Transgenderism should be considered a mental illness.

My opponent has violated the terms of the debate several times. I explicitly said the 2nd round was for “main arguments only” and the 3rd round was for “rebuttals/counters/additional points”. Evidence: http://prntscr.com... =http://prntscr.com... ; http://prntscr.com... = http://prntscr.com... . By quoting my main points, this implies my opponent is rebutting/countering my points instead of making a case solely focused on the topic statement. It constitutes as a rebuttal since my opponent attempts to prove the statements I made false instead of the topic statement itself. Additionally, I explicitly stated “no abuse of semantics” as a rule and yet my opponent attempts to redefine the term “transgenderism” from the definition that I provided. It doesn’t matter how similar the two definitions are as it still constitutes as attempting to replace the definition I had provided.Evidence: http://prntscr.com... . Therefore, voters are obligated to take these actions as forms of misconduct. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Transgenderism is not the illness- dysphoria is.” (Con) -No, dysphoria is merely a symptom of transgenderism. The definition of “symptom”: Symptom: “Any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.” My argument in connecting gender dysphoria as a symptom of transgenderism can be formed into a syllogism: -Premise 1: Transgender people feel gender dysphoria when they feel the need to be more like the opposite sex. -Premise 2: Arguably, all transgender people have gender dysphoria elsewise, they would not have become transgender in the first place. -Conclusion: Since all transgender people have gender dysphoria, it must be a symptom of transgenderism. Now, I will make a reference to another mental illness: Schizophrenia. “ Symptoms include: Hallucinations Delusions Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking) Movement disorders (agitated body movements)” -Notice the presence of “disorders” as symptoms of schizophrenia. This implies that a mental illness can include other disorders as “symptoms”. As a reminder, the definition I have provided includes mental illnesses as “...disorders…”. My opponent is correct in pointing out that dysphoria is a mental illness, but is clearly false in thinking that there can only be one mental illness and that mental illnesses cannot be a components of other mental illnesses. Most of everything in this paragraph: http://prntscr.com... is irrelevant to the debate.-What should be discussed, is whether or not transgender people have “...thoughts, emotions, or behaviour...so abnormal as to cause suffering to himself, herself, or other people”, as that is in accordance to the definition I have provided for“mental illness”. My opponent has yet to prove that it does not. Rather, my opponent seemed to be attempting to argue that gender is a socially constructed concept. However, even if gender is a socially constructed concept as my opponent argues, it does not matter since if transgenderism actually involves "suffering to himself, herself, or other people…”, then that would mean that transgenderism must be regarded as a mental illness. I’ve already discussed whether or not it causes suffering, and concluded that it does in this segment of my argument: http://prntscr.com... . -Also, it's not irrelevant for me to discuss how transsexuals often have delusions. Transsexualism is a form of transgenderism, just to a greater extent since they want a sex reassignment. Arguably, delusion is a form of “hardship” since the ill person is resisting what is real or fact, and so constitutes as suffering. So, their thoughts and emotions virtually causes them suffering.My opponent's arguments are nonsensical. “Transexuals are well aware it (gender reassignment surgery)doesn't make them a cis male/female.” (Con) -You can’t make such a generalization as the burden of proof would be on you to prove that they all actually are aware that it doesn’t. “But biology doesn't determine whether you're feminine or masculine, only the genatalia you posess at birth.” (Con) -This seems nonsensical. You’re contradicting yourself with statements such as this: “...still identifies as a male, as 'assigned' at birth, but is 'effeminate' in mannerisms” (Con). This is because if genitalia determines whether you’re masculine or feminine, which is what the other statement was implying, then that means a male cannot become more feminine unless he altered his genitals and that is simply not true since for instance, a male could have feminine mannerisms and still not have to alter his genitals in anyway. “Gender reassignment isn't a solution- transfolk don't stop being trans after gender reassignment. It isn't a cure” (Con) -This statement also seems nonsensical. I’m almost certain that you meant to say “sex reassignment” because it would be even more nonsensical if you didn’t. I never said it was a “cure”, in fact I said this: http://prntscr.com... . I was referring to sex reassignment as a “treatment” and not a “cure”, there is a distinct difference between the two terms. ------------------ So, how are transgender people suffering? -Higher risk of suicide. -Gender dysphoria. -Genital mutilation. -Having delusions. Bottom line: Transgenderism is a mental illness given the definition I have provided for what constitutes as a “mental illness” within the context of this debate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources: http://www.nimh.nih.gov... http://www.dictionary.com... https://en.wikipedia.org... http://www.cnsnews.com...