Gender dysphoria is the feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics. Gender dysphoria symptoms include a difference between gender identity and genitals or secondary sex characteristics, such as breast size, voice and facial hair. Also, a strong desire to be rid of these genitals or secondary sex characteristics, or a desire to prevent the development of secondary sex characteristics. Gender identity is different from gender expression.  Transgender may pursue multiple domains of gender affirmation, including social affirmation, legal affirmation, medical affirmation, and/or surgical affirmation.

The other symptom include a strong desire to have the genitals and secondary sex characteristics of another gender, a strong desire to be or to be treated as another gender, and a strong belief of having the typical feelings and reactions of another gender. This condition may also cause significant distress that affects how individuals function in social situations, at work or school, and in other areas of life. Gender dysphoria might start in childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood.

Treatment can help people with gender dysphoria explore their gender identity and find the gender role that feels comfortable for them, easing distress. Treatment should be individualized since what might help one person might not help another. The commonly used treatment approaches include changes in gender expression and role, hormone therapy, surgery, and behavioral therapy.

The medical treatment of gender dysphoria include hormone therapy such as feminizing hormone therapy or masculinizing hormone therapy. Also, surgery such as feminizing surgery or masculinizing surgery to change the chest, external genitalia, internal genitalia, facial features and body contour. Other people with this condition may prefer using hormones to minimize secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts and facial hair. APA Format