Microsoft Word - IJHHS IMAM 23rd ASC 2022


  
 

 S5

PLENARY 1   

 
The Pronoun Conundrum: He or She or They or Per or Ve: To Renounce or Denounce?  
Sharifah Zubaidiah Syed Jaapar1  
  
Gender dysphoria (GD) is when a person has a strong desire to act differently than their assigned gender, 
which causes significant distress and dysfunction. Western countries, especially those that legalise the 
third gender, employ affirmative therapy for people with GD. However, Islam and Malaysian law only 
recognise gender expression based on natal sex. This further put those with gender dysphoria in 
Malaysia at risk of developing anxiety, depression, self-harm behavior, and suicide. Apart from that, 
they are more likely to engage in risky behaviours such as unsafe sex, sex with same-sex, chemsex, 
substance misuse, drinking alcohol and smoking. This sexual behaviour, especially man sex with man 
(MSM), contributes to HIV/AIDS, sexual transmitted diseases, and anal cancer. Consequently, it 
increases the health burden. Thus, this presentation will discuss approaches to dealing with people with 
this gender dysphoria. There are also ethical dilemmas or conflicts among psychiatrists in giving the 
diagnosis of gender dysphoria, especially in children and adolescents. Once giving the diagnosis of 
gender dysphoria, what is the best approach that a Muslim psychiatrist needs to consider? Are we going 
to practise affirmative therapy or conversion therapy or what? Do Muslim healthcare providers have 
the right to enforce patients against their will? Still, this would make it harder for people to get help and 
make them less likely to go to healthcare providers, especially Muslims. In contrast, this will encourage 
people with GD to go to healthcare providers that can support or affirm their desire, which is against 
Islamic and Malaysian law. Muslim healthcare providers should take the opportunity to help people 
with GD manage their conflicts according to the Islamic way.  

  
Keywords: gender dysphoria; mental health; natal sex; Islam gender   
  

1. Psychiatry Department, Universiti Sains Malaysia Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.  

 

 

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Correspondence to: Dr. Sharifah Zubaidiah Syed Jaapar, Psychiatrist and Senior Medical Lecturer, 
Psychiatry Department, Universiti Sains Malaysia Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. zubaidiah@usm.my  

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v7i70.508