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Grappling with Gender Dysphoria

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Becoming a Malaysian Trans Man

Part of the book series: Gender, Sexualities and Culture in Asia ((GSCA))

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Abstract

This chapter underscores the reality that the becomings of Malaysian trans men are often marked by profound experiences of bodily ambivalence and dissatisfaction. As this Chapter narrates, trans men are often distressed by the dissonance they see between a masculine identity and a perceived female body, the inconvenience and discomfort of chest binding, the fear of being exposed or thought of as ersatz men through tactile connections, and the persistence of emotional upheavals. The Gender Dysphoria which they experience is encountered and addressed in myriad ways. Some coping strategies include blending into society so as to achieve gender invisibility and distancing from society to avoid potential conflicts in relation to gender identity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    ‘Gender Dysphoria’ is used in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). In the World Health Organisation’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), 11th Edition (ICD-11), ‘Gender Incongruence’ is used as a parallel term to ‘Gender Dysphoria’ (see Beek et al. 2016). An analysis of the numerous debates and complexities surrounding the use of these two terms (for instance, Vargas-Huicochea et al. 2018) is beyond the scope of this volume. Hence, I only employ the term ‘Gender Dysphoria’ in this monograph, primarily because this term was used by my research participants and despite its contested use (see Drescher 2010).

  2. 2.

    The importance of spirituality and religiosity in the production of (trans)gender identities is discussed in greater length in ‘Performing Faith’.

  3. 3.

    For a lengthier discussion, see ‘Embarking on Medical Transitioning’.

  4. 4.

    See ‘Embarking on Medical Transitioning’ for a lengthier analysis.

  5. 5.

    See a detailed analysis of Warp’s spirituality in ‘Performing Faith’.

  6. 6.

    The term ‘ex-wife’ is not meant to imply that same-sex marriages are legally permissible in Malaysia. Instead, it is used here to honour Braveheart’s own description of his female companion.

  7. 7.

    See ‘Appendix 2: Interviewing Dorian Wilde’ for more information.

  8. 8.

    As mentioned in ‘Prologue’, many Malaysian Indians have patronymic names and thus lack surnames.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia

    Joseph N. Goh

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Goh, J.N. (2020). Grappling with Gender Dysphoria. In: Becoming a Malaysian Trans Man. Gender, Sexualities and Culture in Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4534-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4534-4_4

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