Discuss explanations of gender dysphoria (24 marks) Gender dysphoria is an individual’s experience of feeling uncomfortable with the gender assigned to them at birth. Gender identity disorder (GID) is the psychiatric classification for people experiencing gender dysphoria whereby the person does not have an intersex condition such as AIS or CAH. There are both psychosocial explanations and biological explanations for gender dysphoria. Psychosocial explanations focus on a person’s psychological development in, and interaction with, a social environment, whilst biological explanations focus on a persons genes and hormones. One psychosocial explanation suggests that gender dysphoria is linked to some childhood trauma or maladaptive upbringing.
Biological explanations of gender development by Andy Watson The biological approach takes an extreme nature view of gender development as it believes that an individual’s gender is decided at conception. However this is a reductionist view as both social learning theory and psychodynamic theory have shown that our environment plays an important role in shaping our gender identity. Gender is a psychological term, which may reflect a person’s biological sex but is more to do with how they behave or think. This contrasts with the term sex which refers to biological status as male or female. When a foetus is formed, it has 2 sex chromosomes which decide if the foetus will be male or female.
The women’s movement and the consequent development of feminist ideas in the 1960s and 1970s influenced the question of gender and began emphasise the importance of gender as a concept of its own. (Howson, 2013, 51). To understand the differences between male and female, it is important to formulate a basic distinction between gender and sex. The key distinctions to note are based around biology and social arrangements. Oakley (1972, cited in Howson, 2013) refers to gender as the ‘psychological, social and representational differences between men and women, which are socially determined and culturally variable’.
These discoveries may have implications for the treatment of stress and mental disorders (Cahill). Propranolol can diminish the memory for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Studies which show differences in responses of male and female human brains are important for the ramification of the treatment of many different disorders, as well as normal child-rearing practices and educational methods where different methods may work for boys
Outline and evaluate the Biological approach to gender development The biological approach to gender development tells us that sex determines if an individual is genetically a male or female but that gender determines your own feelings about who you are as a person, either masculine or feminine, and this is due to the differences in their brains. This usually is due to the chromosomes a person has or hormonal differences. Every individual has 23 pairs of chromosomes. Women have 2 X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y chromosome. As an embryo, a male’s Y chromosome starts to produce testosterone and other male sex hormones.
An example of this are the distinct sexual organs that children are born with to associate them anatomically with a gender. In addition, geneders are further differentiated when other sexual characteristic begin to display during puberty. Chemical messenger compounds known as hormones are what coordinates the appearance of such physical differences. There is research that suggests that the same sex hormones which create sexual organ differenciation in utero, and also that trigger puberty later in life may also play in important role in determining gender identity. Males normally have more of the male sex hormones called androgens than females.
Environment is a significant factor when determining how a person behaves. It is more commonly the environment that shapes a person’s behavior versus genetics. Whether the experiences are good or bad, it will shape a person in how they behave and think. Genes have only been proven to be a factor in medical disorders like hyperactivity. Homosexuality is a result of the person’s environment and how they are brought up as a child.
This suggests that certain genetic factors may lead to abnormal functioning of areas of the brain causing illnesses such as OCD. In addition, there is a high concordance rate between identical twins and they are twice as likely to develop OCD if their twin has the disorder compared to non identical twins. Therefore this also shows how there are certain genes that cause OCD and that these genes may be hereditary. Another explanation for OCD is Neuroanatomical processes involving the OFC caudate nuclei loop. The loops involves the orbital frontal cortex which picks up on situations that we need to worry about and then sends this message on to the Caudate Nucleus which describes whether or not the message is important and if it deems yes, the message is passed on to the thalamus, which acts upon the received message.
Once a child's gender is evident, others treat those in one gender differently from those in the other, and the children respond to the different treatment by feeling different and behaving differently. Pg. 122 The process of gendering and its outcome are legitimated by religion, law, science and the society’s entire set of values. Pg. 122 As a process, gender creates the social differences that define “woman” and “man.” In social interaction throughout their lives, individuals learn what is expected, see what is expected, act and react in expected ways, and thus simultaneously construct and maintain the gender order pg.
By the time we reached late childhood and adolescence our concept of gender identity and sexual orientation is firmly entrenched (Wood, 2010). Our behavior, aspirations and attitudes is also strongly influenced by the gender role expectations in particular cultures. This essay will relate, contrast sex and gender in society and how important it is for sociologists to distinguish them both. The term “sex” is the natural biological genetic makeup that distinguishes males from females and in particular the sexual organs and their characteristics. Bodies are, so we think, natural, God- given, sacred, hardwired.