This chapter provides an overview of transgender identity, focusing on the experience of gender dysphoria—marked distress caused by a mismatch between one’s gender identity and assigned sex at birth. It notes that around 1.4 million people in the U.S. identify as transgender and discusses how gender affirmation therapy, including hormone treatments, surgeries, and psychotherapy, can help improve mental health and overall well-being. Long-term outcomes show improved psychological and social functioning, with no significant difference in mortality compared to cisgender individuals.
Related: Book: The Plasticity of Sex
