In direct and indirect ways, the debate surrounding transgenderism affects all of us. We have family members, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances who identify as transgender. We hear terms like "dysphoria" and "cis-gendered" tossed around online and sometimes around the dinner table. We see celebrities, politicians, and thought leaders polarize themselves on both sides of this issue, and we feel forced to take a side. We're going about this the wrong way... the path forward is not through angry answers but by honest questions. Classic psychotherapy seeks to understand, and instead of uniting around understanding, we're dividing along ideological lines. This week, I address classic and modern takes on the presentation of gender dysphoria in the therapeutic setting and what it looks like to engage this human experience with curiosity, compassion, and care.
Differences between male and female brains: https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/battle-of-the-brain-men-vs-women-infographic
Trans brain study: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-there-something-unique-about-the-transgender-brain/
Helena's story of becoming trans and detransitioning: https://lacroicsz.substack.com/p/by-any-other-name
Isaac confronts his therapist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdh62WuXywI
