• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

SHARE YOUR OPINION ON: Gender Dysphoria (Transgenderism) - Mental Illness or No?

Is Gender Dysphoria (Transgenderism) a Mental Illness?

  • Yes, it is a mental illness

    Votes: 24 53.3%

  • No, it is NOT a mental illness

    Votes: 21 46.7%
  • Total voters
    45
truthatallcost said:
Yes. An overwhelming urge to be a different sex, race, or species is a sign of mental illness, or abnormal development.
Click to expand...
vegas giants said:
Your uninformed and uneducated opinion is noted and dismissed Doctor
Click to expand...

Actually, transgenderism and sexuality outside of heterosexuality, are indeed abnormal developments. But then again so is left-handedness. Of course the problem comes from people wanting to take exceptions to the rule as if they were something unnatural, instead of an expected part of natural progression.
 
Is Gender Dysphoria (Transgenderism) a Mental Illness?
Click to expand...

no, it isn't a mental illness.
 
maquiscat said:
I would say that would be more true for all biological and medical intents and purposes. And I say that transgenders are, biologically speaking, neither male nor female. And I don't say this with any ill intent.
Click to expand...

Biologically speaking, a trans-woman is a male who takes female hormones.

Part of the problem comes from, due to knowledge not yet learned, how we tended to think of both sex and gender as one in the same. We are now learning otherwise.
Click to expand...

We're not "learning" that. The distinction is being enforced by activists, who claim there are more than two genders and thus need to untie "gender" from "sex".

Our sex tends to be determined physically, and not necessarily genetically. Women with AIS are born with a vagina but have the XY pair.
Click to expand...

Now you're talking about intersex people. That's a whole different topic.
 
My "opinion" agrees with medical science and no its not a mental illness. Why would I have an opinion different than medical science? :shrug:
 
APB212 said:
No, based on the "science" being political bullsh**.



I'm on the autism spectrum. I don't generally tell people, because then they treat me like a retard, but they figure it out by themselves pretty quickly. I also suffer from clinical depression, with possible bipolar tendencies.

I couldn't give a f*** whether any of those conditions are listed as mental disorders. Calling them something different doesn't change the symptoms. If I was gay or trans, and somebody wanted to classify that as a mental disorder as well, I wouldn't care about that either.

People who play identity politics are losers.
Click to expand...

lol...the belief that "transgenderism" is a mental illness is as archaic as believing leeches can cure Leukemia. If you want to debate this stuff, at least get your arguments up into the current century, especially when it comes to science.
 
calamity said:
lol...the belief that "transgenderism" is a mental illness is as archaic as believing leeches can cure Leukemia. If you want to debate this stuff, at least get your arguments up into the current century, especially when it comes to science.
Click to expand...

Oh look, another snarky progressive with no argument. Pull up a chair, buddy.
 
APB212 said:
Oh look, another snarky progressive with no argument. Pull up a chair, buddy.
Click to expand...

No. Just someone living in the 21st century dealing with modern science on a daily basis.
 
APB212 said:
Biologically speaking, a trans-woman is a male who takes female hormones.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. A trans women is an individual, who was born with male genitalia, but has a female gender identity. There are many transwomen whose GD has been alleviated simply by presenting as female without ever taking hormones. Being trans has to do with the mismatch that ones has. The dysphoria stems from that, but once you have made the changes needed to end the dysphoria, the stress and anxiety end. But the biological mismatch remains. Harking back to the missing limb example. Once a person gets their prostetic arm, the dysphoria might end and they no longer have the stress and anxiety, but the loss limb remains gone.

We're not "learning" that. The distinction is being enforced by activists, who claim there are more than two genders and thus need to untie "gender" from "sex".
Click to expand...

At one point, activists were the ones claiming that not only did the Earth move around the sun, but our solar system wasn't even the center of the universe! All changes from our familiar ways to new knowledge has been fraught with people claiming that the new knowledge was false and made up for whatever reasons

Now you're talking about intersex people. That's a whole different topic.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. Just because it is not as easily observed as AIS, that doesn't mean transgenderism isn't an intersexed condition, or caused by biological/genetic means if you don't want to consider it intersexed. Look again at what I wrote on chimeraism. Can you not see how that would be a possibility on why trans people are like they are? And how often do we ever take DNA samples from multiple places on a single person to compare them? The vast majority come from inner cheeks.
 
maquiscat said:
Incorrect. A trans women is an individual, who was born with male genitalia, but has a female gender identity.
Click to expand...

Biology doesn't care what your identity is.

There are many transwomen whose GD has been alleviated simply by presenting as female without ever taking hormones. Being trans has to do with the mismatch that ones has. The dysphoria stems from that, but once you have made the changes needed to end the dysphoria, the stress and anxiety end. But the biological mismatch remains. Harking back to the missing limb example. Once a person gets their prostetic arm, the dysphoria might end and they no longer have the stress and anxiety, but the loss limb remains gone.
Click to expand...

That doesn't mean that transgenderism and gender dysphoria are different phenomena. They are two sides of the same coin, as far as I can tell. Describing it as a "biological mismatch" adds nothing.

