Is Transgenderism a Mental Disease?

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It’s disordered no doubt about that, but not strictly speaking a disease I don’t think.
I’m sure that some people who are not mentally unwell or confused do actually feel that they would be more comfortable or fulfilled by changing sex. That may well be true too for some, but I don’t like it being promoted as a choice that anyone can or should make at will. I don’t like it being celebrated because of someone is ‘fixed’ in some way by doing it then that’s just a remedy for something, I don’t see why it should be a reason to make someone a cause celebre.

As far as Catholics becoming transgender then that’s a different matter and it’s a no no obviously. And if secular people go through with such an operation then it is a personal matter for them and God. Not something I can judge in that respect. Generally speaking I’m not comfortable with the whole issue at all but I don’t think it’s a mental disease.
 
Nobody knows what the cause of transgenderism is. At this point in time, all anyone can do is guess. One day we will know, scientifically. But not now.
 
I think so. One does not change the body to conform to the mind, one should change the mind to conform to the body. A persons DNA cannot be changed no matter what is done surgically to the body, that remains intact to denote either male or female.
 
What is your evidence/reasoning for assuming DNA, external morphology, internal structures, hormone profiles and brain structure are always in lock step and, further, gender must morally match DNA if there is biological dissonance in the above?

If it has taken the Church 100s of years to finally accept that homosexual inclination may not be due to being mad, bad or sad or traumatic upbringing then surely we are at liberty to apply the same wait and see approach to gender dysphoria…an even more difficult but not rare phenomenon.
 
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As you can see from the answers to this thread, “disease” is an emotionally charged and slippery concept…
 
It’s a mental illness. Believing that you’re something your body isn’t is atypical.
 
Sorry, few care for rationalised logic based on a pre existing position. Nature makes mistakes in other pyschosexual areas.
If gender dysphoria has a biological etiology then unequivocally calling it a mental disease is somewhat unreasonable.
 
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Thom18 said:
Believing that you’re something your body isn’t is atypical.
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This simply serves to demonstrate you do not actually understand the medical disagreements of the issue…let alone the ethical arguments that would follow as a consequence.

There may well be a biological basis for thinking/feeling/behaving in feminine or masculine ways (which reality might be called “gender”) that are instinctual…and sometimes at odds with ones external morphology (commonly denoting ones “sex”).

I get it that this is not compatible with your current religio/medical world view.

That alone does not make this hypothesis irrational, unreasonable, mistaken or impossible.

The medical profession is still researching the issue and there is no clear consensus as its a hard issue to resolve…as is the aetiology of homosexual instincts. The Church itself states that.

Simply short circuiting the medical research with medieval religious/medical world views that may be wrong (given such issues were never taken seriously or understood outside of a purely moral sphere) is not helpful.

Obesity is often a medical illness not a moral one of gluttony and sensuality.
Likewise with suicide, acedia, promiscuity and many other behavoural conundrums once defined as wholly about moral laxity and vice.
 
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Two things may be useful to remember.

Firstly the tendency to attribute behaviour to personality rather than circumstances, here circumstances are possibly hormonal.

Secondly we might remember that God is most concerned with our souls. Imagine if it were a child of your own or a dear sibling. If you consider them as souls it makes a big difference. I know, we believe that they may be damned for changing gender but we may be wrong, God forgives does he not.

I think it’s a hormonal issue, I’ve been thinking that the food chain is the place to look for years. When the fish started to change gender people laughed nervously, now we aren’t laughing quite so loudly.

This issue certainly isn’t going to go away anytime soon I think, so it’s good to discuss it imo, but it would help if we do so thoughtfully and with respect for the souls who live with these issues daily.
 
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so would people who experience gender dysphoria be in the same category as those who consider themselves transracial, transabled, or transspecies?
 
I dont know, just as I dont pretend to know the aetiology of gender dysphoria nor homosexuality…nor does the Church.
 
Secular society is not treating is as such, but I do believe it’s a form dysphoria. I’ve yet to meet someone transgendered who doesn’t have something in their past involving split home, abuse, etc.
 
Sophie111 said:
The Church itself states that.
Simply short circuiting the medical research with medieval religious/medical world views that may be wrong (given such issues were never taken seriously or understood outside of a purely moral sphere) is not helpful.

Obesity is often a medical illness not a moral one of gluttony and sensuality.
Likewise with suicide, acedia, promiscuity and many other behavoural conundrums once defined as wholly about moral laxity and vice.
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I tried to plug your quote into a search engine and could not find the Church teaching you say you are sharing. Could you please give a source?
 
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To say flat out that “transgenderism” is always a mental disease seems wrong.

Think things can vary substantially from one case to the next, and from one person to the next…

If someone (from birth) is born with an extra X- or Y- chromosome or the equivalent, it’s possible this individual may become “genetically imbalanced” and confused. Indeed, a congenital defect such as this could significantly impact one’s ability to live a normal, happy, healthy life.

It seems reasonable from a purely scientific perspective to allow this individual to try to remedy the situation – in the same way that we allow one with a bad heart or a brain tumor to seek heart transplant surgery or brain surgery. No question. Get rid of the cancer! Try anything – to make your life less agonizing and more live-able…

Obviously the individual should be examined and evaluated carefully by trained professionals before beginning treatment to make sure it is NOT a case of mental illness, or some other “ruse” for a (well) “less-than-noble” purpose.

But that’s my position… Indeed, I can even imagine the Lord saying to this individual: “Go and seek treatment. . . and then come and follow me…”
 
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zgraf said:
To say flat out that “transgenderism” is always a mental disease seems wrong.

Think things can vary substantially from one case to the next, and from one person to the next…

If someone (from birth) is born with an extra X- or Y- chromosome or the equivalent, it’s possible this individual may become “genetically imbalanced” and confused. Indeed, a congenital defect such as this could significantly impact one’s ability to live a normal, happy, healthy life.

It seems reasonable from a purely scientific perspective to allow this individual to try to remedy the situation – in the same way that we allow one with a bad heart or a brain tumor to seek heart transplant surgery or brain surgery. No question. Get rid of the cancer! Try anything – to make your life less agonizing and more live-able…

Obviously the individual should be examined and evaluated carefully by trained professionals before beginning treatment to make sure it is NOT a case of mental illness, or some other “ruse” for a (well) “less-than-noble” purpose.

But that’s my position… Indeed, I can even imagine the Lord saying to this individual: “Go and seek treatment. . . and then come and follow me…”
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A chimera isn’t really a transgendered person IMO. You can’t really be cisgendered male or female if you are truly both at birth.
 
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