Preferences and Mental Disorders

Oddly, the NYT article to which Michael P. calls attention neglects to mention that the leading medical professionals responsible for DSM-IV continue to regard the gender-identity phenomenon as a "mental disorder."  We can look forward to DSM-V; meanwhile, the Magisterium can be excused for not calling for, inter alia, the practice adopted at the Park Day School in Oakland, CA, viz., separating children by sneaker color so as to avoid separating them by gender.  (Does the Park Day School's practice wrongly assume that are no statistically significant correlations between gender preference and choice of sneaker color)?   

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition

Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders > Introduction > Gender Identity Disorders >

Gender Identity Disorder

Sections: Associated laboratory findings., Associated physical examination findings and general medical conditions..

Topics Discussed: gender identity disorder.

Excerpt: "There are two components of Gender Identity Disorder, both of which must be present to make the diagnosis. There must be evidence of a strong and persistent cross-gender identification, which is the desire to be, or the insistence that one is, of the other sex (Criterion A). This cross-gender identification must not merely be a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex. There must also be evidence of persistent discomfort about one's assigned sex or a sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex (Criterion B). The diagnosis is not made if the individual has a concurrent physical intersex condition (e.g., partial androgen insensitivity syndrome or congenital adrenal hyperplasia) (Criterion C). To make the diagnosis, there must be evidence of clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning (Criterion D).In boys, the cross-gender identification is manifested by a marked preoccupation with traditionally feminine activities. They may have a preference for dressing in girls' or women's clothes or may improvise such items from available materials when genuine articles are unavailable. Towels, aprons, and scarves are often used to represent long hair or skirts. There is a strong attraction for the stereotypical games and pastimes of girls. They particularly enjoy playing house, drawing pictures of beautiful girls and princesses, and watching television or videos of their favorite female characters. Stereotypical female-type dolls, such as Barbie, are often their favorite toys, and girls are their preferred playmates. When playing "house," these boys role-play female figures, most commonly "mother roles," and often are quite preoccupied with female fantasy figures. They avoid rough-and-tumble play and competitive sports and have little interest in cars and trucks or other nonaggressive but stereotypical boys' toys. They may express a wish to be a girl and assert that they will grow up to be a woman. They may insist on sitting to urinate and pretend not to have a penis by pushing it in between their legs. More rarely, boys with Gender Identity Disorder may state that they find their penis or testes disgusting, that they want to remove them, or that they have, or wish to have, a vagina...."