Exploring the Reasons Behind Sex Change: A Psychological Analysis

This research paper delves into the multifaceted reasons why individuals undergo sex change, exploring the interplay of social, psychological, and biological factors. The essay begins by highlighting societal pressures, such as expectations and judgments, as significant drivers. It then examines the psychological aspects, including the internal conflict and stress associated with gender dysphoria, and the impact of mental health challenges like depression. Finally, the paper investigates the biological factors, such as hormonal imbalances and physical characteristics, that contribute to the desire for sex reassignment. The paper concludes by emphasizing the complexity of the issue and the need for acceptance and understanding of gender identity, and acknowledges the use of surgery and hormonal treatments. The essay also provides a case study and discusses the impact of these factors on individuals' lives. The paper also references several studies and expert opinions to support its claims. Overall, the paper offers a comprehensive overview of the reasons behind sex change and the factors that influence it.

Running head: REASONS FOR SEX CHANGE 1
Reasons for Sex Change

REASONS FOR SEX CHANGE 2
Outline
I. Introduction
A. Opener:
B. Thesis statement: This research paper seeks to discover and demonstrate the reasons
why some people undergo sex change.
II. Firstly, the society expectation pressures them for sex change.
A. Variety of judgments in society
B. Effects of their surrounding
III. Secondly, the psychology of a person urges the brain to see the difference within them.
A. Different reflection of the gender
B. The stress and depression of being transgender
1. Problems which leads to stigma
2. Emotional and mental health problems
IV. Finally, the biological factors cause people to change their gender.
A. Abnormal private parts
B. Hormones imbalance
V. Conclusion;

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Reasons for Sex Change
Sex is the word we use to define the certain physical anatomy someone has, which is
based on how it equalizes with what we understand to be “intersex,” “female,” or “male”. Many
people nowadays undergo sex change because of different reasons. The sex change happens
when a person’s physical and sexual characteristics changes using surgery and hormone
techniques. Some medical conditions may result in a natural sex change in the person’s body at
birth is somehow, completely of the other sex. Process of altering the sex from female to male is
totally different from changing from male and female. Every individual may answer differently
when we ask why they want to change their gender or sex. Basically, many people that have
decided to change their sex would tell us that they are just trying to align their physical body and
social role with how they feel in their heart and soul. Most people who want to change their sex,
they have almost perpetually felt this way though they failed to have a term for it and they did
not always completely perceive what they were feeling or why that happening to them. However,
once they are doing comprehend it, most of them quickly try and take the simplest obtainable
choices to align their body with how they feel inside. Generally, there are three main reasons of
undergoing sex change which are social, psychological and biological reasons.
One of the first reasons why some people undergo sex change is that the society
expectation pressures them for sex change. According to unknown (2016) the effects of
surroundings have an influence on sex change. Some people in their young age act differently
that does not categorize with what society expects them to be. For example, a boy likes to play
with dolls and likes wearing “girl” clothes or a girl dresses in “boy” clothes. In their childhood
they usually get bullied for being different and nobody may not want to be friends with them in
the school and even after school. When the society says, “this is what a man should look like and

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this is what a woman should look like”, the society puts pressure on people who are different
which makes it difficult for them to accept themselves as they are. All these pressures in the
society lead these people to the transformation of sex. The problem with changing sex for them
is that they are indeed comfortable with their body, but they want to dress and act differently that
is not aligned with the social expectations of being female or male. The problem is not with their
sex, gender or the way they act, the problem is with society that puts pressure on these people to
choose one thing which is either to be female and act as a female or to be male and act as a male.
The second reason for why some people change their sex is that the psychology of a
person urges the brain to see the difference within them. The situation might happen ever since
they were a kid, where they catch the glimpse of reflection of the opposite gender to what they
have. These people who aren’t entirely sure whether they are male or female, may need more
time to reflect. Some of them manage to come out and become who they want to be, but for
others they try to avoid it, and not talking about it because they were fearful of people’s
judgment and seeing as they feel shameful towards themselves. During these difficult days they
may have to go through stress and depression where it may lead to psychological mental health
problems. Depression is sometimes referred to as the “common cold” of psychology. There are
many negative effects for people because of the depression. In its most serious forms, depression
is a disabling disorder that is associated with untold emotional misery, increased risk for physical
illness, and sometimes death. (Scott, Ingram, Siegle, 1990). On the other hand, the scientists may
have defined stress as a challenging event that must have psychological or behavioral adaptation.
Individuals with a depressive personality disorder are predisposed to interpret the events in their
lives, whether trivial or important, in an overwhelmingly pessimistic way. From our historical
overview, consistency of having intense feelings with the addition of depression and stress,

