[flamesabers]

Bryony,

I think trying to eliminate gender dysphoria as a mental illness is about removing the belief you're abnormal if you don't fit in the binary, male/female model of your physical sex matching your gender identity. I think this is about trying to say people who have gender dysphoria aren't defective.

I think part of the reason why homosexuality was removed from being considered a mental illness was to advance equal rights for homosexuals. I think so long as homosexuality was labeled a mental illness it could be argued that homosexuals are really heterosexuals who have a disorder. I consider the organizations that claim to be able to "cure" homosexuals is proof of this.

I think with removing the labels of mental illness from homosexuality or anything else, it's not so much about defying science but removing a basis for stigmatization and discrimination. When you, I or anyone else is considered to have a mental illness, it could be argued we don't know what's best for ourselves because we are under the influence of a mental illness.