To explain transgender identities, it helps to first understand the term ‘cisgender’. If you are cisgender, your gender identity matches the sex assigned to you at birth. For transgender people, this is different. There are two main types of transgender identities:
Transgender binary people
The term “binary” means two-part, and in this context, it refers to the traditional male/female categories. You are a transgender binary person if your gender identity doesn’t align with the sex assigned at birth, but you identify with the opposite binary gender instead. In other words, a trans binary person may identify as a trans man or trans woman, fitting within the male/female categories.
Transgender non-binary people
Trans non-binary people, however, don’t identify strictly within the male/female binary. Instead, their gender identity or expression exists outside of these two categories. Examples include identities such as gender-fluid, genderqueer, polygender, bigender, demigender, and agender. Each of these identities are unique. A gender-fluid person’s identity may shift between genders over time. A demigender person partially identifies with a certain gender, but not fully. Lastly, an agender person does not experience any gender. This identity is separate from the sex assigned to them at birth, although they can always influence each other.
Social transition
When someone identifies as transgender, people often assume this means they will undergo both a social and physical transition. However, for some people, a physical transition isn’t always necessary. This is where social transition plays an important role.
A social transition involves changes in daily life that don’t require any medical or physical adjustments. It’s about aligning how others perceive someone as their true gender identity. Social transition can include changing one’s name, adopting new pronouns, changing clothing style or appearance, and adjusting behaviours or roles in social contexts. Each person’s social transition is unique and can be flexible, allowing them to add or change elements as they grow more comfortable with their gender expression.
Physical transition
A physical transition, also called a medical or bodily transition, involves medical steps to change someone’s physical characteristics to better align with their gender identity. This can include hormone therapy, surgeries, or other medical procedures such as laser hair removal or voice training. Not everyone chooses or needs a physical transition—some people feel their gender identity is best reflected through social changes without physical adjustments, while others find physical changes necessary.
For some transgender and non-binary people, both social and physical transitions are important; for others, just one type of transition may feel right. The decision to pursue a social or physical transition is highly personal. Many people experience a sense of gender euphoria—positive feelings when their gender identity is affirmed—through social or physical changes. Respect and understanding of others, including the use of correct pronouns and recognizing someone’s chosen name, can make a meaningful difference, even without physical transition.
When we talk about transgender and non-binary people, terms like ‘gender dysphoria’ and ‘gender euphoria’ are often used. But what do these terms actually mean?
Gender dysphoria as a medical term
Gender dysphoria is the term used in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to describe the psychological distress that occurs when someone’s gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. Although gender dysphoria is not classified as a mental disorder, it is recognized as a diagnosis to help people access medical care if they need it. The term is used in the medical field to identify transgender and non-binary people who are eligible for gender-affirming care.
To access this care, gender dysphoria must be officially diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist, who must follow the criteria in the DSM-5. This system often places gender psychologists and psychiatrists in the role of gatekeepers, meaning transgender and non-binary individuals often have to prove they are “trans enough” to receive the support needed. Many transgender and non-binary people, as well as some gender psychologists and psychiatrists, find the DSM system stigmatising and view the diagnosis requirement as an obstacle to receiving care.
In this blog, however, we want to focus on the individual experiences of gender dysphoria and gender euphoria. While we can criticise the system, we aim to make it better understandable to those who experience either discomfort or joy related to their gender identity.
The definition of gender dysphoria and gender euphoria
Gender dysphoria refers to the discomfort or psychological distress that someone feels when their gender identity doesn’t align with their assigned gender at birth. This can be both physical and social: gender dysphoria might come from feeling dissatisfied with one’s body or from social situations where a person’s gender is not recognized or affirmed.
Gender euphoria refers to the positive feelings, inner joy, and peace someone experiences when their gender identity is fully expressed. This can also be both physical and social: gender euphoria can come from physical changes that align better with one’s identity or from social recognition and validation of who someone truly is.
Examples of body dysphoria and euphoria
Body dysphoria occurs when a person feels discomfort because their body doesn’t match their gender identity. This could include feeling unhappy with one’s breasts, genitalia, or body characteristics like body hair or muscle mass that don’t align with how they see themselves. A person’s voice can also be a source of dysphoria, as well as body shapes that don’t match the desired gender identity.
Body dysphoria is generally a personal experience, but it can also occur during interactions. For example, someone might feel uncomfortable if they are touched on their shoulders or hips. In many cases, this leads to the desire for medical interventions, like surgeries or hormone treatments, to make the body align more with one’s gender experience. These physical changes can lead to body euphoria, which is the joy or satisfaction someone feels when their body or expression matches their gender identity. Examples of body euphoria include the happiness someone feels when their body changes through hormone treatment or when they feel proud and comfortable in clothing that reflects their gender identity.
Examples of social dysphoria and euphoria
Social dysphoria can occur when someone is not treated as the gender they identify with. This type of dysphoria might happen when someone is misgendered with the wrong pronouns or forced to choose between gendered spaces, such as public restrooms or changing rooms. Social euphoria happens when someone feels seen and heard by others or in certain spaces. By addressing someone with their correct name and pronouns, you contribute to the social gender euphoria of transgender and non-binary people.
