Congress Paper Abstract

Gender paradoxes

Dr Michael Haslam, MA, MD, FRCP, FRCPsych 

The awareness - internally - of gender is a subtle and distinct perception from that of sexuality. Gender is seen as a dichotomy. Society is not geared, in Western Europe, for the in-between.

What constitutes masculinity and femininity? To what extent is this determined by environmental and family influences (identification), and to what extent by predetermined innate genetic influences. Are these features world-wide?

How is gender dysphoria manifested? Are there genuine separate categories in this expression, or are all the current subdivisions and supposed differences spurious? What is the basic problem?

Is the medical model of disease and diagnosis leading to treatment in gender dysphoria meaningful or useful? Why has society such a problem in coming to terms with the in-between? Why are such citizens rights so often so difficult to establish?

Identify the problems that the in-between faces. There is pressure from both client and society to move from the in-between state to one or other side of the dichotomy - usually to that side incongruent with the anatomy.

What evidence is there that an incongruently processed brain is present in the bodies of such people, and why is this such a source of dissatisfaction. The brain presumably has to dominate over the body.

If we make that assumption, then what is best to be done to help and who should do it?

1. Prevention - Issues.
2. Alter the brain - currently impossible.
3. Alter the body - How? Discuss.

Previous abstract

Next abstract