Gender dysphoria

What is dysphoria?

Le mot « dysphorie » est utilisé en général pour décrire le malaise, la détresse ou l’inconfort. Pour les personnes transgenres, ce type de détresse peut être associé à notre genre, à notre corps ou à la façon dont notre entourage nous perçoit et c’est pourquoi on l’appelle souvent « dysphorie de genre ». La dysphorie survient pour toutes sortes de raisons et pour de nombreuses personnes différentes.

However, not all trans people experience dysphoria, and it does not define the full trans experience. This is only one possible part of his transidentity. Some transgender people experience dysphoria as overwhelming or all-encompassing, while others experience little or no dysphoria. For many, the situation evolves over the course of life or when asserting their gender.

How to manage an attack of dysphoria?

With the start of the school year and the constraints that this entails, attacks of dysphoria can be more frequent and more difficult to manage (especially when you are away from home, at school or in the workplace).

As a reminder, gender dysphoria is the feeling of distress of a transgender person faced with a feeling of inadequacy between their assigned gender and their gender identity. This can look like focusing on a part of your body that you would like to disappear or on your voice that you find too feminine or masculine, for example.

If at any point you encounter difficult times related to your dysphoria, here are some tips to help you get through them:

Avoid mirrors, so as not to be directly confronted with the source of your discomfort.
Change your mind by doing activities you enjoy. Or by going to see trusted friends. You can also eat comforting foods, take a hot shower, take a nap...
Take breaks alone. At school or at work, it can be very complicated to feel constantly exposed. Even if there are only toilets available, try to find a place where you can isolate yourself and take time to breathe.
Keep in mind that this is a temporary feeling, that it will pass, that there are solutions and that it will get better.
Ask for help, finding allies, or even people who are also concerned. This will allow you to talk about it and exchange ideas with other people, to ask for advice, and above all to feel less alone. Whether physical or virtual, having people you can talk to helps a lot.
Externalize emotions through a journal, drawing, sport, breathing, therapy (for those who can) or simply by confiding in those close to you.
Change your gender expression. With a binder, a tucking panty, mascara on the hairs to make them visible, shaving, clothes in which you feel good.
Find models! Sometimes the feeling of dysphoria can come from not being able to achieve the gender expression you want. You can then search the internet for models who match your gender and who resemble you, whether characters from TV series, friends or strangers in groups for trans people. This will make you feel more legitimate in your appearance.

In any case, if you experience dysphoria, it is important that you know that you are not alone and that there are different ways to manage it.

Gender euphoria

The term gender dysphoria being quite medicalized, today we try to talk more often about its antonym, gender euphoria! Gender euphoria is the experience of feeling good about yourself, your body, and your gender.

The term was coined to express a positive, thrilling feeling about one's own gender, a concept that is sometimes not talked about as much as our negative experiences.

Gender euphoria challenges the idea that trans people only experience gender dysphoria and that the story of trans identity is a story of misery, when that is not the case. Transidentity, for many, can be a very rewarding and positive aspect of your life (even if we often don't notice it).

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