you can’t define “trans” as a mental illness even if you wanted to, because there is no single trans experience. some trans people didn’t know from an early age. some trans people dont have gender dysphoria. some trans people don’t want to be the “opposite” gender (this one is me hi). there’s no way to define it other than “the thing trans people have” and that’s not a medical diagnosis.

[–] RandomVideos@programming.dev 1 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

Transgender is a general term

Wouldnt gender dysphoria be at least close to a mental illness, being able to cause significant distress and impairment of personal functioning (i think, i may have misunderstood the meaning of the terms)?

[–] PeachyMcPeachface@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Mental illness is a social construct. Even medical issues are social constructs. "Wandering uterus" used to be a medical condition in which doctors stimulated women to orgasm to "cure" them.

Every culture is going to frame things differently, but the importance is how that framing is used or held against certain people. The idea that "gender dysphoria" is a mental illness is linked to the idea that conservatives think mental illness is just weakness. They don't believe that depression or anxiety are real, exhausting problems.

[–] kate@lemmy.uhhoh.com 4 points 15 hours ago

Maybe, or it might be defined as a symptom. Not a doctor. but gender dysphoria isn’t limited to trans people (cis women with facial hair, etc, might seek gender affirming healthcare)