At one point, activists were the ones claiming that not only did the Earth move around the sun, but our solar system wasn't even the center of the universe! All changes from our familiar ways to new knowledge has been fraught with people claiming that the new knowledge was false and made up for whatever reasons
Click to expand...

Heliocentrism was never pushed by "activists". The scientific community at the time was split 50/50 on the subject, and that was perfectly reasonable given the available evidence. The Catholic Church mostly stayed out of the matter, and only intervened to stop Galileo from being an asshole.

Not necessarily. Just because it is not as easily observed as AIS, that doesn't mean transgenderism isn't an intersexed condition, or caused by biological/genetic means if you don't want to consider it intersexed. Look again at what I wrote on chimeraism. Can you not see how that would be a possibility on why trans people are like they are? And how often do we ever take DNA samples from multiple places on a single person to compare them? The vast majority come from inner cheeks.
Click to expand...

It's possible, but there's no evidence to support the claim. And since gender dysphoria can be caused/cured by other conditions[1], my guess is that it's mostly psychological with a few predisposing factors.

[1] - Citations later, I don't have time to hunt them down now.
 
maquiscat said:
Actually, transgenderism and sexuality outside of heterosexuality, are indeed abnormal developments. But then again so is left-handedness. Of course the problem comes from people wanting to take exceptions to the rule as if they were something unnatural, instead of an expected part of natural progression.
Click to expand...

vegas giants said:
Your uninformed and uneducated opinion is noted and dismissed Doctor
Click to expand...

The media and Hollywood often portray an almost glamorous image of life as a transgender or transsexual person. Bruce Jenner, decked out in expensive women's clothing, with professionally done hair and makeup comes to mind. But the reality for most transgender individuals is NOT glamorous.

Here's a few facts about life as a trans person, as opposed to non trans people:

-more likely to be murdered
- more likely to experience poverty
-more likely to commit suicide
-more likely to contract HIV
-more likely to turn to sex work for money

With the overwhelming NEGATIVE complications of being trans, why would a healthy brain direct it's possessor into a life of extremely dangerous potential risks? It wouldn't. A mentally ill brain directs people into harmful outcomes.
 
APB212 said:
The real question is whether you understand. You're the one smacking down everybody else by pretending to be a psychiatrist.
Click to expand...

No, the real question is if you have any understanding of this topic at all other than just throwing out pointless and unsubstantiated opinions. Thus far, the answer to that question seems to be "no". So far, we've learned that you not only don't understand transsexuality, the process in which it occurs or how GDD, not it, is a mental disorder, but you don't even understand what defines a mental disorder. My suggestion would be for you to educate yourself on such basic concepts. Perhaps then we would have a frame of reference in which to speak.
 
APB212 said:
So he says, and if it was incidental to the discussion then I'd take him at his word. But if he's using his status alone to browbeat anybody who disagrees with him, I insist he prove it with hard evidence - proof of qualification, proof of identity, and proof that he specializes in gender dysphoria. If he won't or can't do that, then he's not an authority on the subject.
Click to expand...

No, I browbeat anyone who comes into a discussion like this by saying, "transsexuality is a mental disorder" and who proceeds to present NOTHING to substantiate that opinion. That's what you did. Offer something of substance and you might end up with a discussion. Present an uneducated opinion, and that poor presentation will get pointed out very directly.
 
APB212 said:
And since I wasn't there and didn't see, I don't have to accept it as proven. If you're not going to prove it to every new member, then every new member is entitled to call bullsh** on the claim. I'm not even disputing the claim per se, I just object to him using it to prop up his argument.
Click to expand...

Show us what you have offered as substantiation of your position, APB. From what I see, an absolute goose egg. I know a lot about this topic and have discussed it extensively here at DP for years. I have no issue with discussing it with someone new... but that person needs to bring something to the table, not just some opinion that is based on nothing but, from what it seems, a feeling. Present something.
 
I understand where the left leaning folks on the thread are coming from; they don't want to hurt people's feelings who may be trans, so instead of answering honestly they're lying and calling transgender normal. I think this is really a huge disservice really, equal to telling a bi polar person that they're mood swings are normal, or an obese person that its normal to overeat. In order to treat a problem, it first has to be recognized as one.
 
APB212 said:
I've been told that transgenderism is distinct from gender dysphoria. As I understand, this is logically justified as follows:

1. Gender dysphoria is the dissatisfaction with one's gender.

2. Transitioning to the preferred gender alleviates the dysphoria.

3. Post-op trannies are still transgender, despite the alleviation of dysphoria.

4. Therefore, since one can be transgender without having dysphoria, the two concepts are separate.

If I've misunderstood the argument, feel free to correct me.

Otherwise, this sounds like a fallacy. Transitioning from male to female (for example) may alleviate the symptoms of gender dysphoria, but it doesn't change the root problem of being disassociated from your biological sex. That's like getting a pacemaker and then claiming you don't have a heart condition. Thus, I see no reason to distinguish between "gender dysphoria" and "transgenderism", since they are describing the same damn thing.
Click to expand...

