How do you know if you are transgender or gay

Back to Conditions A to Z. Gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life.

Gender identity refers to our sense of who we are and how we see and describe ourselves. Most people identify as "male" or "female". These are sometimes called "binary" identities. But some people feel their gender identity is different from their biological sex.

For example, some people may have male genitals and facial hair but do not identify as a male or feel masculine. Some may have female genitals and breasts but do not identify as a female or feel feminine. Some people do not define themselves as having a "binary" identity.

For them the concept of gender is not relevant to their identity. They may use different terms, such as agender, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, to describe their identity. However, as a group, they are often called "non-binary". Many people with gender dysphoria have a strong, lasting desire to live a life that "matches" or expresses their gender identity.

They do this by changing the way they look and behave. Some people with gender dysphoria, but not all, may want to use hormones and sometimes surgery to express their gender identity. Gender dysphoria is not a mental illness, but some people may develop mental health problems because of gender dysphoria.

People with gender dysphoria may have changed their appearance, their behaviour or their interests. Read more about the signs of gender dysphoria. Children may show an interest in clothes or toys that society tells us are more often associated with the opposite gender. They may be unhappy with their physical sex characteristics.

However, this type of behaviour is reasonably common in childhood and is part of growing up. It does not mean that all children behaving this way have gender dysphoria or other gender identity issues. A small number of children may feel lasting and severe distress, which gets worse as they get older.

This often happens around puberty, when young people might feel that their physical appearance does not match their gender identity. This feeling can continue into adulthood with some people having a strong desire to change parts of their physical appearance, such as facial hair or breasts.

Find out more information if you think your child might be trans or non-binary.

What is the Difference between Gay and Transgender?

You do not need to be assessed by a mental health service first, and the GP does not need prior approval from the integrated care boards ICBs responsible for local health services. This is because they can give the GDC your detailed medical history. If you are already seeing a doctor or psychologist for other conditions, ask them if they can refer you to a GDC.

Referrals for adults to one of the gender dysphoria clinics in England may be made from 17 years of age. As there has been a huge increase in the number of people seeking a referral to a gender dysphoria clinic, waiting times can be long. After a detailed assessment to confirm the diagnosis of gender dysphoria and what it means for you, the GDC team will work with you on an agreed treatment plan.