What do you think when you hear the word "transexual?"

[VelvetHorror]

The first thing I thought was Tim Curry just because of Rocky Horror Picture show.

But besides that, I usually think of a transsexual as a person currently undergoing the transition from one sex to another. Before the transition even starts, I view them as what their genitalia would dictate. When they start wearing the opposite sex's clothes or start making efforts to be viewed as the opposite sex, I view them as being a transsexual. After they have completed their transition into the opposite sex through means of drugs and operations, I view them as being the sex that they wished to achieve.

That being said, I would still not, for example, feel comfortable getting into a relationship with a male to female individual even if the transition is complete. I know I should get past it, but it still would be awkward for me. I've been sort of a surrogate father for a male to female transsexual who felt his family wouldn't accept her for who she knew she was, and I was willing to fill that kind of gap for her, even though we were close in age. I've known more individuals in these kinds of situations and I try to recognize them for who they are on the inside.

 

[geK0]

-

I find the concept kind of confusing to be honest, but I am quite unenlightened on the subject. Years ago the image in my head would have been a blatant man with facial hair, a bad wig, lipstick and a mini skirt... and I would have giggled at the thought. I've read quite a few threads and articles on the topic, and though I am far from knowledgeable, I think I sort of get it, but it still seems a bit odd.
Don't take this as an insult, I'm actually kind of curious about the whole thing : \
what made you decide to do this?

 

[6_Qubed]

When I think of the word "transsexual", I think of Bailey Jay, a transsexual porn star who used to be known on the Internet as "Linetrap."

But, if we're being honest here, this is mainly because I'm listening to her podcast right now so perhaps I'm a bit biased.

edit: Accursed spelling errors, how they vex me.

 

[Svenparty]

The deep shame in my pants...

Urr really all those Thai women I was exposed to that blurred the line that I realized that it really doesn't matter. We have gone into science fiction with some male to female alteration and so I think it's impossible for me to be freaked out by it.


"I'd like to send this one out to Lou and Rachel"

 

[Yokai]

I think of a trans friend of mine, and wince.

Not because I am opposed to transsexualism. Not because I think it's wrong or disgusting. People are free to make their own choices as long as what they do harms no one else. It's because I don't know if people always know what they're getting into.

This friend went through a variety of emotional stress and decided at the age of 14 that she was actually a guy. No one is capable of making life decisions at 14. I didn't even know what job I wanted to go for at that age. Nonetheless, she decided to go through with the operations and the hormone treatment, and four years later, she still looks and sounds female. She gets offended when people she's just met refer to her as female, which is a bit unfair seeing as all outward indications suggest she's just a girl with an affinity for men's jeans and buzzcuts.

My point is this: medical science has not reached the point where we can actually, physically change someone's Y chromosome to an X or vice-versa. The best we can do is give the appearance of the other gender, not the real thing. Essentially, transsexuals make the choice to undergo a faulty, life changing and possibly dangerous operation for a purely cosmetic change that might not even make a noticeable difference. It's totally fine to decide you've been living as the wrong gender, but don't get a sex change until it can be done properly and without a chance of failure, and for the love of god wait more than fourteen years to make the decision.

 

[Antwerp Caveman]

To your first point, you talk of rape and harm. Not all children see it as a negative, I'm not just talking about infants and toddlers, but everything to below the age of consent. Organisations like NAMBLA want that a 11 year old or a 15 year old can also consent to intercourse. We protect them by saying no, because they need more time to be educated and to consider the consequences of those choices.
I say that the same should be said to transgender prospects (hereafter I will refer to them as BDD patients). They should be told NO and learn to see the consequences of their mistake. In my considered opinion (this is not the first time I had this conversation) that is the only responsible solution. I believe in personal responsibility and making your own choices in life. But society should step in at some point (like with pedophilia).

In many ways you're right about society protecting children from their own irreversible life-changing decisions. The problem is that unlike having sex, which can be postponed until adulthood without consequences, treatment for transgendered people is much more effective it is delivered before or as they just start puberty.

But letting them go on with it is still going too far.

But electing to build a fake penis or fake breasts are as bad as cutting your own leg off because you think it does not belong there.

No. Think of it like reconstructive surgery for someone who was born with a birth defect, or suffered an accident, or survived cancer, etc.

