What Is Gender Dysphoria?

What is gender dysphoria? Most of the time people try to measure trans and non-binary folks as being “really trans” by how much gender dysphoria they experience. Which is not great on many levels and I’ll be going over why in a bit. So today I’m going to be doing an overview of what gender dysphoria is, what it means, what kinds of dysphoria there are, what each one looks like, and ways to help with being dysphoric.

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[gpettus]

For an image of social dysphoria!
Being misgendered by someone you’re not out to (taking from personal experience) is like hearing someone singing a song you like, but they’re singing a lyric incorrectly.
You don’t know if you can correct them, since you don’t know how they would react. You don’t want to offend them, or have them lash out, or even correct *you* because most people know the lyrics wrong.
But it’s one of your favorite songs, and the actual lyrics really speak to you in a personal way. You know the correct ones, but will they understand...?

Gender euphoria is the opposite, I hear someone calling me “they” and there’s a moment of dissonance, like, “Wait... that’s not what I’m used to hearing... OH.”
And it clicks. They used *my pronouns.* They’re seeing me as I actually am. It’s like when someone finally gets the lyrics right and we’re singing along.
My younger sister gets it. She gets my pronouns right and genders me correctly, and being around her is so nice ‘cause I get little shots of gender euphoria whenever she refers to me.
🥺🥺 It makes me so happy.🌈
Edit: Fixed formatting so it’s easier to read, added paragraphs about gender euphoria. Also, my pronouns are they/them for anyone who wants to know.

[If-loki-was-a-fox]

My dysphoria is fairly mild (I'm gender fluid, btw) -- it pretty much consists of occasionally thinking things like
"everyone still sees me as female and only female :("
"I literally forgot I have breasts and just did a double take at my own chest 0.0"
"I don't suffer crippling angst at being gendered as female and having a 'female' body, I should just resign myself to my fate of being a woman forever bc I'm clearly not trans T^T"
It often feels more like a lack of euphoria and mild confusion than dysphoria, which made it tricky to figure out what I was for a while.

[rootbeerrain]

i definitely struggle with the whole "am i faking being trans??" thing, partly because of the sucky emphasis on dysphoria in the lager trans community. But these kinda videos definitely help, just knowing that there are different ways to be trans, and that there are other people with similar experiences to me :]
thank you for sharing!!

[ThAlEdison]

When I was in denial I didn't think I had gender dysphoria, it helped me stay in denial. For physical dysphoria it's mostly having too much hair, my head is big and blocky, and my chest was too flat. Mentally I apparently was a mess, I essentially have apathy, depression, and body dysmorphia mixed with eating disorders.

[Omneyvdwatering]

Hi! I'm also NB and trans and real. I'm dysphoric about my breasts and period. I'm euphoric about hearing my name, having muscle, being misgenderd when viewed from behind.

[Ace_Of_Hearts]

My school had a GSA assembly, and during this assembly they asked for definitions for the terms alley and gender which I happily provided along with afterward a couple questions to see where their views were. And then the people running the assembly went on an entire thing about not assuming gender and it made me very happy. So as I was leaving I thanked them and as I was walking away I heard one of them say
"Her definitions were really good" and I began to cry in that moment I wanted to claw all my skin off. (I am AFAB Non-binary)

[jansila]

Thank you so much for such an amazing video! I don't get much dysphoria or euphoria (I think, at least. I'm agender), but it's really helpful to understand it better so I can help other people. Also, thank you for saying that being trans isn't based around your dysphoria! It's really validating to hear that.

[raonysilva]

god, i feel LOTS of mental dysphoria and i didnt know there was a name for that, it's definitely the kind of dysphoria i feel the most. what happens with me is usually a feeling of anxiety and despair towards the future, a deep sense of incapacity of ever being happy and the desire to not have to deal with anything any longer, so basically wanting to just be in my room and not ever going outside, and in some days that's actually what i do to not feel bad

[hannahmew]

This is very informative especially the part dysphoria being fluid and how it relates to gender euphoria. Love your vids they are so wholesome and have great vibes. Keep up the great work

[MxPotato]

My dysphoria (in my chest) feels like burning sharp jacks, like in jacks and ball game. Yea, there are a few days where my dysphoria is quite, but most days im masking it. And when its super bad, im in pain and throws me into deepest ends of my depression.

[itisdevonly]

I have all the kinds of dysphoria. The chest dysphoria is probably the worst, though. But I have top surgery in less than two weeks! Yay!

Also, for most of my life, my dysphoria manifested largely as dissociation. So I didn't even realize I was trans until my 30's. Well, that was partly due to not knowing being trans was a thing (and also not knowing non-binary was a thing). As soon as I understood what it was to be trans and non-binary, I realized I was non-binary. But it still took a few more years to realize I was dysphoric. I'd had the experience of dysphoria all those years, but I never had a name for the feeling. It was like everything just fit wrong and I was always uncomfortable, like I was wearing the wrong size of shoes all the time. But it seemed like an inevitable part of life, or just part of my anxiety disorder or something. After addressing my trauma it finally hit me that it was dysphoria. Then lots of previously baffling things started to make sense.

[elijabutterfly]

Thank you. I did not know about mental disphoria... Things make more sens now. <3

[anvithequarsonist]

Thanks for making this video! I'm cis but i have many trans-spec friends, this helped a lot, i can understand what they're feeling a lot better now :)

[itisdevonly]

1:41 I think you meant to say AMAB there.

[Themetalheadchosen]

Thank you so much I have just started to learn what I experience to do with my gender I didn’t know that what I was experiencing was gender dysphoria but you have helped me understand it better thank you so much ❤

[best_of_ant]

Oh wow, I didn't know there was also mental dysphoria 😳, I always thought it was mostly social dysphoria... Well, the more you know!

[massive.nerd.potential]

I struggle mainly with mental and social dysphoria, less with physical, though having a female body does not make me HAPPY and I do crave a deeper voice, a flat chest and a beard but getting viewed as female every time I go in public is really really exhausting me, I0m gonna be honest.

[Waffles]

Gender dysphoria for me is a very interesting topic! I'm genderfluid and my dysphoria is actually pretty mild. Occasionally I get dysphoric about my body and sometimes my voice but I actually like my body the way it is and I honestly don't really wanna change it! Getting called the incorrect pronouns or being deadnamed is the only real problem I have. Ironically I actually have a huge problem with viewing myself with others. I'm always very concerned about how good I look, and how others look. Dealing with hate is pretty frustrating though. Trans people like me internalize hatred towards us and for me especially I bottle it up and it can really hurt 😞. With people who don't know my pronouns or identity who say my deadname or whatever I totally understand! I just really wanna promote peace and love overall. I was AMAB and I do get intense dysphoria everytime I use the restroom (to be fair the bathroom issue is like the worst for we trans beans), that's why I use the neutral restroom! Have a wonderful day Lynn! You're such a beautiful person and you are my enby idol. You make me so happy to see trans rep in the media! Goodbye!!

[charliepupper]

1:39 I think I have GD with my chest, hips, and not having much muscular body, I don’t want to look physically hyper masc, just in between a male and a female, 2:26 Ever since I changed pronouns and chose a name it’s hard for me when ppl misgender me and deadnames me, or calls me as any word related with the gender I am not, 3:06 When I found out I am trans I had been very anxious and sad by thinking that my family won’t accept me and my friends don’t understand me, tho for some good news I’ll start sessions with a gender psychologist in four days, and I know ill be alright 🤎

[AlexChavez-xn]

I get deadnamed all the time. It sets me off so much. I hate it