Gender Identity Disorder is Not Simply Two in One
- Author:
Syed Masroor A
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Gender identity, religion, culture, sexuality, depression
- From:
The International Medical Journal Malaysia
2013;12(2):83-85
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
A Case Report on Gender Identity Disorder with Recurrent Depressive Disorder is presented. Individuals having
this disorder often exhibit discomfort about their actual anatomic gender, and they may have wished to alter
their bodies. Sex role-stereotypes adopted during childhood are the beliefs, characteristics and behaviors of
individual cultures that are considered normal and appropriate for boys and girls to possess. These "norms" are
influenced by one's family and friends, the mass-media, and their community. Since some cultures disapprove
of cross-gender behavior, it often results in significant problems for affected individuals and those in close
relationships with them. The importance of treatment is not only because of the high rate of mental-health
problems, including Depression but with higher suicide rate among untreated transsexual people than in the
general population. These problems are not usually related to the gender identity issues themselves, but
the social and cultural responses to gender-deviated individuals. An example which classically illustrates
Gender Identity Disorder is the case of a young man from Brunei Darussalam, who was seen and treated. This
contribution will highlight the cultural and religious perspective of this Disorder.
