I reject the notion that either transsexualism (TS) or transgender (TG including CDs) are disorders. I believe they are rather common variants in early human development. They indicate to me that the person began life as a set of boy-girl twins who merged together to form a viable embryo.
This is commonly known as a chimera. Chimeras were thought to be extremely rare, but advances in the understanding of embryology have revealed that most likely one out of every eight pregnancies begin as twins and end up as a single embryo. Many of these twin sets are boy-girl pairs and their merging is highly correlated with the proclivity towards gender variant behavior.
The reason is because the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis is hybridized -- both male and female. Remember the studies conducted that revealed the number of neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc) of male-to-female TS was similar to that of the females? The Stria Terminalis is a component of the HPG axis and hybridization is likely the reason why it presents with female neuron numbers in transsexual women. If the Stria Terminalis in these subjects were tested using the right methods, the tests would likely reveal these regions were actually of comprised different genetic material than the hosts.
I believe TS & TG folk share in common this biological variant in human development (i.e. a proclivity towards cross gender expression). We are *all trans women* and the differences we see in development (i.e. older vs younger transitioners) has more to do with whether the individual in question was born straight or born gay....
One who is born straight holds tight to her gender role ...and represses the feminine within herself because she wants to succeed as a woman-loving male. The feminine may become exotic to her and later, erotic. Finally after years, she transitions or comes to peace with being bi-gendered.
One who is born gay will not hold onto her gender role as tightly because she doesn't have the drive to succeed as a woman loving male. So she naturally embraces the feminine inside her at an early age and it becomes part of her identity instead of an "exotic thing" that must be kept at bay. And so the realization that she wants to transition comes much much earlier.
Always a bit wary with gay/straight distinctions. Just because they're characteristics that are visible and socially distinct, doesn't mean that they correlate in the best possible way to early bias. Personally I like to distinguish between endogenous and exogenous attraction as slightly more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteEqually I've got a problem with the idea that cross gender expression is more than a politically useful umbrella notion. Whilst I tend to regard a psychological approach to trans understanding as the most appropriate, I'd see the TS / TG spectrum as related to placement of self within gender specific communication systems rather than abstract self expression. Frankly, I do believe that the further one can get away from trans narrative structures of self identification, the better.
The chimera idea is really interesting though. Any idea if there are,say, any animal studies on chimeric embryonic development and whether it's a significant variable in any other observable gender dimorphic behaviour ?
I think that you’re right on the money with the transitioning early vs. late being a result of being born gay vs. straight. For example, I’m straight and didn’t let people know about my crossdressing until I was 39 years old. I kept it hidden from family, wives, girlfriends, friends all of my life. Why? For the sole reason that I truly believed that no woman would ever date a guy who wears dresses. It wasn’t until I turned 39, broke up with a disaster of a girlfriend, and decided to take a year off from dating that I started to get serious about my crossdressing. I believe that once I resigned myself to not chasing women, then I no longer felt that strong need to succeed as a woman-loving man, and I was free to crossdress. Everything that you say makes total sense, but that part really hit home for me. Great blog, as always. Hugs, Jennifer
ReplyDeleteChristi. I think that you are a sweetheart and also a VERY smart cookie. However, I fear that you may bet getting just a bit caught up in this neo-scientific, psuedo-psycho/social genderbabble. Your thoughts on the stria terminalis (BSTc) are RIGHT ON TARGET. However, this: "...TS / TG spectrum as related to placement of self within gender specific communication systems rather than abstract self expression", is pure self-serving sophist poppycock.
ReplyDeleteYour comments on Calie's Chronicles being a good case on point.
Best Wishes,
Anne
Thank you Anne for the compliments :)
ReplyDeleteHowever, this comment you cited:
...TS / TG spectrum as related to placement of self within gender specific communication systems rather than abstract self expression
This wasn't my comment, it was Sophie's.
But thank you again for the compliments I really appreciate it.
xoxo
True-TSism is a correctable disorder. I should know, I have this disorder, and don't be so arrogant as to say I don't have one if you don't have it. As for TGism, that is mostly choice, recreation, and loophole behavior. TSism is a medical condition, TGism is mostly an invalid form of perversion, moral sickness, and choice. TSs transition to cure their disease and prevent suicide, while no TG being blocked from TG expression has ever committed suicide over that - though they have killed themselves after wrongly being allowed surgery.
ReplyDeleteOnly true-TSs have the birth defect that causes a difference in the BSTc. Not a single TG nor other type of homosexual has it. Males with the choice of TGism become TGs either because they are self-hating gay men, or self-hating fetisher men. All TGism is due to fetish, gayness, sexual behavior, recreation, self-hate, and choices. All TSism is an inborn birth defect that EVERY true-TS wants corrected. If you don't want it corrected, you are merely a man called a TG, not a TS woman. TGs need to own up to being self-hating, gender-variant men. I would respect them more if they were honest and said they were men who CHOOSE to cross-dress and that they are not TSs nor women. As long as TSs are falsely lumped with TGs, TSs will keep losing rights, just like TGs want. Just like most men enjoy raping women, TGs with their male natures love raping the female natures of TS women.
ReplyDeleteDespite the lies, TSs are a part of the mainstream dichotomy, not the perversion and variance spectrum of the TGs. TSs have no spectrum. They are either men nor women. Those who don't fit that dichotomy are a type of gender variant man known as a transgender. The harder the TGs try to say that TSs are a subset of them rather than of mainstream non-TSs (cisgendered), the harder true-TSs will do whatever it takes to destroy the TG community. If you love the TG community, make sure you exclude TSs and include them with the "haters." That is the goal of TS transition to be regarded the SAME as inborn cisgendered members.
ReplyDeleteSRS proves that TSism is a disorder. You don't take medicine or get surgery unless you are sick. Then once you treat the sickness, you are no longer sick, but the same as if you never had it.
ReplyDeleteTG, on the other hand, is a lifestyle. People deliberately choose to become TG. They choose to dress as what they are not for attention, better sex, or whatever other trivial, unnecessary, perverted, or invalid reasons.
Christi. I am forced to agree with the majotity of what purple girl says, if NOT the querelous, moralistic tone. What you expressed on Calie's Blog is sadly pretty typical. Most of us spent years in denial, "fighting" to be someone, that in all honesty, we simply WERE NOT.
ReplyDeleteIt is a difficult call. You need too find a GOOD therapist....NOT a gender therapist. Talk with your MD first.
Then..drop me an email.
Anne,
ReplyDeleteIt is well known that Purple is an HBS zealot and I'm not sure how I came to her attention, but I don't take stock in a single thing she says and neither should you IMHO
Your tone towards me seems defensive if not outright hateful and all that tells me that I've hit a nerve and that there is truth to things I've said.
huh?
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with your assertion and I have said the same on my own blog. Never mind what HBS transsexuals say. Plus in the end when a person transitions is far less important than if they do or don't. Transitioning early or late does not make you more or less of a transsexual and if anyone tells you different then they are deluding themselves. Nice post!
ReplyDeletepurplespeaks is a very sick puppy but i've seen more like her in other sites...
ReplyDelete