Queering Psychotherapy: Gender variance, sexual identity and the ideology of gender dualism

Abstract

Summary:In this society those with gender variations, gender nonconformists, gender queers, transsexual and inter*-sexual people share the experience that attributions made on the basis of their body gender, do not match with their inner experience and their own gender identity, or that their body gender cannot be clearly fitted in to the binary gender system. As gender in the Cisgender society is a highly relevant structural category with a common-sense character, they experience various forms of discrimination. On the basis of these vulnerabilities, they have a specific claim to claim psychotherapy services or in the case of persons who are transitioning their bodies, it is often actually prescribed. On the grounds of their societal situation, gender variants, gender nonconformists, gender queer and transsexual clients have specific needs in psychotherapy. Those providing psychotherapeutic support require a knowledge of the legal, psychosocial and medical-psychiatric approaches to the thematic, a high level of self-reflection with respect to the meaning of gender and bisexuality, as well as their linguistic representation, being able to form a therapeutic relationship configuration on an equal basis that allows for one’s own uncertainties, a willingness to question seemingly obvious categories such as Cisgender identity and heterosexual normativity, and even being prepared to put one’s own gender identity up for discussion.

Key words: Dual gender, hetero-normativity, Queer theory, intersexuality, trans-sexuality, gender development, gender identity, gender variance, discrimination