Gender Identity

[Kwing]

I'm not sure I understand the idea behind being trans-gender. The most immediate reason that comes to mind is that gender doesn't really control who we are. Being feminine does not make me female, nor does it make me gay. In contrast, being masculine doesn't make me male either - being male is a physical characteristic of my body, not a definition of my identity. I identify as male because I've had this body my entire life, but I don't have any other reason to identify myself that way.

People of both genders do things that are labeled more masculine or feminine, but those labels only exist because they are relevant to certain stereotypes. As a general rule, men have more testosterone, women have more oxytocin, and it does affect our behavior, but that doesn't mean that we have to fit into a 'model' personality in order to 'fit in' to a gender. What confuses me is why someone feels as if they are one gender or another, or why people try to conform to a stereotype about gender, whether it's to assert that they are the gender that they were born as or to assert that they have transitioned.

Why do trans people care enough to assert that they have an identity in the first place? I don't care if you're wearing a dress or pants - you were a useless gelatinous blob of water and carbon last year, and you're a useless gelatinous blob of water and carbon now.

[Sensationalism]

I really don't either. body dysmorphia?

[Thor]

I've always thought the whole trans thing was pretty dumb tbh.

Like being gay is fine with me, but I just feel like wishing to be of the opposite gender [or none at all] is a little crazy

But I don't know what it's like so I can't really judge, I guess

[Chdonga]

They're so desperate to be unique that they will find whatever they can to set themselves apart from the norm, no matter how arbitrary it is.

[MrObamius]

At 3/24/14 09:42 PM, Thor wrote: I've always thought the whole trans thing was pretty dumb tbh.

Like being gay is fine with me, but I just feel like wishing to be of the opposite gender [or none at all] is a little crazy

But I don't know what it's like so I can't really judge, I guess

Because it's a mental illness

[SneakyGameBoy]

At 3/24/14 09:45 PM, Chdonga wrote: They're so desperate to be unique that they will find whatever they can to set themselves apart from the norm, no matter how arbitrary it is.

Like hipsters.

[Thor]

At 3/24/14 09:45 PM, Chdonga wrote: They're so desperate to be unique that they will find whatever they can to set themselves apart from the norm, no matter how arbitrary it is.

I think that's it... Ugh... Whenever I think of transgenderism and associated bull I'm reminded of the sjw side of tumblr....

[NekoMika]

At 3/24/14 09:45 PM, Chdonga wrote: They're so desperate to be unique that they will find whatever they can to set themselves apart from the norm, no matter how arbitrary it is.

It's so much that I'm trying to be "unique" as it is, having the body match my mind. Just because I'm trans, doesn't make me special or unique.

[Natick]

holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

[NekoMika]

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, SCTE3 wrote: It's so much that I'm trying to be "unique" as it is, having the body match my mind. Just because I'm trans, doesn't make me special or unique.

It's not so much that*

geez small grammar errors can be a pain

[Thor]

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, Natick wrote: holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

Oh no, it's Natick. Fun's over guys, let's all go home

[tox]

Gender indentity is a self made image of what you really are
much the same that you always knew you were gay or bi or straight.... you just knew...

maybe you clicked onto the idea that other kids were not looking at the same things as you were in 5th grade or you found out that what you thought was normal to you has been labled by society as being that of a gay person or a bi person because others think differently

sexuality is different then born sex, which is then again different then gender sex

i can be a: straight, male, female, making me a female, in a males body, whos interisted in boys
i can be a: pansexual female, male, making me a male, in a females body, who is interisted in the mind
i can be a: bi, female, unlabled, making me a female that does not conform to societys roles, and interisted in anything sexy
i can be demisexual, asexual, unlabled, meaning i conform to nothing and i can put anything on my drivers liscence

gender identy is what you make of it, how you feel about what you are roaming around your house or sity block with, and how you feel inside of you...

many people simply lable them selves as a bi, male... or a straight female...
but if you feel that you are female, and you look down and see carefully maintained body with a dick downstairs that you have to touch every time you want to go to the washroom and the very idea of it disgusts you...
im pretty sure that you would identify as a:
straight, female, male...

