Oh man I am going to get burned at the stakes for this comment.
I have ADHD, depression and a tendency for addiction, all diagnosed by a medical professional and not just because I feel like it. I am fine with being called mentally ill.
Is a neurodivergence that usually stops you from reproducing naturally and gender dysphoria a mental illness? Without any disrespect I would say yes and that's fine. In my opinion it even validates hormone treatments and your insurance should pay for it. Do whatever makes you feel good about yourself.
I find it quite disrespectful to others that they have such a problem with that label.
Edit: Just to be clear, this is NOT about hate comments, or trying to justify them in any way.
I find it quite disrespectful to others that they have such a problem with that label.
As someone with a laundry list of mental illnesses and who is quite firm that mental illness is mental illness, it's not disrespectful for trans folk to want to not get tarred with that brush. Trans folk are hindered by primarily cultural prejudices.
So you can accept that they feel like they were born in the wrong body, but you can't accept that they don't want to be called mentally ill, on top of all the laws against their existence?
You didn't even try to understand what I am trying to say. I am on your side on this. If they dont want to be called that, I am not going to do that. I still think it is disrespectful.
you can’t define “trans” as a mental illness even if you wanted to, because there is no single trans experience. some trans people didn’t know from an early age. some trans people dont have gender dysphoria. some trans people don’t want to be the “opposite” gender (this one is me hi). there’s no way to define it other than “the thing trans people have” and that’s not a medical diagnosis.
Wouldnt gender dysphoria be at least close to a mental illness, being able to cause significant distress and impairment of personal functioning (i think, i may have misunderstood the meaning of the terms)?