Mapping Unchartered Territories: Understanding Gendered Alternate Identities

Gender identity has had minimal consideration in the field of trauma and dissociative disorders. It is the purpose of this theoretical study to further the examination of the intersection of trauma, dissociation, and gender through the mapping and exploration of virtually unchartered territory- gendered alternate identities in traumatized individuals with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Although gendered alternate identities are relatively common among traumatized individuals diagnosed with DID, their etiology and function is not fully understood. These identities may create various tensions and conflicts for the DID individual included, but not limited to, gender identity and sexual orientation. It can be argued that this is currently an area of psychological theory and of clinical practice that is being misconceptualized and/or overlooked. This study investigates gendered alternate identities through an extensive literature review of normative gender identity development, the intersection of trauma and gender identity development, and current theories addressing the function and origin of alternate gender identities. This study analyzes the current theories on gendered alternate identities through a review of qualitative research and anecdotal clinical contributions, and then proposes a new hypothesis and integrative conceptual model of the etiology of gendered alternate identities. Two clinical case composites are presented in order to illustrate and examine the applicability and generalizability of the current theories and of the proposed hypothesis and conceptual model. In addition, the case composites highlight the complexity of these alternate identities and how these identities should be addressed in clinical treatment.