A post-masectomy breast cancer survivor enhancing her quality of life with "fake breasts" is not analogous to elective amputation. You have to think of these prosthetics as medical treatment, not cosmetic surgery. [/quote]

but they weren't born defective. They have perfectly normal bodies and have just convinced themselves that they need to be another gender, it's all between the ears.

In my opinion these procedures should be stopped immediately and the afflicted patients should continue their therapy to live with themselves in another way. Cruel, from their perspective, probably. But I believe this to be right.

Who is supposed to benefit from stopping these treatments?

Are you imagining that years down the road the people with BDD would thank you? Do you really think they would all say "Thank you for forcing me to live this way and preventing me from treatment, I finally see the wisdom of your way!" [/quote]
Yes, I do. Your question is applicable to all forms of psychiatric treatment. And the entire reason the field exists is to do just that.
Right now the goal of this treatment is just to make sure and then just to let them go ahead.

I'm affraid you might take me far less serious for saying this last bit, but South Park had an episode on this once that I strongly agree with (about 90%).

South park is funny, but if you agree with 90% of that episode then you don't know much about real-life TS people. I suggest to read the story of Lynn Conway:

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/LynnsStory.html

She has been very successful in her work on computer chip architecture, her contributions from the 1960s through the 1990s continue to impact the design of modern processors. Why would you deny this person the treatment that has allowed her to flourish in terms of happiness and success?[/quote]

I'm sure that someone who has undergone the treatment can function well in society.
Chaz Bono (born woman) is now an advocate of the transgender cause. But he could have used his skill as an advocate for another cause as well, without mutilating his body.

 

[Antwerp Caveman]

To your first point, you talk of rape and harm. Not all children see it as a negative, I'm not just talking about infants and toddlers, but everything to below the age of consent. Organisations like NAMBLA want that a 11 year old or a 15 year old can also consent to intercourse. We protect them by saying no, because they need more time to be educated and to consider the consequences of those choices.
I say that the same should be said to transgender prospects (hereafter I will refer to them as BDD patients). They should be told NO and learn to see the consequences of their mistake. In my considered opinion (this is not the first time I had this conversation) that is the only responsible solution. I believe in personal responsibility and making your own choices in life. But society should step in at some point (like with pedophilia).

In many ways you're right about society protecting children from their own irreversible life-changing decisions. The problem is that unlike having sex, which can be postponed until adulthood without consequences, treatment for transgendered people is much more effective it is delivered before or as they just start puberty.

But letting them go on with it is still going too far.

But electing to build a fake penis or fake breasts are as bad as cutting your own leg off because you think it does not belong there.

No. Think of it like reconstructive surgery for someone who was born with a birth defect, or suffered an accident, or survived cancer, etc.

A post-masectomy breast cancer survivor enhancing her quality of life with "fake breasts" is not analogous to elective amputation. You have to think of these prosthetics as medical treatment, not cosmetic surgery.

but they weren't born defective. They have perfectly normal bodies and have just convinced themselves that they need to be another gender, it's all between the ears.

In my opinion these procedures should be stopped immediately and the afflicted patients should continue their therapy to live with themselves in another way. Cruel, from their perspective, probably. But I believe this to be right.

Who is supposed to benefit from stopping these treatments?

Are you imagining that years down the road the people with BDD would thank you? Do you really think they would all say "Thank you for forcing me to live this way and preventing me from treatment, I finally see the wisdom of your way!"

Yes, I do. Your question is applicable to all forms of psychiatric treatment. And the entire reason the field exists is to do just that.
Right now the goal of this treatment is just to make sure and then just to let them go ahead.

I'm affraid you might take me far less serious for saying this last bit, but South Park had an episode on this once that I strongly agree with (about 90%).

South park is funny, but if you agree with 90% of that episode then you don't know much about real-life TS people. I suggest to read the story of Lynn Conway:

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/LynnsStory.html

She has been very successful in her work on computer chip architecture, her contributions from the 1960s through the 1990s continue to impact the design of modern processors. Why would you deny this person the treatment that has allowed her to flourish in terms of happiness and success?

I'm sure that someone who has undergone the treatment can function well in society.
Chaz Bono (born woman) is now an advocate of the transgender cause. But he could have used his skill as an advocate for another cause as well, without mutilating his body.