[Clinical variables in gender identity disorders]

The purpose of this research is to analyze some clinical variables in a sample of 19 female transsexuals (FT) (male to female) and 14 male transsexuals (MT) (female to male) who have made a claim for gender dysphoria to the public health service. Subject selection was done after they were diagnosed of transsexualism according to diagnostic criteria of the ICD-10 and the DSM-IV-TR, and complies with standards of care of The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association. The results show that FT take more hormones and for more years and undergo a greater number of surgeries (feminizing), especially on the face, but also on the body. Most transsexuals are heterosexual. Whereas 10% of FTs are attracted to women, no MTs manifest a homosexual orientation and, lastly, a high percentage of the sample experiences real life in all the contexts of their lives, in similar proportions for FTs and MTs.