Transexuality

A lot of people go through confusion when they go through their teen years and stuff. It’s normal for people to try to identify themselves at this age. I mean, I see it a lot with people who are still unsure of their sexual orientation.

The thing is, transexuality is usually a lot more serious than just simple confusion like “Maybe I should have been born I guy/girl”. It doesn’t go away. You just always feel uncomfortable in your skin. It’s more like, “Why do I have to be a girl/guy?!” At least, that’s from my experience and what I’ve seen from other transexuals.

And TRJR, I know the feeling you’re talking about. When I finally opened up about myself and stopped lying to myself about it, that alone lightened my mood about the whole subject. My mom was giving me weird looks because I was so happy.

well of course that’s part of it, and who knows in a few years i might be over it all together

but i think that everyone’s problem (if you could call it that) is very, if not totally different.

I personally think the human psyche is too complicated for it to be generalized down to “teen confusion” or stuff like that. While that very well may be a contributing factor to it there has got to be tons of other factors that vary for everything, not to mention the fact that transgenderism is if i’m not mistaken caused by hormone imbalance in the brain, of course this would be the stem of most of it. That is not to say that is someone did not have a hormone imbalance that they couldn’t experience it.

It’s like if a kid cuts himself, and people just label it as “teen angst”

maybe that’s part of it but it ignores what could be sozens of other factors that drive him or her down that path in the first place.

here’s a prime example i can relate to

i was always picked on as a kid, and i used to be quite the crybaby. Anyway also notice how society always tells us: guys don’t cry, they rough it up.

Now maybe i’m just searching for excuses here or some shit but that seems a reasonable factor to me.

The point is i don’t think that kids are “just confused”

No mercy on the close-minded. Screw them. Cut them out.

Truth. I thought for sure I was gay when I was around 16 or so, since I was raised by my mother and grandmother and I picked up a lot of feminine mannerisms from them. I still get asked if I am gay due to that.

(I’m not implying that effeminate mannerisms indicate being gay, or vice versa. But when I was 16, I did associate the two.)

/me points at Amy Lee from Evanescence

Amazing vocalist. :yes:

As for me, I have never seriously considered being a girl, or being a transvestite, although for a laugh I have worn make-up, and also worn a dress… but that is beside the point. I have occasionally wondered what it would be like to be the opposite sex, but I don’t think I would get an operation just to find out… I like being a guy. However, males and females can share the same interests, and do the same things just as well. Female vocalists and Male vocalists, for example. Amy Lee and David Draiman. Both are amazing vocalists. Both genders can do the same things, and act the same way.

Anyway, my idea is don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, and since I’ve never been a transexual, I can’t truly say anything bad about it. I can only hope that all you transexuals/transvestites/hermaphrodites can find your niche in the world and be accepted for who you are.

I think all ideas, preferences and variations should be accepted for what they are, and should never have to put up with discrimination of any kind. Then again, I would think that way anyway, after being called a “retard” for a few years…

Transsexuality is all right to me, and I actually think some transsexuals are cool for that reason alone.
(Probably not a good enough reason to think someone are cool, though).

I know all to well how it feels to be trapped in a body you hate.

Now why does prejudice and stupidity always seem to win out?

i don’t think its alright. It’s a defect.

@shatterspike1: Probably because most open-minded people know that they would just be getting themselves into a losing argument, by voicing their opinion.

With some people, there is just no spark to ignite. When I think I’m dealing with someone like that, I don’t even waste my time. I feel pitty for them, but leave them to their miserable existence.

EDIT: Oh, and to stay on topic: I don’t think any of us are assigned a gender at our core. Once we are released from this hormone/chemical stricken body, we are simply ourselves. I can’t fault anyone for thinking that they might be more comfortable in another role. I’m sure it is not a conscious decision for them.

@Bonaparte1812: Imagine you are stuck working at a gas station to make a living, but deep down inside, you know you really want to be an artist. Does that mean that wanting to be an artist is a defect, or wrong? Should the individual not dislike their job behind the counter?

Poor analogy, I know. Best I could come up with for you.

