The (Dis) Order of Transgender Identities: How the Requirement for a Mental Health Diagnosis Inhibits Transgender Autonomy

This research paper looks at the history of transgender medicalization primarily in the United States. Using the history of the changing terms to reflect transgenderism, the evolving theory behind the etiology of the so-called 'disorder', the treatment of transgenderism within the medical field is evaluated. Furthermore, this research seeks alternatives to the current methods of medical care for transgender individuals, moving away from a psychiatric disorder to a less stigmatizing form of diagnosis and treatment