An acronym for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a publication that provides a comprehensive list of official psychiatric diagnoses and their criteria. The DSM-5 uses the term “gender dysphoria” to refer to diagnosed transgender people reporting a sense of social and/or physical dissonance between their assigned gender and their personal experience of gender. Transgender people who do not meet minimum DSM-5 diagnostic criteria may face additional difficulties navigating the medical system should they decide to undergo social, legal and/or medical transition (see: gatekeeping, gender therapist).
