Transgender rights advocate Max Pick recalls the first time they experienced gender euphoria. "It was like being able to breathe without thinking, where for maybe years, you had to think about every single breath," they said. This feeling is described as a pure joy of being truly seen and recognized by others, a recognition that wasn't always available in the past, leading to a profound sense of liberation.
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04-03, 2025Max, who came to identify as a transgender man later in life, says that finally being able to live comfortably in their own body has been life-changing. "I felt gender euphoria when I grew the embarrassing 14-year-old boy fuzz on my face at 36," they said, "when 'ma'am' started becoming 'sir,' especially when my T-shirts finally fit... because I finally had the flat chest I was meant to have." This transition brought a renewed sense of self and alignment.
Max runs a non-profit clothing brand that raises money for people seeking gender-affirming surgeries. Therefore, they are keenly aware of the positive impact that experiencing gender euphoria has on others. "Gender euphoria feels like the most primal, connective joy you can experience," they said. However, with a series of anti-transgender policies being introduced both domestically and internationally, the opportunities for other transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals to experience the joy Max describes are at risk. These policies can significantly hinder access to necessary resources and support.
Researchers in Australia are offering a glimmer of hope. Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute have developed a method for measuring gender euphoria for the first time, which could have significant implications for the mental health of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescents and adults. "Right now, the global environment is really scary for TGD people," Max said. "Positive experiences and focusing on gender euphoria have the power to reshape how we see ourselves." This new measurement tool could provide valuable insights into promoting well-being.
Tara Laursen, head of Transcend Australia, describes gender euphoria as a profound sense of joy, confidence, and comfort that comes from feeling one's gender is "right" and being recognized by others. Tara believes that gender euphoria is a crucial component of the psychological and emotional well-being of TGD individuals. Research has shown that experiencing gender euphoria is associated with lower levels of psychological distress and suicidal ideation. When transgender people are affirmed in their gender—whether through supportive relationships, healthcare, and/or self-expression—it fosters resilience, confidence, and a stronger sense of belonging.
There are many ways to experience gender euphoria, including changing one's hairstyle, wearing different clothes, being referred to by one's preferred pronouns, and undergoing hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery. Max says that gender euphoria can also be found in not being singled out for their transgender identity. "Gender euphoria can just be a moment of invisibility in the crowd," they said, "when there are no eyes on you, because it's exhausting to feel looked at. In a world that is trying to make 'being transgender' our everything, we should enjoy the complex, multi-layered identities we all have, without being locked and frozen on any one part of us." This emphasizes the importance of normalcy and acceptance.
Researchers from Swinburne University of Technology, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and the University of Melbourne interviewed more than 700 transgender Australians between the ages of 16 and 79. Participants were drawn from the TRANSform study, a project led by the Transgender Health Research Group, and were asked a series of questions about their past experiences of gender euphoria. Common experiences from participant responses were used to develop 26 items that make up the Gender Euphoria Scale. These items revolved around three core themes: social affirmation, self-affirmation, and community connection.
Charlotte Blacklock, a PhD student at Swinburne University and a MCRI Transgender Health researcher, says the scale has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of positive gender-related experiences. "There is increasing recognition of the need to broaden understandings of gender diversity by exploring and highlighting the joyful aspects of transgender people's lives," she said. "We created the first-ever scale to assess gender euphoria, a concept that originated from within the transgender community to describe positive feelings associated with being transgender." This scale aims to quantify and validate these positive experiences.
Dr. Simone Buzwell of Swinburne University, a co-author of the study, says the scale could improve mental health treatment for the TGD community by focusing on how to help people experience gender euphoria. "The Gender Euphoria Scale can be used to help clinicians focus on helping clients experience the positive aspects of their gender identity, rather than focusing on eliminating gender dysphoria," she said. Tara believes the scale will also enable advocacy groups like Transcend to better support TGD individuals. "By understanding what drives gender euphoria, we can advocate for policies and services that maximize these affirming experiences, ensuring TGD individuals are able to thrive, not just survive." This shift in focus can lead to more effective and empowering support systems.
The recent decision by Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls to deny hormone treatment to new transgender and gender diverse patients under the age of 18 is a stark reminder of how much power governments have over the ability of TGD individuals to experience gender euphoria. This controversial decision sparked nationwide protests and compelled Federal Health Minister Mark Butler to announce a review of national standards of care and treatment guidelines for TGD children and adolescents. Max is also aware of the positive impact that government decisions can have on daily life: last year, the New South Wales Parliament passed a bill allowing TGD individuals to change the gender on their birth certificates without undergoing surgery.
TGD individuals experience disproportionately high rates of mental health problems, self-harm, and suicide due to a range of factors, including discrimination, misgendering, gender dysphoria, and rejection from social support networks. Despite these very real challenges, transgender advocates say it is equally important to focus on the positive aspects of being TGD. "Recognizing and measuring gender euphoria is crucial to shifting the narrative from solely focusing on the challenges and the impact of discrimination and misgendering to highlighting the positive markers of well-being and the life-affirming aspects of the transgender experience," Tara said. This shift in perspective is essential for promoting resilience and hope.
Tara believes that research and public discourse have long focused on the challenges and distress associated with being transgender, which often reinforces a deficit-based perspective. While addressing issues like discrimination and dysphoria is important, she argues that a strengths-based approach is more empowering. "It shifts the focus to what is working, what brings joy, and what enhances well-being. This research is an important step towards recognizing that the transgender experience is not just about overcoming challenges, but also about thriving, celebrating identity, and feeling affirmed." The hope is that the scale will be widely adopted by clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to reframe the way transgender healthcare and well-being are approached.
Max also calls for a more positive approach to transgender identity. "Transgender people, especially young transgender people, need to see images and experiences of other transgender people in states of joy, in states of calm," they said. "The transgender people I know who regularly experience gender euphoria are the most open-hearted, kind, contributing, and brave people I know. It's not just the transgender community that needs people like that. The world needs people like that right now." This highlights the importance of positive role models and celebrating the contributions of TGD individuals to society.