[koopahermit]

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, Natick wrote: holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

This is the only post in this thread that I didn't lose brain cells from reading.

[Voltage]

I really wanted to chronicle a nice post here, but any time something controversial pops up on NG you're better off shutting your mouth and never addressing points. So basically, be who you want to be. You want to be a guy, girl, both, whatever. Just go and be happy, and try not to hate on others for their choices (of course them being honest should always be exemplified as a courageous thing, and you mine as well appreciate their ability to be open-minded about their decisions)

Now stop posting stupid replies and make some observations, people

[SolXeroEraser]

At 3/24/14 10:01 PM, tox wrote:

but if you feel that you are female, and you look down and see carefully maintained body with a dick downstairs that you have to touch every time you want to go to the washroom and the very idea of it disgusts you...
im pretty sure that you would identify as a:
straight, female, male...

Ha! Which one are you?

[Profanity]

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, Natick wrote: holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

The human brain runs on 20 watts per day. So, no. Not even close, or clever. Think more before you type.

[tox]

At 3/24/14 10:14 PM, SolXeroEraser wrote: Ha! Which one are you?

I'm a pansexual, male, male

[Entice]

At 3/24/14 09:39 PM, Kwing wrote: I'm not sure I understand the idea behind being trans-gender. The most immediate reason that comes to mind is that gender doesn't really control who we are.

Are you kidding? Males and females are raised differently and expected to behave in a certain way. I do acknowledge that there's differences between males and females, but the non-physical ones aren't universal. The differences in the ways that they're raised and expected to behave have little to nothing to do with actual differences between males and females; it's all arbitrary cultural nonsense. Sure, we technically have the freedom to not conform to this in the US. Try doing it in a conservative area though, and then try to get a decent job there, the list goes on. Laws on discrimination vary by state. You can hide being gay, but you can't hide wearing a dress.

The mere ability or potential to do something has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not your life is being controlled. Every decision that you make has repercussions for you Sure it's possible to not allow "what" you are to define you, but it's definitely harder for some groups of people. Hard enough that a significant number of people will never accomplish it.

So with that in mind...

This is just my personal theory so bear with me, so far as I know it's not exactly in line with science or what anyone in the trans community believes so far as I know. I think some people just have an inherent preference for things that society designates as only for the opposite gender. Since everything they've ever been taught says that woman do x and man do y, they develop a belief that the only way for them to be themselves is to change gender. And isn't that true in a way?

I don't think that applies to everyone though. I think it's a complicated issue and there's definitely more than one reason why a woman might want to become a man or why a man might want to become a woman. I just like to put it that way because it emphasizes the societal aspect which I believe is the root of the concept itself.

[Voltage]

At 3/24/14 10:24 PM, CrystalStorm wrote: We live in a society where you can do pretty much anything you please. Transgenders don't like themselves, and try to compensate with a outer appearance. They take for granted and don't appreciate the body's they were given. Come to think of it, make gays look bad with their shenanigans.

Now don't get me wrong, I think a little CD is cute once in a while, but the whole surgery thing is truly a selfish and foolish act.

That's more or less a person's decision on what they do to their body, and I don't think saying that "the whole surgery thing is truly a selfish and foolish act" - because imagine if you were biologically trapped as BOTH genders. THEN what?

[WiiFittoToreinaa]

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, SCTE3 wrote:

At 3/24/14 09:45 PM, Chdonga wrote: They're so desperate to be unique that they will find whatever they can to set themselves apart from the norm, no matter how arbitrary it is.

It's so much that I'm trying to be "unique" as it is, having the body match my mind. Just because I'm trans, doesn't make me special or unique.

This, and maybe its society telling you its not okay for a man to wear a dress and they go to the extremes of of surgery/harmonal switch to give society the middle finger.

[Shauna]

I can understand what it must be like to feel you don't fit into your own body. Do I approve of total transgender transformation? No. Do I approve of acting more like the girl or boy they want to be by acting and dressing so? Absolutely.

A lot of transgender surgeries go just plain wrong. Hormone treatments too. And if you decide say in...5 years that it was the wrong decision, you just cannot afford to go back. It's very pricey, leaving you financially unstable and without a choice after.