Do you need to experience dysphoria to feel euphoria?
No, you don’t have to experience dysphoria to experience euphoria, or vice versa. Not everyone feels bodily or social dysphoria. For example, some demigirls and demiboys may identify with being female or male physically but not with the social gender norms, roles, and expectations attached to those identities. Cisgender people might experience gender euphoria but usually don’t experience gender dysphoria, as they typically don’t encounter situations where their gender is misinterpreted.
Not every gender identity will experience the same types of dysphoria or euphoria, as these experiences vary from person to person. For example, not all transgender men experience body dysphoria related to their primary sex characteristics. Some people think that with a certain gender identity, there should come certain expectations—for example, transgender women should have a higher voice, breasts, no facial hair, and a vulva, or non-binary people should appear androgynous and not “too masculine” or “too feminine.” These are stereotypical norms that come from the binary gender system that dominates society, and it’s important to let go of these assumptions.
Gender dysphoria and gender euphoria are personal experiences, so don’t make assumptions. What you can do is ask someone what can make them feel dysphoric and how you can contribute to their gender euphoria.
Many people assume that sex and gender mean the same thing, but nothing could be further from the truth! Why is it important to understand that there is a difference? Because one is about your biological sex – hormones, glands, genitalia – and the other is about the cultural and societal expectations based on their sex.
Sex
When we talk about sex, we’re not just referring to what’s between your legs. We’re talking about everything in and on your body that relates to it. This includes things like sex chromosomes, sex glands, hormones, and both internal and external genitalia. These elements together make up what we call ‘sex.’ It’s called ‘sex assigned at birth’ because it refers to what was observed on the day you were born. It has nothing to do with how you feel inside.
In our society, we often see sex as a binary concept: male and female. However, this isn’t true for everyone. Around 1 in 100 people have an intersex variation, which is not exclusively ‘male’ or ‘female.’ For intersex people, there’s a variation in one or more of the aspects that determine sex during childhood development.
Gender
Gender refers to the expectations society has, based on our sex. Our society is built on gender roles and norms, which people are expected to follow. These roles and norms are often unspoken, but we all feel them. For example, only women wear skirts, dresses, or nail polish, while men wear pants. Men don’t shave their legs, but women are expected to. Women are supposed to be modest, while men are expected to be assertive. Women don’t poop, men do – and even share pictures of it with their friends. There are so many gender expectations that we continue to uphold in 2024. How suffocating! Would you like to know more about how to break these norms? Or do you want to understand more about your gender identity, expression, and how people perceive you? Then be sure to read our blog “What is the difference between gender identity, gender expression, and gender perception?”
Gender refers to the cultural and societal expectations placed on us based on our sex. Our world is built around traditional gender roles, which are expectations about how you should behave based on your sex. However, many people want to step outside these expectations. They may not identify with or may even strongly reject the expectations society places on them based on their sex. These people often identify as transgender and/or non-binary.
What is your gender identity?
Your gender identity describes your internal experience of being a man, a woman, a non-binary person, or something else. Everyone experiences gender differently, and it isn’t something you can always understand just by looking at someone.
There are three main types of gender identities:
– Cisgender: You are cisgender if your gender identity matches the sex you were assigned at birth.
– Transgender (binary): You are transgender (binary) if your gender identity is the opposite of the sex you were assigned at birth. This includes trans men and trans women.
– (Transgender) Non-binary: This is an umbrella term for people with a gender identity and/or expression outside the male/female binary. Examples of gender identities under this umbrella include genderfluid, genderqueer, polygender, bigender, demigender, and agender.
What is gender expression?
Gender expression refers to how you present or express your gender, including your appearance, clothing, hairstyle, and behaviour. You have some control over your gender expression, depending on your resources and environment. However, this doesn’t mean that your gender expression has to fit into the traditional binary gender expectations.
What is gender perception?
Gender perception is how people perceive and evaluate each other’s gender and bodies. Unlike gender expression, we can’t control how others perceive us. We see gender based on a variety of visual and social cues. In addition to your gender expression, physical characteristics and the social roles you take on also influence how people perceive your gender.
The stereotypical binary view of how a man or woman should be can sometimes take over our minds. This often leads to assumptions being made, which frequently results in misgendering trans and non-binary people.
How do you let go of your gender perception?
To let go of your gender perception, it’s important to train yourself to avoid making assumptions about people’s gender. You can’t always tell someone’s gender just by looking at them, just like we don’t know someone’s name when we first meet them. So you can simply ask for their pronouns. It’s important to remember and use people’s pronouns correctly. Struggling to do this? Check out our blog “What to do if you misgender someone?”
The big LGBTQIA+ alphabet
You may sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the letters in the rainbow acronym — why do we have so many labels? And why does one person use them, while another doesn’t? The simple answer is this: the words we use shape the world we live in. If we can use words to describe who we are, we can better understand ourselves, and others can too. To help create awareness, understanding, and acceptance around gender, these labels are important. They give us a tool to educate and communicate. Without these words, we wouldn’t be able to explain who we are as clearly.
