JD Haltigan - The Psychopathology of Transexuality

in this episode, we speak with developmental psychologist J. D. Haltigan about his controversial argument that transsexuality should be examined through the lens of psychopathology rather than treated solely as an identity Haltigan’s academic work has focused on developmental psychopathology, personality, identity formation and the ways psychological symptoms can be shaped by social environments. More recently, he has applied these interests to the rapid rise in gender dysphoria, particularly among adolescents, asking whether social media, peer influence and changing cultural narratives have helped transform diffuse psychological distress into a gendered identity. We discuss whether transsexuality is itself a form of psychopathology, or whether it is better understood as a response to underlying problems involving personality, identity development, autism, trauma or emotional dysregulation. Haltigan explains why he does not believe medical transition is an appropriate treatment, even when it appears to reduce distress, and argues that questions about transition cannot necessarily be settled by outcome studies alone. Laura argues that her successful transition demonstrates that even if you do consider transness to be psychopathologic, that transition can be one path by through which trans people can mitigate the impact of that psychopathology on their ability to function and thrive in the world. The conversation also considers a deeper philosophical divide. Should transition be judged primarily by its consequences, including whether it improves quality of life, or are there moral and conceptual objections that remain even when an individual reports benefit? Finally, we explore what may be driving the extraordinary increase in gender dysphoria and how Haltigan’s earlier work on identity formation and social-media-mediated psychopathology shaped his understanding of the phenomenon.