Understanding gender identity
• Cisgender/ cis: Someone who is the same gender as assigned at birth
• Transgender: Someone whose gender is different from their sex at birth
• Non-binary/ gender queer/ gender fluid: Gender identities that sit within, outside of, across or between ‘male’ and ‘female'
• Intersex: A person who is born with biology that is not solely male or female
• Pronouns: the terms we use to refer to someone, e.g. ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’.
How might gender identity impact my mental health?
• Questioning/ exploring gender
• Transitioning/ thinking about transitioning between genders
• Distress from being viewed as a gender/ being referred to with pronouns that does not feel right
• Struggling with body image
• Gender dysphoria is the distress or unease you may feel if your gender does not match your biological sex
Discrimination
Many with gender dysphoria experience bullying/ discrimination. They may experience:
1. Fear about sharing their gender
2. Feeling a need to hide their identities
3. Worrying about what clothes to wear
4. Feeling self-conscious
5. Feeling like they have to act a certain way
6. Feeling misunderstood
7. Pressure to label their gender
This can lead to feelings of distress, anxiety, isolation, anger, depression, self-harm/ suicidal thoughts.
If you are experiencing distress:
1. | You are not alone. Reach out to someone you trust |
2. | There are therapists, counsellors and mental health professionals |
3. | If you experience discrimination/ physical or verbal abuse because of your gender, you can report it as a hate crime |
4. | Know that things will change for the better for you and society |
5. | You can also reach out to: |
National CARE Hotline: 1800 202 6868 |
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): 1-767 |
IMH Helpline: 6389 2222 |
How to look after your mental health
1. | Talk about your feelings |
2. | Write it down |
3. | Get creative |
4. | Supportive groups and communities |
5. | Find role models |
6. | Clean up your social media |
Telling others about your gender
• Sharing your gender is an ongoing process
• Involves conversations with different people
• Some people may not react in the way you hope
• Know that there are people who care about you and will support you
• Coming out can be a positive thing for some but a pressurising thing for others
• It is your right to define your gender, whether to talk about it, and who to talk about it to
Supporting someone with their gender identity
1. | Be an ally |
2. | Learn |
3. | Join a movement |
4. | Call out discrimination |