In a sense you are correct, Bonerparte. Transexualism means that your brain is wired as one gender, but your physical body is another. So one might consider it a defect, a psychological and/or physical problem, but why is it wrong? I assume you find it moral and OK to have “defects” like depression and schizophrenea, so why not transexualism?
Recent theory is now proporting that transexualism has biological roots. Many of the psychological causes put forward by the scientific community have failed to be applied to a majority, or even a sizeable minority, of transexual individuals. Some evidence for the biological roots of transexualism lies in individuals who were sexually reassigned at birth, due to genital complications(now if those two words don’t rouse your inner junior high student, I don’t know what will), who experience gender dysphoria and transexualism. A study done in 1997, which can be found here, shows that transexuals display a neuron density in the central subdivision of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis region (BSTc), similar to members of their target gender. Another study, found here, shows that prior to having hormone therapy, a transexual has a brain structure matching that of their genetic sex. Several animal studies have demonstrated that exposure to cross-sex hormones during certain stages of fetal development can reliably produce cross-sex behaviors in animals. And really, I could go on and on. But I won’t, I’ll wrap up the science mumbo-jumbo and direct a question in Bonaparte’s general direction - what is so wrong about having a condition that you did nothing to cause, and taking measures such as cross dressing and sexual reassignment surgery, to help them feel better about it?

Quote by DayLight
I assume you find it moral and OK to have “defects” like depression and schizophrenea, so why not transexualism?

I don’t think depression and schizophrenea are okay, i think that they should be dealt with appropriatly.

Oh and by the way, I didn’t read past the quote i used. sorry

How I feel …

crossdressers … perfectly fine but it is ideal if they can be open with their partners

actually changing gender surgically … also ok with it … but I have a niggling doubt when you hear about the males who change gender quite late on in life after being in the army or navy and being married and raising children. At the back of my mind is the thought if they were really in the wrong body they wouldn’t have been able to do this since it would have been so alien to them. and so feel this is due to their thinking different genders are totally different and so letting stereotyping affect them

living or occasionally acting as the opposite gender … also ok but honesty with partners is really important

In the first post you made in this thread, when you said “i don’t think it’s alright”, did you mean that it’s not alright as in transexuality is immoral, or it’s not alright as in transexuality should be treated?

My 2 cents…

It’s not the way it’s supposed to be (otherwise there would be no distress), but since it was not a choice in the first place, anyone whose sexual matters aren’t “the usual” should be left in peace.

Morality is beyond the point too, because of the above reason.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. I mean, the treatment for transexuality IS to get the sex change. Of course, before that you have to go to therapy for awhile and take some test to see if you really want this and you’re not just confused.

I find transexsualy a interesting event, but it would be better to not exist since people suffer from it. I do not think it is wrong and am happy there are possibilities like operations for the people who would be happy with those kind of possibilities.

As for me, I have no problems with my gender. However, for some reason, people I meet on the internet often think I am a girl. :tongue:

It’s strange that people won’t stretch themselves to understand both conditions. I guess it’s a numbers thing - Whichever is more of a minority will get the least understanding. I hate how society is like that :sad:

Anyway, I’m fine with transexualty and all gender issues. I wish people happiness who are going through something like this. It would be very odd if nature produced complete females and males all the time. It makes sense that people can be born with different percentages of one sex or the other. So obviously the amount is going to affect whether you will be hetrosexual, homosexual, transexual etc.

Myself, I’m hetrosexual. But I’ve had thoughts like ‘It would be nice to be male just so that i could hang around with boys more’. I share so many interests with them especially in music, film, books. Girls rarely make me laugh, but i haven’t met a lot of people.

I’ll have to stop writing this for now as its late. :clock: Probably add more another time

I’m comfortable with my gender…

I guess my post was misleading. :content:

comments about bonaparte removed :moogle:

Back on topic, I could never say to a transexual that i understand his pain, or that he’s not trying hard enough to be satisfied with their gender. I could only sympathise with the person that he is feeling sad or uncomfortable himself. While i don’t agree with all the labels that some people have; i may not understand or approve of homosexuality, religion, etc, in the end i treat a person as a person, without labels or prejudice.