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might represent the cause that have conveyed them to come into one decision, to change their
sex.
The final reason for why some people undergo sex change is that the biological factors
cause people to alter their gender or sex. When they are young, they feel uncomfortable with
their gender and may feel like other sex of the person. For example, some adolescent girls can
feel like other boys and young boys may feel like any other girls. As they grow a little older, they
start realizing they have abnormal private parts and they are different from other normal people.
By the time they realize they are different, they do everything to fit in and be one of the normal
people in the society. To identify the sexual normality and abnormality can be complicated to
ascertain, and diagnostic method is periodically based upon randomness or subjective criteria
(Rosen & Leiblum, 1995). According to John Wiley & Sons, (2003) dissatisfaction with
biological gender and a desire to conduct them to be of the opposite sex. In addition, people who
are with two private parts and have a problem with hormone imbalance are thought to impact on
mood, self-esteem and overall life satisfaction to varying degrees (Wincze & Rosen, 1989).
Consequently, most transgender people end up doing surgery to change their sex. According to
Walt Heyer (2016) the sex reassignment surgery is being successful in many people. The
advocates say that regret is sparse, and that 98 percent of surgeries are being successful. While
that figure might be true for medical procedure sequel, before we accept a narrative of surgical
success we should consider the evidence. After undergoing sex change surgery, many people
report feeling better. Over time, however, the initial euphoria wears off. The distress returns, it is
aggravated by having a body that is irretrievably molded to look like the opposite gender.
According to Suzan (2010) the average age for a man having a sex change operation is 42 with
only one procedure in the last nine years being carried out on somebody under 21 (Anonymous,

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2018). For a man who wants to represent himself as a woman, surgery involves the removal of
male genitalia organ and the creation of female genitalia. For a woman to become a man, the
breasts, the uterus and ovaries are removed and male genitalia is created. Such operations
included everything from changing the shape of a transgender person's face or body to sex
reassignment. After doing everything and surgery for changing the sex these people may stay
happy and live till they die with their body. For example, a case which represents this theory is
Chris Morton’s story. She was a 20 year - old junior in college. She was one of the most well -
adjusted and academically successful students in her class. She constantly suffered the problem
with the difficult gender identity which is hard to decide whether it refers to Chris as him or her.
Chris’s external appearance represented a woman and her skin was soft. However, her features
were not particularly feminine. Because of her own attitudes she considered herself like a man.
With a biological perspective, she recognized she was not a woman. She behaved differently like
a man and she always liked presenting men’s clothes and felt comfortable as the way that she
behaves. After that, she decided to do something about her body to make it more compatible with
her masculine gender identity. She had thought about the decision of undertaking a surgery for a
long time and discussed it with her parents and friends. Ultimately, she decided to do surgery to
change her sex. She removed her uterus and ovaries and contained male hormones. Also, she did
a surgery to have a penis and alter her body surgically. Surgery and psychotherapy are not the
best options available for people with gender identity disorder. People who are considering a
surgery about changing the sex, should consider carefully the many thoughtful recommendations
(Levine, 1999).
From what have been discussed above we may conclude that the sex change is the
popular and totally normal things in our century. It works when a person’s physical and sexual

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characteristics changes using surgery and hormone techniques. There can be many reasons for
why some people undergo sex change, but as I have written above there are three main reasons
which are Social, Psychological and Biological factors. Some people can be happy with their
decision of changing their gender or sex and can live with it till they die. In my opinion, I think
we should accept each other for our inner beauty no matter what gender they are or sex they
have.

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References
Anonymous (2018). Health. The Telegraph. Retrieved from
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/7613567/Number-of-NHS-sex-change-
operations-triples.html
Heyer. W. (2016, August 23). My sex change was a myth. The daily signal. Retrieved from
https://www.mercatornet.com/mobile/view/regret-isnt-rare-the-dangerous-lie-of-sex-
change-surgeries-success
Ingram. R. E, Scott. W, Seigle. G. (1990). Depression, social and cognitive aspect. Oxford
textbook of Psychopathology, 2, 209-2011.
Levine, S. B. (1999). The newly revised standards of care for gender identity disorders.
Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 24, 117-127.
Rosen. R. & Leiblum. S. (1995). Case studies in abnormal psychology. Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology, 63, 877-890.
Suzan (2010, April 30). What is wrong with being transsexual? Women born transsexual.
Retrieved from https://womenborntranssexual.com/2010/04/
Unknown author (July 9, 2016). Why transgender equality is important? National center for
transgender equality. Retrieved from
https://transequality.org/issues/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-transgender-
people.
Wiley, J., Sons. (2003). Transsexualism Journal of Abnormal psychology, 109, 721-727.

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Wincze, C., & Rosen, T. (1989). Assessment and treatment of atypical sexual behavior.
Abnormal Psychology, 2nd ed., pp. 382-404. New York: Guilford.