What is a formal diagnosis?

A medical diagnosis from a specialist professional.

Why might I want a diagnosis?

You need a diagnosis to get:

With a diagnosis, it can be easier to get hormone therapy, though you can access hormones without a diagnosis.

You can get a diagnosis from a NHS gender service or a private gender service. It is quicker to be diagnosed privately, but if you have an NHS diagnosis, you can get NHS funding for:

You don’t need a diagnosis to be trans, but it can help you accept being trans, and help you explain your identity to other people.

Why might I not want a diagnosis?

Some people do not want to be diagnosed because they feel it is pathologising (that a diagnosis feels like being told your identity is a “disease”), because they don’t agree with the way the medical system works, and just because they feel it is unnecessary to.

You don’t need a diagnosis to:

Remember: you don’t need a diagnosis to be trans. Your trans identity is valid whether you have been diagnosed or not.

How do I get a diagnosis?

In the UK, diagnosis is normally made by a specialist GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist at a gender service.

To get a diagnosis in the UK, you need to either self-refer to a gender service or be referred by your GP. You can read more about how to access the medical system on the TransActual website.

What diagnosis will I be given?

The exact diagnosis given in the UK can vary, but common diagnoses include:

• gender dysphoria
• transsexualism
• gender incongruence
• gender identity disorder

Any of these diagnoses is enough to access medical treatment. These are all broadly synonymous from a medical perspective.

Errors and omissions

Is there something missing from this page? Have you spotted something that isn't correct? Please tweet us or message us on Facebook to let us know, or file an issue on GitHub.