Dress up. Act the way you need to, to feel 'safe'. I just don't approve of TOTAL transformation.

[Natick]

At 3/24/14 10:27 PM, Profanity wrote:

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, Natick wrote: holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

The human brain runs on 20 watts per day. So, no. Not even close, or clever. Think more before you type.

it was an exaggeration not meant to be taken as seriously as you just did

[koopahermit]

At 3/24/14 10:39 PM, Shauna wrote: A lot of transgender surgeries go just plain wrong. Hormone treatments too. And if you decide say in...5 years that it was the wrong decision, you just cannot afford to go back. It's very pricey, leaving you financially unstable and without a choice after.

It's free in the U.K. You only have to pay for the hormone pills.

[Voltage]

At 3/24/14 10:41 PM, Natick wrote:

At 3/24/14 10:27 PM, Profanity wrote:

At 3/24/14 09:52 PM, Natick wrote: holy cow, if stupidity could be converted into energy, you could run an entire town on this thread for about a week

The human brain runs on 20 watts per day. So, no. Not even close, or clever. Think more before you type.

it was an exaggeration not meant to be taken as seriously as you just did

Seers of mind are not allowed to make exaggerations unless it is met with stark sarcasm, Terezi Pyrope

[WiiFittoToreinaa]

At 3/24/14 10:42 PM, koopahermit wrote: It's free in the U.K. You only have to pay for the hormone pills.

I'm guessing UK is the biggest trans-nation after Thailand?

[Entice]

At 3/24/14 10:39 PM, Shauna wrote: A lot of transgender surgeries go just plain wrong. Hormone treatments too. And if you decide say in...5 years that it was the wrong decision, you just cannot afford to go back. It's very pricey, leaving you financially unstable and without a choice after.

Kind of curious about this reasoning, but I don't disagree with you about the risks.

Why would you not approve of it in the many cases where the person can afford it and never regrets the decision? A lot of choices in life involve risks. If someone wants it and goes about it in a responsible manner there's not really an issue. They obviously think it's worth the risk to them and if anything goes wrong it's on them so how could it be an issue.

[Shauna]

At 3/24/14 10:42 PM, koopahermit wrote:

At 3/24/14 10:39 PM, Shauna wrote: A lot of transgender surgeries go just plain wrong. Hormone treatments too. And if you decide say in...5 years that it was the wrong decision, you just cannot afford to go back. It's very pricey, leaving you financially unstable and without a choice after.

It's free in the U.K. You only have to pay for the hormone pills.

Well that's there. That isn't so for anyone in the US. I know people after a decade who are still paying for such surgery that they are now greatly regretting. They ONCE were in identity crisis, but no longer feel they are better off as the other gender. So not only are they thousands upon dollars in debt, they can never go back either.

[DeIirium]

as far as i know it isn't possible to change your sex entirely anyway. you can make yourself seem more like a member of the opposite sex through hormones and surgery, but you won't actually become one. where does the line go between which sex you are?

[Voltage]

At 3/24/14 10:46 PM, CrystalStorm wrote:
I'm willing to bet that someone that didn't like said person told them to get a sex change. As in, they were manipulated and it wasn't even their idea. I wouldn't doubt that's most cases with transgenders.

And yes, it's their decision, but that doesn't justify anything. I really don't care to be honest, but I can't really wrap my head around it, and it's just plain selfishness.

You know, it might sound crazy but people will go to the extremes to please people occasionally - whether you consider them crazy or dedicated is really up to you I suppose. I mean, it's nutty but you would be surprised what extremes people will go to;

If you can't wrap your head around those basic issues (like being born as two genders and it being GLOBALLY forced to basically "be" a gender and not just yourself [since it becomes a health problem to exist as dual genders]) you will force your own self to create dogma out of a civil matter - in other words it may seem like selfishness, but it's also misunderstanding in that people are seriously born with pure confusion because "being" a gender is not generally a question we are thrown early or even later in life

Scary part, you can be a true hermaphrodite at 1 or 18 or even 30, and never know - but always have the feeling to be one gender over the other which may prove transsexuals do have merit to feeling like they 'don't belong' as a certain gender

[Sensationalism]

I'd pick a diff too.