Symptoms

Gender dysphoria might cause adolescents and adults to experience:

• A marked difference between your inner gender identity and assigned gender lasting at least six months, as shown by at least two of the following:
  • A marked difference between your inner gender identity and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics, or anticipated secondary sex characteristics in young adolescents
  • A strong desire to be rid of primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked difference with your inner gender identity, or a desire to prevent the development of anticipated secondary sex characteristics in young adolescents
  • A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender
  • A strong desire to be of the other gender or an alternate gender different from assigned gender
  • A strong desire to be treated as the other gender or an alternate gender different from assigned gender
  • A strong conviction that you have typical feelings and reactions of the other gender or an alternate gender different from assigned gender
• Significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other areas of functioning

Gender dysphoria might start in childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood (early onset). Or, you might have periods in which you no longer experience gender dysphoria followed by a recurrence of gender dysphoria. You might also experience gender dysphoria around the time of puberty or much later in life (late onset).