Gender Dysphoria and the Pediatric Surgeon: A Plea for Clarity and Caution

jpedsurg.org

Pediatric surgeons have long cared for children with disorders of sexual differentiation (DSD), in which a child's external genitalia are ambiguous or discordant with the genotype. Normal biological sexual development occurs along binary male–female pathways [1]. Gender has historically been equated with external genitalia, but many now view gender as a “social construct” independent of biological sex. Incongruence between sex and gender that is associated with significant distress is termed gender dysphoria.

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Article · Jul 2024 · 1 min read

In brief

This article addresses the pediatric surgeon's role in caring for children with gender dysphoria, drawing on historical experience with disorders of sexual differentiation. It advocates for careful consideration and caution in surgical decision-making for gender-related concerns in pediatric patients.

Gender dysphoria describes distress from incongruence between biological sex and gender identity, distinct from disorders of sexual differentiation.
Pediatric surgeons traditionally managed DSD cases where external genitalia are ambiguous or discordant with genotype.
Contemporary understanding separates biological sex (binary male-female development) from gender (increasingly viewed as a social construct).

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