Welcome to our last Podcast for our month of October on Gender Identities, the Gender Spectrum, and Gender Transitions. We have had an amazing month, where we have spoken with experts on gender and transitions, and to several people about their personal journeys. Tomorrow we have our final Behind the Scenes blog for the year - so do not forget to check that out. But today is the final discussion on Gender. In this Episode: Today, Monkey and the Professor sit around the table and talk to Dr. Caroline Gibbs about steps involved in gender transitions - to facilitate healthy and balanced and successful transitions or, as Dr. Raj prefers - Gender Affirmation processes. Caroline Gibbs is the founder and director of The Transgender Institute, and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, nationally and internationally recognized as an educator, advocate, and provider for this population. She is also a partner in the International Center for Transgender Care. She understands the current DSM-5 diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria and differentiates among sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. A Few Definitions: We discussed a few definitions - and Caroline wanted to point out that terminology has changed - both in the phrases allowed as well as in the change of definitions. With that in mind, she believes that gender is a hardwired construct that cannot be altered - it is how people feel they are as far as male, female, or in between. That feeling is what it is - although someone's external appearance may or may not reflect those feelings. Transgender is also a very broad term. It is an umbrella term that includes transsexual people (people whose gender identity does not match their physical selves), cross-dressers (predominantly male, heterosexual people, who enjoy dressing as women), and drag queens (crossdressers who dress as more famous women for sexual pleasure or for fun). Caroline feels that cross-dressers often have a varied transsexual identity. After time in therapy and life experience - they find themselves with a shift in their identity. There is no standard here nor has there been research. They may or may not ever move to the transgender part of the umbrella and may not transition. Gender dysphoria has many misconceptions in the world. In general, it means, very simply, discomfort. In some cases, it may be extreme discomfort. Adding the term gender in front of that means someone who has discomfort around their gender. This involves a mismatch in gender identity from that assigned at birth, and where they may present physically - and what they feel is internally their true gender. As the Professor suggested - their insides do not match their outsides. It can be a very serious issue. Transitioning is where someone makes a decision to journey to make the internal and external self-match. There are many different things that may happen to make that match - and many levels of matching. The goal is the removal of gender dysphoria, providing freedom and ease for the person. This is where Caroline's organization works - in helping people make the decision as to what the best choices for each individual would be. It is a goal of finding relief. The Transgender Institute Foundation: Caroline loves the story of how she arranged for these things to happen in her life. Around 25 years ago she met a group of transsexual individuals who were teaching clinicians on how to treat them and help them through their transitions. There were no standards or practices available at the time to facilitate their journey. This means that the people who were suffering the dysphoria were forced to create their own paths. This was done through a series of lectures and workshops. Over time, Caroline started dating one of the people in this community...