I apologize for any confusion. I was trying to clarify, not create more. As I think about it the term body dysmorpha is probably the wrong term to use in general discussion because of its association with pathology. It is used by the professionals in the psychological circles I inhabit in a different way, but then they are trying to move beyond the archaic ambiguities and concepts still hiding in the various DSM updates. After all its language has been derived from a time when gender dysphoria was also viewed as a pathology which could be treated rather than an immutabale normal variation in human gender. That bias still subtly permeates the current standards. They are decades behind current understanding. What I should have said is that all trans people have gender dysphoria, but it is not necessarily body dysphoria. It could be social dysphoria. But both are types of gender dysphoria. By distinguishing the two we can acknowledge that a person can be perfectly happy with their own body but uncomfortable with their assumed or assigned role in society.

While this may seem to be an unimportant distinction it is crucial to many that are beginning to explore their own identity. People need to understand that gender dysphoria cannot be “cured” In the same way gayness cannot be “cured”. It is not just an attitude or whim; It is an innate characteristic of certain individuals. Because of the novelty associated with being trans, some think that it is a role that can be tried on and discarded at will. People claim to be trans without fully understanding what it means and without doing any thoughtful and comprehensive investigation into their own nature. It requires careful examination, especially if physical modification may be contemplated; one does not want to make an irreversible error. The starting point is to fully appreciate that trans people are different from cis people precisely because they have dysphoria of some sort and it will never go away. It has to be dealt with for their own health and sanity. I have enjoyed our discussion and I apologize for my first comment. It was written in a sloppy fashion. I usually do better. I can understand why you reacted the way you did.😢💕