According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM IV) , Gender Identity Disorder is a mental disorder that is used to diagnose transgender people. The wording of the entry in the DSM IV includes phrases such as “the disturbance is manifested” and “causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning”. For a full description, please visit BehaveNet.

Many members of the trans community find the classification of their transition and experiences offensive. There are ongoing movements spearheaded by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which is internationally based, and GID Reform Advocates, based in the US, that are trying to get the DSM to exclude GID as part of the manual for mental disorders or at least, to have the word changed from disorder to ‘dysphoria’ or ‘dissonance’.

However, there are trans people who are also in favor of keeping the GID in the DSM. For many members of the trans community, the medical classification of GID allows them to get access to appropriate medical care and services, especially in situations such as insurance filing or asking for continued hormone therapy in prisons. Because only very few individuals can actually afford to pay for their own hormone therapies and sexual reassignment surgeries, there is still support for the DSM to keep GID.

As the DSM is being reviewed for a new edition release in 2012, there are plans to strike a compromise. The hope would be that the DSM keep GID, except that the wording be changed from ‘disorder’ to something that is more accurate: ‘dysphoria’ or ‘dissonance’. This article from the Advocate provides a wonderful summary of the current debates surrounding the specific issue.

 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders