Gender identity is what a person perceives their gender to be.

For the vast majority of individuals, their genetic gender (as defined by the XX and XY sex chromosomes found in every cell of their body) matches their gender identity (as defined by the section or sections of their brain that supply their gender awareness).

That is, most people are:

	Genetically males and are mentally and emotionally certain that they are males; or
	Genetically females and firmly aware that they are females.

They would be quite unable to change their gender perception, even if they wanted to. They know that they are of a particular gender. They also know that it is quite impossible to change.

However, in rare cases, a mismatch happens. The individual will experience gender dysphoria. They will often describe having a permanent feeling of being a woman trapped in a man's body, or vice versa. This is sometimes described as having a male brain in a female body, or vice-versa. They can become profoundly depressed. Their suicide rate is enormous when compared to the general population. It appears that therapy, counseling, and/or prayer have a zero success rate at resolving their internal conflict.

It is a story of two kinds of conflicts:

	An internal, personal, body/mind conflict between a transgendered person's appearance and what they emotionally and mentally sense their gender to be.
	Among medical researchers, social/religious conservatives, transsexuals, and others about: What determines a person's gender: their DNA, the appearance of their genitals, or their perception of their gender? The cause(s) of transsexuality. Whether transsexuality can be "cured." How transsexuals should be treated in society.

The term "transgender" is often used to refer to individuals who experience gender dysphoria. Some transgender individuals undergo hormone therapy and sometimes also sexual reassignment surgery (SRS). These medications and procedures change their appearance so that they much more closely resemble the gender that they sense themselves as being. Success rates of this path are very high, as long as proper treatment protocols are followed.

Jennifer Reitz of www.transsexual.org comments that transgender:

"... occurs in humans and in other animals, such as apes, monkeys, dogs, cats, rats, and mice, among those studied." ₃

Unfortunately, much of the public is not well informed about gender identity and gender dysphoria. Many people tend to fear and reject those that they do not understand.

The videos below will provide a basic overview of the experiences of trangender persons, particularly in light of the struggle to reconcile Christian faith and gender identity.

Adapted from Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.