Australian Researchers Create Gender Euphoria Scale

Australian researchers have developed a revolutionary tool to measure gender euphoria that could help researchers and clinicians better understand a trans person’s relationship with their gender.

Researchers from the Swinburne University of Technology, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), and the University of Melbourne spoke to more than 700 trans and non-binary Australians aged between 16 and 79, using the information to develop a world-first gender euphoria scale.

Gender euphoria is the feeling of happiness, comfort, and satisfaction caused when one’s gendered experience aligns with their gender identity, and exists to contrast gender dysphoria, the discomfort that occurs when gender identity and gendered body parts do not line up.

Although the term is commonly used in queer and trans communities, the construct of gender euphoria has never been formally measured, and has rarely been empirically studied.

Participants were sourced from the trans-led TRANSform study conducted by the Trans Health Research Group, and asked questions about their previous experiences of gender euphoria based around the core themes of social affirmation, self-affirmation, and community connection.

Of the hundreds of respondents, more than 85 per cent said they feel moderate to strong gender euphoria, with 62 per cent saying it is a weekly or daily occurrence.

Speaking to the ABC, Charlotte Blacklock, a PhD student at Swinburn and MCRI researcher in transgender health, said the scale could further understanding of positive gendered experiences for trans people.

“There is growing recognition of the need to broaden understandings of gender diversity by exploring and highlighting the joyful aspects of trans people’s lives,” she says.

“We have created the first ever scale to assess gender euphoria, a concept that arose from within the trans community to describe positive feelings associated with being trans.”

Scale “important step”

The Chair of Transcend Australia Tara Laursen said that public discourse has focused predominantly on the challenges associated with being transgender.

“This research is an important step in recognising that trans experiences are not just about overcoming challenges, but also about thriving, celebrating identity, and feeling affirmed.”

“Recognising and measuring gender euphoria is essential in shifting the narrative away from solely focusing on challenges and the impacts of discrimination and vilification, and instead highlighting these positive markers of wellbeing and the life-affirming aspects of trans experiences.

“This research is an important step in recognising that trans experiences are not just about overcoming challenges, but also about thriving, celebrating identity, and feeling affirmed.”