Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person feels due to their birth-assigned sex and gender not matching their gender identity. People who experience gender dysphoria are often referred to as transgender. Evidence from studies of twins suggests that gender dysphoria not only has psychological causes, but may have biological causes as well.

When a fetus is formed, the genitals are formed at first and then the brain forms in the following stages of the pregnancy. In most cases, the brain structure matches that of the body and genitals however there are cases of brain structure and biological gender not matching and this is what defines gender dysphoria. People who suffer from the condition often seek gender reassignment surgery as they often feel that they have been born into the wrong body. This is followed by a diagnosis gender dysphoria by a professional through counselling and often brain scans to study the structure of the brain (as controversial as it is to say - there is a difference between the structure of men and women's brains!). Some can receive hormone treatment in Ireland and may receive free gender-reassignment surgery in Britain, under the Treatment Abroad scheme. The scheme has paid for the surgeries of 15 Irish citizens between 2005 and 2010 - meaning that medical costs, sometimes an issue for transgender people, would be taken care of. Male-to-female surgery is less expensive, but female-to-male surgery is estimated to cost up to €60,000. Transgender people without a referral must go privately, at their own expense – a financial impossibility for many, according to transgender activists.

This petition is aimed at the HSE and Department of Health to demand that people professionally diagnosed with gender dysphoria should be allowed to receive free, government-funded gender-reassignment surgery following diagnosis as schemes found in countries like the UK & Canada. All support is greatly appreciated!

Is é Diosfóiria Inscne (DI) an crá a mhothaíonn duine de bharr nach dtagann a inscne tugtha ag a bhreith leis a aitheantas inscne. Is minic a thugtar an téarma 'trasinscneach' ar dhaoine leis an bhfadhb seo. Tugann fianaise leathchúpla le fios nach bhfuil ach amháin cúiseanna sícheolaíochta ag baint le diosfóiria inscne ach factóirí bitheolaíochta freisin.

Nuair a chruthaítear féatas, cruthaítear na baill ghiniúna ar dtús báire agus cruthaítear an inchinn sna céimeanna dár gcionn sa toircheas. I bhformhór na gcás, tagann struchtúr na hinchinne le chéile leis na baill ghuiniúna ach tá cáis nach dtarlaíonn sé seo agus is é seo cad a dhéanann cur síos ar dhiosfóiria inscne. Is minic a lorgann na daoine a bhfuil an fhadhb seo orthu d'obráid athraithe inscne mar is minic a mhothaíonn siad go rugadh sa chorp mícheart iad. Ina dhiadh, tagann diagnóis diosfóiria inscne trí chomhairleoireacht agus is minic a dhéantar scanadh ar an inchinn (cé gur rud conspóideach le rá é - tá difríocht idir struchtúr inchinní na bhfear agus na mban!). Is féidir le roinnt daoine teiripe athsholáthair hormón a fháil in Éirinn agus is féidir go bhfuil an deis acu obráid athraithe inscne saor a fháil sa Bhreatain de réir Scéim Chóir Leighis Thar Lear. D'íoc an scéim as obráidí 15 saoránaigh Éireannacha idir 2005 agus 2010 - rud a chiallaíonn gur chlúdaigh a gcuid costaisí. Tá obráid ó fhear go mbean níos costasaí ach meastar gur féidir le hobráid ó bhean go bhfear €60,000 a chosaint. Is gá go n-imíonn daoine trainsinscneacha gan atreorú go príobháideach agus íocadh as leo féin - dodhéantacht airgeadais ar dhaoine de réir gníomhaithe trasinscneacha.

Ar an FSS agus an Roinnt Sláinte atá an achainí seo dírtithe, le hiarriadh orthu gurbh chóir do dhaoine diagnóisithe go gairmiúil le diosfóiria inscne ceadaithe obráid athraithe inscne saor a bhfuil maoiniú ón rialtas aige ar nós tíortha mar an RA agus an Ceanada. Is mór againn do chuidiú!