Being transgender is hard

[Toke]

Have they tried that blindly? Eg, give a researcher an anonymous brain scan and then ask them to assign a gender to the brain.

Good thing you point this out, I could not imagine researchers thinking of doing any kind of cross-checking.

 

[Alt+F4]

Have they tried that blindly? Eg, give a researcher an anonymous brain scan and then ask them to assign a gender to the brain.

In one experiment:

Researchers, using brain imaging technology that captures blood flow to "working" parts of the brain, analyzed how men and women process language. All subjects listened to a novel. When males listened, only the left hemisphere of their brains was activated. The brains of female subjects, however, showed activity on both the left and right hemispheres.

 

[JWideman]

Basically, I know nothing about transgender, except that it's about people feeling/thinking/knowing that they really are/should be another gender.

How should the above quoted be understood?

Puberty is hard enough when you don't have problems with your gender. For a trans teen, it's body horror.

 

[Dessi]

Ack! A link to TVTropes whiles I'm a work. Next few hours of productively totally flushed down the drain

 

[Merko]

In one experiment:

Interesting, but no mention of blindness. Does anyone have access to the full article?

 

[Alt+F4]

...but its helpful to know that the latest transgender brain studies indicate that tg people have brain structures which closely resemble their target gender.

If a FtM trans person was born incorrectly in a male body then their brain will be male as well. It doesn't make any sense that every part of their physical body is male....except their brain.

And as I mentioned, all the trans people in the studies you cited had been treated, some with hormones, some with psychotherpy and we have no idea how those therapies might effect brain structure.

So we are back to what PhantomWolf said about it's not about believing you are a woman (for MtF trans folks), it's about knowing you are a woman. How does someone, especially a child, know that?

 

[JWideman]

So we are back to what PhantomWolf said about it's not about believing you are a woman (for MtF trans folks), it's about knowing you are a woman. How does someone, especially a child, know that?

How did you, as a child, know what your gender was?

 

[Alt+F4]

Try and imagine what it would be like if you were magically transformed into a pengiun. Now all the other pengiuns would treat you as one of them, but inside you would know that you weren't a penguin, that instead of being a penguin you were a human.

If I were magically transformed into a pengiun I would know inside that I was a human because I had experienced what being a human is. What I don't understand (and I'm not trying to be snarky or facetious) is how a MtF trans person can know they are a woman when they have never been one? What does being a woman even mean? I'm a woman and I don't know.

 

[JWideman]

Ack! A link to TVTropes whiles I'm a work. Next few hours of productively totally flushed down the drain

What productivity? You're posting on an online forum while you pretend to be productive.

 

[Toke]

If a FtM trans person was born incorrectly in a male body then their brain will be male as well. It doesn't make any sense that every part of their physical body is male....except their brain.

And as I mentioned, all the trans people in the studies you cited had been treated, some with hormones, some with psychotherpy and we have no idea how those therapies might effect brain structure.

So we are back to what PhantomWolf said about it's not about believing you are a woman (for MtF trans folks), it's about knowing you are a woman. How does someone, especially a child, know that?

My bolding.
Why not?
Hormone variation during foetus development can change length relations between fingers, so why not changes in the brain structure?
If you are willing to claim hormone/psychotherapy induced changes in brain structure in adults why not in a foetus?

 

[Alt+F4]

How did you, as a child, know what your gender was?

To be honest, as a child I never thought about it. My sex was female but my activities, dress and interests were definitely what society would describe as male.

 

[Alt+F4]

Hormone variation during foetus development can change length relations between fingers, so why not changes in the brain structure?

Ok, good point but I've yet to see it scientifically proven as a cause for transsexualism.

If you are willing to claim hormone/psychotherapy induced changes in brain structure in adults why not in a foetus?

Well I'm not claiming they did, I'm claiming they might, something these studies didn't seem to address.

 

[truethat]

It is a disorder if it severely afflicts the person. For example if it leads to depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. I agree there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the opposite gender, as long as it does not hurt you. But if it does.. then I'm afraid it is a disorder, and the only theoretically possible way to help that person is to make the person accept their own body as it is, with or without any adjustments within the realm of the possible.

Why?

See I'm just seeing loads of ignorance and judgement about this topic. It isn't the only way, in fact many very happy people have transitioned and had surgery. So why do you think it is the only possible way when it's been proven that it is NOT the only possible way. Makes no sense whatsoever.

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you but most people post op do love their bodies for how they look. It's not a lifetime of self loathing. It's not being able to just be a guy or a girl because outwardly you don't look that way so people attack you for wanting to dress the opposite.

There's a lot of arguments from incredulity in this thread. Also known as arguments from ignorance. Tons of research has been done on this issue by many professionals all over the world. an not just looking up a word in the dictionary and taking it as the most basic concept possible.

Therapists, science and research do not support many of the dumb statements being made here. I do think there is a difference between asking questions about something with which you are obviously unfamiliar and making stupid declarative statements based on how you personally feel about something you don't understand.






.

 

[truethat]

 

[truethat]

If a FtM trans person was born incorrectly in a male body then their brain will be male as well. It doesn't make any sense that every part of their physical body is male....except their brain.

And as I mentioned, all the trans people in the studies you cited had been treated, some with hormones, some with psychotherpy and we have no idea how those therapies might effect brain structure.

So we are back to what PhantomWolf said about it's not about believing you are a woman (for MtF trans folks), it's about knowing you are a woman. How does someone, especially a child, know that?

This is an argument from incredulity. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't true. Tisk tisk tisk.

 

[Alt+F4]

This is an argument from incredulity. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't true. Tisk tisk tisk.

You're quite the bore with your constant "you don't understand it!" crap. People understand things differently than you do. You are not the trans awareness thought police. You should either deal with people politely or start you're own thread: You're wrong if you don't agree with me.

 

[Merko]

Why?

See I'm just seeing loads of ignorance and judgement about this topic. It isn't the only way, in fact many very happy people have transitioned and had surgery. So why do you think it is the only possible way when it's been proven that it is NOT the only possible way. Makes no sense whatsoever.

Then please describe this 'other way' instead of just writing 'OMG you're wrong!!!' posts without any explanation of what, in your opinion, is wrong.

If you know so much, why don't you show it?

 

[Merko]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you but most people post op do love their bodies for how they look.

Why do you believe this? Do you have any data or is this just something you 'know'?

I'm not interested in what you think that you 'know' without reasons.

 

[truethat]

I would also like to say to the people who keep calling various posters bigots: please stop it. This is new to a lot of people, counterintuitive to a lot more, and it's not their fault. A stupid question does not make you a hateful bigot. If some backwards white guy in 1875 asked if a black person could really feel and do anything a white person could, it would have been a lot more productive to answer his question than to call him a bigot. The word does not imply mere ignorance.

Sorry a bigot is defined as

big·ot noun \ˈbi-gət\



Definition of BIGOT

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance


Many of the people in this thread do not understand what being transgendered is all about. Because they are so attached to their penises it seems to them that there must be something seriously wrong with someone who doesn't want to have one. So their arguments have been based on their own bias and ignorance. Asking questions is not what is happening on this thread.


There are plenty of Transgendered people online with videos on Youtube explaining the issue and I bet you have in your life met people who were transgendered and didn't even know about it. So people need to get over their bias and ignorance and come into the 21rst Century already.

Gender Identity is very very complicated and so is sexuality. For people who can't move past 1+1 is 2 it's time to educate yourselves.

 

[Stereolab]

Within four posts, truethat first criticizes actually getting one's definitions from a dictionary, and then goes and does the same thing herself. Awesome!