“Transgenderism Is a Mental Health Disorder”
..self-expression can be dangerous.
“Transgenderism is a mental health disorder” is a distressing statement I came across while sipping my coffee and browsing the latest global news on a Saturday morning. It was voiced by US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
This alarming remark, however, reveals more about the political intention to sway as many people as possible to one’s side in hopes of winning elections than it does about the complexities of transgender identities. In this article, I will briefly outline the psychological phases of my transition, leading up to my current self-awareness as a transgender man.
In many societies, people are often confined to social roles, and the scope of these roles can vary widely within different communities. In the town where I grew up, for example, self-expression can be dangerous. Being different generates labels and stereotypes thrust upon diverse people leading to negative consequences. The struggle to integrate, gain acceptance, secure employment, foster healthy relationships, and achieve stability are some of them.
I recall a childhood episode when I excitedly showed my father a collection of footballer stickers, only to be met with his shouts to throw it away because I wasn’t a boy, but a girl. I, probably, experienced confusion at that moment. I often found myself playing with boys rather than girls because I felt more comfortable in their company. My adrenaline and competitive spirit didn’t align with the role expected of me if I were surrounded by female friends. I always felt different and at ease with my male peers.
Society assigns roles, and many of us unquestioningly accept them. Anyone who recognizes the social constructs surrounding gender also perceives the limitations these constructs impose on our expression, thoughts, and consequently, our abilities and skills.
A strong man is expected to be stoic and hide his emotions.
A real woman should be composed, kind, and always polite.
Transgenderism doesn’t make people experience mental health disorder and it’s not a disorder itself. Instead, we have an innate sense from childhood that something is wrong with societal norms. But as we grow up and observe that society conforms to the expected norms, we often internalize the belief that something is wrong with us, that we were born in the wrong body rather than being products of a flawed society. This realization is the first step and, for many the the last, of our unconscious intuitions about the binary norms that can’t accommodate all human beings.
Can you fathom how challenging, often nearly impossible, it is to search within ourselves for answers to our internal struggles?
We deserve recognition for our self-reflective capacity and our willingness to primarily question ourselves without blaming others.
How often have you done this?
How frequently have you held yourself accountable for your problems instead of blaming others? Rarely, if ever, I presume.
Walking on a gender transition path is far more intricate than many might grasp. It’s a deeply personal journey filled with obstacles and battles to overcome. A significant number of us might never have embarked on this transition if the world were a truly sustainable place for all its people. Transitioning is often a battle we must wage to achieve stability, just like the people we grew up with and are surrounded by.
Societies try to prevent and cure damages caused by economic progress that isn’t always sustainable for everyone. Gender transition should be looked at this way, regardless of whether many of us are aware of its roots or not. Rather than focusing on our complex experiences and turning them into political debates, we should focus on how to make the transition a safer and more sustainable path for those who bravely undertake it.
