Essay on Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Do you know how much body dysmorphia people my age get daily? Not only that, but they are forced to wear clothes that make them feel wrong, or misgendered. This issue is why society needs to change the way we teach about LGBTQIA+. Currently, the misogynistic, heterosexual society views LGBTQ almost like another species from a different planet. We must change the way we view our diverse community, and help them get the support they need. These are the points I will thoroughly exploring in this essay.

Do you know how many people every day feel like they are not the right gender or person? Skirts or shorts make them feel like they are wrong, and almost like a different species. I have so many friends who are transgender or non-binary even, that feel this way, and wearing the wrong gender's clothes only makes dysmorphia worse. Did you know that 40% of LGBTQ+ youth have considered suicide last year? And the society honestly questions why so many people are depressed and don't go school or work. When we were kids, society taught us what was socially acceptable for boys and girls to wear. Pink is for girls. Blue is for boys. Girls wear skirts and boys wear pants. There is no in-between. For some reason, our society established these rules to distinguish gender. This is so unbelievably incorrect it makes me sick.

The cost for changing gender is through the roof. For some, the cost of surgery and treatment for gender dysphoria will crack $100,000. The ABC has been following one woman's effort to find the money she needs to transition whilst living below the poverty line. Cassie Workman has been doing stand-up comedy for eight years, just to get by, let alone getting  enough money to transition. Not only is it costly, but Ms Workman said in Sydney she's only aware of two endocrinologists — the doctors responsible for hormonal treatment — who specialise in treating trans people. These facts are the full, unconcealed, blatant truth. Trans people are completely disadvantaged, and without the right doctors to help them, they are at risk not only from people around them, but themselves as well.

There are 195 countries in the world, and it is illegal to be homosexual in 71 of them. Almost 2.8 billion people are living in these countries where, keep in mind, identifying as a part of the LGBTQ community could lead to imprisonment, corporal punishment or even death. In stark contrast, only 780 million people are living in countries where same-sex marriage or civil unions are a legal right. This clearly must be changed, because if we don't, how will we evolve, become better as a species if we still discriminate against people who like the same sex?

We seriously need to consider our stance on this topic as a society, not only body dysmorphia, but heteronormative views as well. This would be the first step to bettering society. Gender-normative clothes and expectations are moving in the opposite direction that we need to be going as a species, so let's stop this, now, by pushing the people in charge to change and fix their past mistakes.