2. Trans? There is no one trans experience. Instead, it is
The transgender ideological movement is heavily
best understood as an umbrella term for those
influenced by queer theory and prior ideological
who experience their gender identity differently to
commitments about the pliability of gender. One
their biological sex. However, there is a great deal
does not need to experience dysphoria or have any
of confusion and ambiguity in our culture. Firstly,
intention of permanently transitioning to call oneself
it is helpful to distinguish between intersex and
trans. The movement is supported by people who are
transgender experiences. Those born with intersex
not trans, known as allies.The trans movement has
conditions are diagnosed and treated separately from
fed into issues surrounding identity politics and led to
transgender, and the two should not be conflated.
the ‘no platforming’ of those who disagree.
Secondly, trans is used to describe those with a medical condition – gender dysphoria – and those
As the movement grows it includes many
who are part of a wider ideological movement. We
contradictory ideas. For example, if a person has male
need to distinguish good intentions from bad ideas.
genitalia but feels they are a woman, this mismatch only makes sense on a binary approach based on
Gender dysphoria is a rare medical condition
two distinct categories – male and female. However,
previously called gender identity disorder. It is
a person who describes themselves as non-binary
recognised by the NHS where “a person experiences
rejects the categories male and female and/or see
discomfort or distress because there’s a mismatch
gender as a spectrum. If gender is a spectrum, not a
between their biological sex and gender identity.”
binary, then everyone is trans. Or alternatively, there
Despite various claims about ‘scientific evidence’, there
are no trans people. There are those who identify
is no agreed understanding as to how or why gender
as transgender who reject parts of the broader
dysphoria occurs, nor are there clear diagnostic
ideological movement.
iii
criteria. There is debate as to how many people are affected however; there are approximately 15,000
The language used in trans conversations is
gender identity patients in the UK – this equates to
incredibly important, it changes constantly, and the
0.02 per cent of the population.
meaning varies and can be contested. We have
iv
brought together some of the key terms in a glossary Gender incongruence to a degree could be a short
on p 30.
phase or last much longer, but the incongruence or mismatch is not sufficient to cause the level of distress required for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. The person could present as transgender or maintain their birth sex.
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