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[–]cars 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (12 children)

That doesn't make his self-ID any less valid than all the other Brave and Stunning self-IDs.

[–]ActuallyNot 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

Self ID is all there is. The timing is unusual.

[–]cars 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

A trans person is whatever they say they are. #TrustTransPeople, dood.

[–]ActuallyNot 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

That's certainly the most respectful thing that we can do as non-specialists. And that is important for the well-being of trans people.

But a clinician making a diagnosis of Trans or Gender Non-Conforming would look for consistency over time, as intermittent thoughts or feelings of gender incongruity is symptomatic of delusions or unstable personality characteristics. Gender dysphoria as a consistent condition over time rules out psychiatric illness. Which may be the case with Aldrich, but nothing I'm aware of is inconsistent with him being male until the documents filed by his lawyers for this case.

Not that I would be aware, but there's been some reporting of interviews with his family and friends.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

Why would gender non-conforming be a diagnosis?

[–]ActuallyNot 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

If you're going to treat something, you need a diagnosis. Amongst your differential diagnosis would be Trans or Gender Non-Conforming, and psychiatric illness, if the symptoms are reporting thoughts or feelings of gender incongruity.

The treatments are quite different, so an accurate diagnosis is much better.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

Why would gender non-conformity need to be treated? Is it a mental illness not to conform to societal gender norms? Yet the same people who think so insist that gender dysphoria, a horrible disease that causes severe distress for all those unfortunate enough to be afflicted by it, is perfectly normal and healthy.

[–]ActuallyNot 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

You don't need to treat trans or nonconforming gender.

But they are a possible diagnosis if a patient presents with gender dysphoria. Which should be treated. To the extent that it can. For the reason you point out. It is distressing and is the cause of psychiatric illness and suicidal ideation.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

How would nonconformity be a bad thing? Unless of course we just think people should conform.

[–]ActuallyNot 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It's not a bad thing of itself. But if you find TGNC with gender dysphoria, then the dysphoria is very likely to be consistent over time, and you would look at treatments building up to and including non-reversible treatments.

Well the other way around. The consistent dysphoria is evidence of TGNC, rather than psychiatric illness.

But you can certainly get TGNC without gender dysphoria, and that is not a bad thing.