

Question 23

what are the criticisms of the brain-sex theory?

Answer 23

differences in BSTc doesn’t usually develop until adulthood, gender dysphoria mostly reported in early childhood

Question 24

what are the advantages of the brain-sex theory?

Answer 24

supporting evidence - FTM before hormone therapy had similar white/grey matter patterns to biological men

Question 25

what research support is there for the cross-wiring theory?

Answer 25

only 10% FTM experience phantom breasts after surgery to remove

30% MTF experience phantom penis after surgery, compared to 60% cisgender men

Question 26

what research support is there for social explanations?

Answer 26

studied boys with gender and mother issues:

64% MTF diagnosed with anxiety compared to 38% non-GID men

another study found high levels of emotional over-involvement in mothers of boys with GID

Question 27

what are the issues with research into GID?

Answer 27

socially sensitive research

outcomes will socially affect individuals with GID