Self-Acceptance in Individuals with Gender Dysphoria

Abstract

Individuals with a gender identity that differs from their bodily gender and perceives themselves to be a different gender are diagnosed with gender dysphoria. In Indonesia, this topic is often regarded as a taboo subject, and as such, there is a lack of information about the experiences of people with gender dysphoria. This study examined the self-acceptance process of young adults with gender dysphoria regarding their gender identity and gender experience. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to understand a young adult’s dysphoric gender. Three people, aged 25 to 29, were recruited through purposive sampling. The data were acquired through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and analyzed iteratively using theoretical coding based on the phenomenological technique. The study found three main themes: self-acceptance, adaptability, and positive thoughts about themselves. The participants in the study cited the feelings of acceptance as their main reasons for coping with perceived discomfort associated with perceived gender, having positive judgments, and having realistic expectations.
 Keywords: self-acceptance, gender dysphoria, perceived gender, judgment, expectations