LGB VictoryFirst Mental Health Guideline to Explicitly Deviate from Gender Affirmation - SEGM article (Australia/New Zealand)

submitted by reluctant_commenter from segm.org

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[–][deleted] 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Some good news. If you can treat dysphoria with psychotherapy then that should always be the preferred method over expensive, dangerous, and painful experimental surgeries.

There's painfully little evidence to even back up the affirmation model. The only way it could have become the standard is because of money.

[–]lovelyspearmintLesbeing a lesbian 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Not to mention there's no other mental health condition that exists that requires surgery to fix; you don't fix anorexia with liposuction, even though people who have it believe they are overweight. Also keep in mind that lobotomies were revolutionary at the time.

[–]reluctant_commenter[S] 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is a professional body of psychiatrists that has updated its guidelines to no longer recommend "gender affirmation" as the approach that professionals should take, and suggests psychotherapy (and thorough evaluation of patient mental health) as an option for treatment. From the article:

While not explicitly stated by the RANZCP, an emphasis on the the context in which Gender Dysphoria/Gender Incongruence arise is consistent with a developmental view of gender dysphoria as an emergent phenomenon shaped by many influences. This contrasts with other views of gender identity which view it as an innate and fixed essence.

Direct link to the statement, which says:

There is some evidence to suggest positive psychosocial outcomes for those who are supported in their gender identity.[28] However, evidence and professional opinion is divided as to whether an affirmative approach should be taken in relation to treatment of transgender children or whether other approaches are more appropriate.[24]

edit: Twitter discussion, if you're interested

[–]yousaythosethingsFind and Replace "gatekeeping" with "having boundaries" 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Very promising and I’m glad I finally have some good news to focus on now and feel vindicated in. I wish they didn’t use the language “transgender children” then. That’s an identity fashioned by adults for their own adult ideological and political purposes and applied by adults to “gender dysphoric children” or “children exhibiting signs of gender dysphori or mere gender nonconformity.” Fact-based language > politically charged identity language. I’m also against anyone pathologizing mere gender nonconformity when it is unaccompanied by distress or where the discomfort emanates solely from negative treatment by others because of their gender nonconformity.

[–]reluctant_commenter[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Fact-based language > politically charged identity language.

Completely agree. I would guess that "transgender children" and similar language will slowly get replaced with subsequent iterations of documents like these. Gotta let the reality slowly seep in to these organizations... it's frustrating to see the wrong slowly righted but, I do think that long-term that's the sustainable way out. :)

I’m also against anyone pathologizing mere gender nonconformity when it is unaccompanied by distress or where the discomfort emanates solely from negative treatment by others because of their gender nonconformity.

Completely agree. This was the case with me personally, back when I briefly was on the fence about identifying as transgender. I've never felt bad, weird, or different for my "masculine" hobbies and clothing preferences, ever, but I've been well aware that other people think they're bad.

I think that many well-meaning straight people don't realize that the diagnosis of "gender dysphoria" is often used to coerce LGB and GNC people to follow societal norms. Based on the gender dysphoria in children DSM-5 guidelines, I probably would've qualified for a diagnosis-- #1 only because I knew that my family hated gay people, and I wanted to please my family. I'm sure many other young GNC people have felt similarly.