It's interesting how the first part of this post is logical whereas the latter part disassociates from that logic. Here is the error in your logic:

"Transitioning from male to female (for example) may alleviate the symptoms of gender dysphoria, but it doesn't change the root problem of being disassociated from your biological sex."

Actually, it does. That's what "alleviating the symptoms of GDD" means. If a fully transitioned transsexual no longer has symptoms of GDD... symptoms that are defined as the dissatisfaction with one's gender... then, logically, the individual no longer feels disassociated from their biological sex. I pretty much used all YOUR words. Do you see your error?
 
eohrnberger said:
I guess I vote 'other'.

There have been cases of Gender Dysphoria diagnosed by medical professionals, where the person's chromosomes didn't match the person's outward physical appearances.

This is a medical fact and is a medical condition.

The fashionably mad rush by so many to force prepubescent kids into hormone therapy and surgery is a mental illness and should be considered on par with child abuse.



Even so, there may be cases of children who in have fact Gender Dysphoria, and these cases should be treated with great care and concern for the child's well being as the foremost concern.
Click to expand...

I treat some of these children and far too many people are too quick to identify them as transsexual and proceed as such. I am currently working with a 14 year old who says she is trans. She may be, but there is no way I can even evaluate her as the severity of her anxiety disorder prevents me from doing any kind of reasonable evaluation.
 
APB212 said:
What I don't buy is the notion that transgenderism exists independently of gender dysphoria. A dude who hates being a dude and cuts off his dick, is still a dude who hates being a dude, except now he has no dick. Cutting off his dick and getting breast implants doesn't make him a woman, even he pretends to be one. I don't buy that he has a "woman's brain" either, because that's an over-simplification and is unsupported by scientific research. If he wants to dress as a woman, use the ladies' bathroom, and be referred to as "she", then I'm happy to indulge him if he's an otherwise decent and polite person. However, I do not consider him a woman: he's a tranny, and thus occupies a third gender category for all social intents and purposes.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. Firstly there is quite a bit of scientific research that supports that the brain structure in parts of the brain IS different, so it is no over-simplification. Secondly, there is also a ton of research that shows that after transitioning, GDD is alleviated and the "dude" no longer hates being a "dude", since the body and brain are in as much unison as possible.

See, this is what I mean when I say you need to come here with some substantiation for your opinions.
 
APB212 said:
I really don't care if you take offense at that.
Click to expand...

Moderator's Warning:
DP cares. It violates our Slur Rule. Consider this your warning.
 
truthatallcost said:
Yes. An overwhelming urge to be a different sex, race, or species is a sign of mental illness, or abnormal development.
Click to expand...

You have no education on this topic. I'd suggest you read about it and learn, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't anyway.
 
APB212 said:
1. I never claimed to be an expert on this.

2. I'm skeptical that there's any "science" behind this; and if there is, it sure needs a better PR team.

3. Science is heavily influenced by politics and vice-versa, so stop treating the former like it's infallible.

4. After sifting through many science articles during my university years, I'm convinced that Sturgeon's Law applies: 90% of journal articles are crap.



I don't hate trannies. Yeah, I think dressing like a woman and chopping your dick off is weird, but it's not my life so I don't give a sh**.

Playing the bigot card makes you look weak.
Click to expand...

Translation: Because information and research disagrees with my world view opinion, I will just dismiss them outright as biased.

Yeah, I've seen folks like you plenty of times before. You have nothing to substantiate your position so, in order to prevent the cognitive dissonance that you get when your opinion is countered by information, you just claim bias. Very lazy debating.
 
truthatallcost said:
The media and Hollywood often portray an almost glamorous image of life as a transgender or transsexual person. Bruce Jenner, decked out in expensive women's clothing, with professionally done hair and makeup comes to mind. But the reality for most transgender individuals is NOT glamorous.

Here's a few facts about life as a trans person, as opposed to non trans people:

-more likely to be murdered
- more likely to experience poverty
-more likely to commit suicide
-more likely to contract HIV
-more likely to turn to sex work for money

With the overwhelming NEGATIVE complications of being trans, why would a healthy brain direct it's possessor into a life of extremely dangerous potential risks? It wouldn't. A mentally ill brain directs people into harmful outcomes.
Click to expand...

And of course your lack of education shows so clearly in this post. Tell us why a transsexual might be more likely to experience the thing you mention. Oh, and also tell us how a pre-transitioned transsexual compares to a post-transitioned transsexual on those subjects.

This should be good.
 
truthatallcost said:
I understand where the left leaning folks on the thread are coming from; they don't want to hurt people's feelings who may be trans, so instead of answering honestly they're lying and calling transgender normal. I think this is really a huge disservice really, equal to telling a bi polar person that they're mood swings are normal, or an obese person that its normal to overeat. In order to treat a problem, it first has to be recognized as one.
Click to expand...

So, now you've resorted to lying. Please post where anyone stated, word for word, that transsexuality is NORMAL.
 
APB212 said:
And since I wasn't there and didn't see, I don't have to accept it as proven. If you're not going to prove it to every new member, then every new member is entitled to call bullsh** on the claim. I'm not even disputing the claim per se, I just object to him using it to prop up his argument.
Click to expand...

You don't even have to go this far... an Appeal to Authority works just fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom