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I've seen these terms thrown about as I've become active in the CD community and stepped out and experienced life as a woman. So I looked up "dysphoria" - A state of feeling uneasy, unhappy, or unwell. And "gender dysphoria" - a condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because there's a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. It's sometimes known as gender incongruence.
Are your experiences driven by unease, unhappiness, and discomfort with your current gender experience or something else? How would you describe it?
GOOD FOR YOU!! Looking and searching your inner feeling and self is a KEY STEP to the Path of Enlightenment.
Dame Veronica
Hi
If we shave our bodies or wax them as I do, is that not gender dysphoria? I mean I do it to look the part when dressed in women's clothing. There was something not natural about putting on a cami or something with no sleeves or short sleeves and having hairy arms to look at. The same with legs when wearing a skirt or women's shorts. It just wasn't right with the hairy legs. It was very displeasing to look at. The same can be said (maybe) with eyebrows. Do you shape and tint them? I do. Why? Again so it looks more congruent. Is this a case of mild dysphoria? I think so.
Emma,
I used to believe that "gender dysphoria" as a term used by very confused people to describe themselves and excuse their behavior; now, I know better. That said, I don't see myself in that category because my "dysphoria" is above skin level. It's a love of the look, feel and variety of clothing which I "shouldn't" even want to wear. It's with the materials available to enhance my good points and conceal my blemishes.
True, it would be most convenient if I could "pass" and move about freely as a woman, but at my stage in life, I could not say it is essential to my well-being. I also find the company of women and CDs more pleasant - but it's a personal preference, not a driving force.
Also true: I never felt the need to present as a macho male, either. Perhaps that would make me gender-neutral, if the term weren't an oxymoron.
Bettylou
Unease with my current gender experience.
That's exactly right.
My current gender experience is too confined by other people's boundaries.
It's my life, they're my boundaries!
Love Laura
This ^
Your way with words is amazing. You are capable of saying pretty much exactly what goes on in my head only better. Thank you
Charlotte XxX.
Hi Emma
No gender dysphasia here.
Happy in my male body, just love to dress it up sometimes like the girls can do.
And going all the way, wig and all helps me ‘ blend in’ more ( I hope !). I feel it draws less attention and allows a degree of anonymity to protect those nearest to me from comments ignorant people may make if I was ‘outed’.
So no I don’t do it because I want to be female, maybe just to enjoy all the fashion, make up, accessories, enhancements etc, women get to enjoy, but society in general cannot yet accept on a man.
love
B
Rachel,
As I understand the term, those examples wouldn't constitute dysphoria, under most circumstances. I wouldn't go out wearing a business suit and tennis shoes (unless I was the 10th Doctor), and I wouldn't wear my Levi's and motorcycle jacket to a job interview. It's about packaging. And, even though I love to dress, and believe I would enjoy doing so full-time, I don't believe I have the "wrong" body because it wasn't constructed in a way to enable doing so. Many of the ladies here and elsewhere DO feel that way; they have a genuine burden to carry, whereas I only have an inconvenience. I can only offer them my support and wish them well, as little as that is.
Hi Again,
I've been researching this since it came up. I asked my son about it and sure enough he said there is top dysphoria and bottom dysphoria. I looked it up and sure as shootin' there it was on wikia.org. Top dysphoria is when your chest and arms cause upset and you want them to be more in line with your gender expression or the gender you wish you were. Bottom dysphoria is just that: dissatisfaction with your genitalia. Sorry about rehashing this again but I just had to know if I was on the right track. So, it is a good post as I learned something and hopefully sharing it helps clear it up for others.
Love you all,
Rachel
Bobbi, you totally nailed it on the head. The societal pressures can create a prison in your own mind. I often say that I am trapped in my own head. And really it is trapped benieth the expectations of society and those close to me who society trained to think that I can only dress and look like man.
Ugh.......this is hard sometimes!!!
Pam
