Gender dysphoria
Matekiri ā-ira
Some transgender and gender diverse people experience distress because the sex they were assigned at birth doesn't match their gender. This is often referred to as gender dysphoria.
Gender dysphoria can be physical, relating to someone’s body, or it can be social, relating to how people perceive and interact with a gender diverse person.
Being transgender is often but not always associated with gender dysphoria. Transgender people can experience constant reminders that their body might not match their gender. But supportive, gender-affirming care significantly improves gender dysphoria and mental health and wellbeing.
It's important for whānau (family), friends, school, work and the community to support people and children who are questioning their gender identity or who identify as transgender or gender diverse.
There is a lot of support for transgender and gender diverse people. See Support networks for transgender & gender diverse people & their whānau.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
Written by Ko Awatea gender-affirming care co-design group. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed March 2023.
Sources
The information in this section comes from the following sources, some of which may be clinically complex or not available to the general public
Center for Primary Care Harvard Medical – School terminology related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and more, retrieved February 2019.
Clark TC, Lucassen MF, Bullen P, et al. The health and well-being of transgender high school students: results from the New Zealand adolescent health survey (Youth'12) (https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(13)00753-2/fulltext). Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 55, Issue 1, 93 - 99. July 2014.
Human Rights Commission NZ – Transgender enquiry report: To be who I am. 2007.
Intersex Awareness New Zealand – What is intersex? (http://www.ianz.org.nz/what-is-intersex/), retrieved February 2019.
Ministry of Health – Transgender New Zealanders (https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/transgender-new-zealanders/health-care-transgender-new-zealanders), retrieved February 2019.
Oliphant J, Veale J, Macdonald J, Carroll R, Johnson R, Harte M, Stephenson C, Bullock J. Guidelines for gender affirming healthcare for gender diverse and transgender children, young people and adults in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Transgender Health Research Lab, University of Waikato, 2018.
Olson KR, Durwood L, DeMeules M, et al. Mental Health of Transgender Children Who Are Supported in Their Identities. Pediatrics. 2016;137(3):e20153223. March 2015.
Rainbow Youth – Useful Words (https://ry.org.nz/friends-whanau/useful-words/), retrieved February 2019.
Yogyakarta principles, retrieved February 2019.
Image and embedded video sources
Image of parent holding child by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash. April 2019.
Image of person having counselling from The Gender Spectrum Collection. April 2019.
Image of person writing on clipboard from The Gender Spectrum Collection. April 2019.
Image of medical person from The Gender Spectrum Collection. April 2019.
Image of two people hugging in front of a wall by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash. April 2019.
Image of two people in an office from The Gender Spectrum Collection. April 2019.
Image of two people reading from The Gender Spectrum Collection. April 2019.
Image of two young people having fun in outdoor area by Annie Spratt on Unsplash. April 2019.
Page reference: 72466
Review key: HISOG-53214
