A history of scientific, medical and psychological approaches to transsexualities and their critical approach

Abstract

This study provides a brief historical background of scientific, medical and psychological approaches to transsexualities. It also makes considerations on how such approaches based the concept of pathology that is associated with trans people and how it has been responsible for maintaining the pathologization in the collective imaginary. More specifically, we will establish a chronology of events that, throughout history, have affected the study on and the intervention with trans people, based on the biomedical model. We will also refer to some Western figures responsible for creating this biomedical vision of trans people. Finally, the discussion about the (de)pathologization of transsexualities is presented, based on the emergence of the paradigm centered on the human rights of trans people and proposals for self-determination of their bodies and identities.