A03

• :( of brain sex theory is that its central claims have been challenged.

  For example, Pol (2006) showed that the size of the BST changed significantly during hormone treatment when studying transgender individuals' brains using MRI scans taken during hormone treatment.

  The results suggest that the differences in the BST observed in post-mortem studies by previous studies might be effects of hormone therapy during gender reassignment treatment. => the brain differences claimed by brain sex theory might not be inherent but induced by hormone treatment, challenging the theory's validity.
• :) evidence suggests there may be other brain differences associated with gender dysphoria.

  e.g, Rametti (2011) studied the white matter in the brains of transgender individuals before they began hormone treatment.

  The results show that the amount and distribution of white matter in transgender individuals corresponded more closely to their identified gender rather than their biological sex, indicating early brain differences.Therefore => that there are inherent brain differences in transgender individuals, supporting the idea that gender dysphoria has a neurological basis.
• Point: A strength of the social constructionism approach is that not all cultures have only two genders.

  Evidence: For example, some cultures, like the fa'afafine of Samoa, recognize more than two genders, challenging traditional binary classifications.

  Explain: This means that the existence of non-binary identities and the increasing number of people identifying as non-binary highlight that cultural understanding of gender is evolving.

  Link: Therefore, this suggests that gender identity, including dysphoria, is best seen as a social construction rather than a purely biological fact.
• Point: A limitation is that there are issues with the psychoanalytic theory of gender dysphoria.

  Evidence: For example, Ovesey and Person's explanation only applies to transgender women and does not account for gender dysphoria in biological females. 

  Explain: Research by Rekers (1986) found that gender dysphoria in those assigned male at birth is more likely associated with the absence of the father than fear of separation from the mother.

  Link: => that the psychoanalytic theory is inadequate in explaining the full scope of gender dysphoria, particularly in biological females.