A little moral quandary for you all...

Machine Man 1992

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So I've tossing this moral/philosophical question around and I figured I'd share it with the Escapist for the purposes of engaging in a Socratic exercise:

Transgendered people have brain chemistry that makes them think they are the opposite gender of what they were born as. Now, lets say scientists come up with some revolutionary treatment that alters the brain chemistry to match the person's birth gender. Essentially they can "cure" trans people of being trans (i.e. They would identify as the gender they were born as), removing the gender confusion and likely sparing them a great deal of hardship.

Should this cure be administered to all people who are trans? Why or why not? Should they be given a choice to live as they are, or are we under moral obligation to correct this quirk? Trans people often live hard lives, not just because of hate crimes, but also the daily confusion and secondary mental disorders like depression. Is it right to forcefully (or even strongly encourage) administer the cure if it means letting them live healthy lives amongst the majority? But even if it was for their own good, is giving a cure like that right?

I want to hear your opinions on this matter.
 

Aerosteam

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Sep 22, 2011
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Pretty sure giving the person the choice is always the best thing to do.
 

BathorysGraveland2

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Give them the choice, really. It does sound like the best outcome though, since the transitioning phase is lengthy, expensive and there are even risks attached to it, I believe. Ultimately though, the only people who have a legit say here are transgenders who are actually going through it and know what it's like.
 

Queen Michael

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I choose to push the button and take the million.

But if that's not an option, I'd let them choose for themselves.
 

Lilani

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Aerosteam said:
Pretty sure giving the person the choice is always the best thing to do.
This right here. It isn't right to forcefully administer ANY treatment which changes one's brain chemistry and sense of self-identity. If someone sees that as an agreeable alternative to hormone therapy/a sex change operation then that's their prerogative. But they should neither be forced nor pressured to do this, at least any more forced or pressured than they are to go through a standard sex change.
 

Erttheking

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I have yet to encounter any situation where forcefully changing the way people think is a good thing.

This thread is no exception.
 

Timeless Lavender

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Giving people choices is always the better option, especially when the choice does not endanger anyone. Even though this may sound good on paper, bare in mind that there are transgender people who consider this as an identity and will not change their identity just to suit the government or society .
 

BoogieManFL

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It would have to be optional. It's not one of those things you could call a disease or disorder even if technically it is.
 

VanQ

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First post nailed it. If they want to do that then they should be given access.

I myself spent years wondering (and sometimes still wonder) if I wasn't meant to be born a woman, but I was one of the lucky few that managed to come to terms with being a male. I can't imagine how much it would help some people if you could pop a pill and change that part of yourself. I say change because I hesitate to use the word "cure." Trans isn't a disease.
 

FalloutJack

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Machine Man 1992 said:
Transgendered people have brain chemistry that makes them think they are the opposite gender of what they were born as.
Actually, transgendered people identify with neither side fully, hence the conversation in another thread about them referring to themselves as 'they' instead of he or she. Not important. You have questions, Jack has answers.

OT: I must throw my opinion alongside those who say that the choice is theirs and theirs alone. My reasoning is simple. I have a condition which is also the result of a differing brain from the norm: I am autistic. Let me tell you that people who refer to it as a clinical problem - as though diseased - bother the hell out of me. What scares me is that someone will try to find a cure and that such a thing would diminish who I am.

Because, one thing that these two things could be said to have in common is that they make up an important part of the personality. It might be nice for a severe autistic whose perception and personal reactions do not lead to regular communication capacity with everyone else felt more in line with others enough to have a decent conversation, but I am certain that I derive strength from my unusual perspective. To force that away would be heartless and cruel. And so, by that token, to remove something from someone who does not want that removes should not be done.

The only real exception exists in a case where to leave it be somehow allows it to be extremely harmful. I'm not sure how or why that would be, but that would be the only proviso I could think of.
 

Thaluikhain

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"Cure" people, by changing the way their brains work against their wishes?

Yeah, I can see problems with that.

FalloutJack said:
Machine Man 1992 said:
Transgendered people have brain chemistry that makes them think they are the opposite gender of what they were born as.
Actually, transgendered people identify with neither side fully, hence the conversation in another thread about them referring to themselves as 'they' instead of he or she. Not important.
Er...what? Ok, some might not use gendered pronouns of themselves, but surely plenty do?
 

McElroy

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Should this pill exist and really work as intended, it wouldn't take long for almost everyone to start recommending it to transpeople instead of the alternative, and in a dozen years the whole endeavor with hormone therapy, surgery and so on would be regarded as a thing of the past. So as a convenient solution it would force or at least strongly encourage itself - no coercion needed.
 

Uncle Comrade

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As everyone else has said, make the option available for those that want it, but don't force anyone into it.

Interestingly, this reminds me of a thread from about a year ago, where the hypothetical situation was whether or not you would take a drug that made you bisexual. In that case, the general response was that of course you'd do it, with those saying No being told "But you have literally nothing to lose, even if you weren't into it before, you would be as soon as you took the drug." And yet if anyone were to say something similar in this thread there'd be an immediate backlash.
 

necromanzer52

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Right. We're all agreed that giving people the choice is the best idea. Now, consider this. A lot of trans people discover this and start to identify as the opposite gender from quite an early age, and when it comes to giving medical treatment to children, we typically overrule their free will because we know it's for their own good. For example, kids don't like getting vaccinated because it hurts and they don't understand the long term benefits, but we do it to them anyway.

Anybody want to weigh in on this?
 

VanQ

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necromanzer52 said:
Right. We're all agreed that giving people the choice is the best idea. Now, consider this. A lot of trans people discover this and start to identify as the opposite gender from quite an early age, and when it comes to giving medical treatment to children, we typically overrule their free will because we know it's for their own good. For example, kids don't like getting vaccinated because it hurts and they don't understand the long term benefits, but we do it to them anyway.

Anybody want to weigh in on this?
A disease as common as the flu can kill somebody that doesn't have the antibodies. Being trans will not kill you by nature. I think there's a difference there.
 

Gordon_4_v1legacy

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Allow them to make the choice on their own terms; that is the only way I can see to use such technology. Then again, if we can make something as advanced as rewiring the brain, there's a good chance the medicine allowing for transitioning is better too: everyone wins.
 

Nanondorf

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Introduce a bit more of that trans-hating sentiment via the media, introduce the cure with a hefty price, and BAM. Millions were made once again. Or at least that's what I expect from the world.