I'm not totally sure all people who have issues with trans are afraid of those people. I am uncomfortable with them, and it is in large part because I wonder what got to them that made them choose to change gender. I am the survivor of a lot of childhood sexual abuse and I know that as a child I wanted to be a boy because my parents kept…
I'm not totally sure all people who have issues with trans are afraid of those people. I am uncomfortable with them, and it is in large part because I wonder what got to them that made them choose to change gender. I am the survivor of a lot of childhood sexual abuse and I know that as a child I wanted to be a boy because my parents kept telling me I should have been born a boy (I'm the oldest, and in a "perfect" family the oldest child is a boy). I never got to where I acted on that, and also spent years in therapy to find out what was wrong with me and to fix what was wrong. Not all people realize that there are things they can do to overcome things like gender dysphoria - I really don't think most of that is biological. That is my personal opinion based on my life experience.
Thank you for honest Shari g, but you have stated for yourself why it is you don't understand "what got to them that made them chose to change gender." As you also said honestly, you are deciding your position on your "personal opinion and life experience." Your experience is yours. It sounds like it was difficult and you have worked hard to overcome trauma. However, what you have described is not at all the same experience as that of others, especially those who decide also to be honest about who they are. Your experience is not al all yours. So, while they make you uncomfortable, maybe you should meet a few trans folks. Talk with them. Find out what their stories are! And how their stories are not yours. And they deserve to be respected and honored, same as you.
I believe I do respect trans people. I believe that they should have the same rights as everyone else. I'm not sure where I would encounter any trans people, because I don't get out much. I'm sure that I would interact pleasantly with anyone I met.
I appreciate your honesty. And that you would respect the rights of LGBTQ citizens.
You mentioned being uncomfortable and wondering about trans people. Maybe look for a PFLAG group near you. (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) who also support trans folks also. PFLAG has information about transsexual folks. Or, just do some reading on line. Maybe search for stories in Story Corps. Or look for supportive websites. Listen to why it is someone who be honest about their gender, when there is so much disinformation about them.
I'm not sure I'm up for putting in a lot of effort to get to know/know about trans people right now. Our lives have been turned upside down in the last few days and it won't calm down any time soon. But I will save your suggestions for when I have time and energy.
Look into intersex people. (If you simply search “intersex” on YouTube, you’ll turn up documentaries and interviews explaining it.) And the thing about being intersex is that most people who are intersex will never even find out during their lifetime, because in many cases it can only be detected with specific medical tests that aren’t routinely done on people. But being intersex is surprisingly common in humans, it’s just been hidden by doctors and parents.
I've never heard about intersex before, but I'm not really surprised that it is common in humans. The people I'm uncomfortable with are ones who have obviously changed from one gender to the other. It's especially clear with people who have a deep voice that doesn't go with everything else I've seen about them.
They don't "change," they always were but because of the doctor's assignment at birth and societies gendered role-playing, they were raised according to the doctor's perception of them, not according to their actual sex which is encoded in the brain, during gestation. This inate sense of being never goes away. Some people then decide to be their trueselves and seek medical assistance. The person who got it wrong was the Dr. who did the delivery, they use to think sex was between the legs, now science has proven it isn't.
I'm not totally sure all people who have issues with trans are afraid of those people. I am uncomfortable with them, and it is in large part because I wonder what got to them that made them choose to change gender. I am the survivor of a lot of childhood sexual abuse and I know that as a child I wanted to be a boy because my parents kept telling me I should have been born a boy (I'm the oldest, and in a "perfect" family the oldest child is a boy). I never got to where I acted on that, and also spent years in therapy to find out what was wrong with me and to fix what was wrong. Not all people realize that there are things they can do to overcome things like gender dysphoria - I really don't think most of that is biological. That is my personal opinion based on my life experience.
Thank you for honest Shari g, but you have stated for yourself why it is you don't understand "what got to them that made them chose to change gender." As you also said honestly, you are deciding your position on your "personal opinion and life experience." Your experience is yours. It sounds like it was difficult and you have worked hard to overcome trauma. However, what you have described is not at all the same experience as that of others, especially those who decide also to be honest about who they are. Your experience is not al all yours. So, while they make you uncomfortable, maybe you should meet a few trans folks. Talk with them. Find out what their stories are! And how their stories are not yours. And they deserve to be respected and honored, same as you.
I believe I do respect trans people. I believe that they should have the same rights as everyone else. I'm not sure where I would encounter any trans people, because I don't get out much. I'm sure that I would interact pleasantly with anyone I met.
At least there’s one woman in the House of Representatives who is safe from the predations of Matt Gaetz!
I appreciate your honesty. And that you would respect the rights of LGBTQ citizens.
You mentioned being uncomfortable and wondering about trans people. Maybe look for a PFLAG group near you. (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) who also support trans folks also. PFLAG has information about transsexual folks. Or, just do some reading on line. Maybe search for stories in Story Corps. Or look for supportive websites. Listen to why it is someone who be honest about their gender, when there is so much disinformation about them.
I'm not sure I'm up for putting in a lot of effort to get to know/know about trans people right now. Our lives have been turned upside down in the last few days and it won't calm down any time soon. But I will save your suggestions for when I have time and energy.
Can't make typo corrections. "...sharing.." "Your experience is not at all theirs."
Look into intersex people. (If you simply search “intersex” on YouTube, you’ll turn up documentaries and interviews explaining it.) And the thing about being intersex is that most people who are intersex will never even find out during their lifetime, because in many cases it can only be detected with specific medical tests that aren’t routinely done on people. But being intersex is surprisingly common in humans, it’s just been hidden by doctors and parents.
I've never heard about intersex before, but I'm not really surprised that it is common in humans. The people I'm uncomfortable with are ones who have obviously changed from one gender to the other. It's especially clear with people who have a deep voice that doesn't go with everything else I've seen about them.
They don't "change," they always were but because of the doctor's assignment at birth and societies gendered role-playing, they were raised according to the doctor's perception of them, not according to their actual sex which is encoded in the brain, during gestation. This inate sense of being never goes away. Some people then decide to be their trueselves and seek medical assistance. The person who got it wrong was the Dr. who did the delivery, they use to think sex was between the legs, now science has proven it isn't.
Thank you for the education, Joe. This is new information for me.