Does gender dysphoria have a biological basis?

Science says there is a biological component to transgender identities.

Feb 09, 2026

In a new article I argue that gender dysphoria has a biological basis, even though gender identity is also influenced by cultural, social, and personal factors.

Most experts agree that biology plays a significant role, an important point because it counters claims that transgender identities are merely ideologically or socially manufactured.

Both gender and biological sex are more complex than anti‑trans activists suggest. Intersex variations demonstrate that chromosomes, hormones, gonads, and genitalia do not always align, and transgender people experience a persistent internal sense of gender that does not match their assigned sex (and have done so for millennia).

I present scientific evidence showing sex‑atypical brain structures and functions in transgender people, often aligning more closely with their experienced gender.

Genetic research, including twin studies, suggests a polygenic component to gender dysphoria.

There is also a prenatal endocrine environment factor. Atypical androgen exposure is associated with higher rates of gender dysphoria, which implies that hormone‑driven brain development influences gender identity.

But this is not all. The article also includes a long list of relevant science papers, just to stop ransphobes from playing the “science says there is only biological sex” card.

Read “Does gender dysphoria have a biological basis?” here!