|
humorist-workshop
Aren't trans people just putting themselves in a box...
by saying there's such thing as "male" or "female" behavior? You "feel" like a boy because a company, trying to make a profit, designated toys as "for boys" or "for girls"? I don't understand what's wrong with interpreting sex as gender.
And no, I'm totally against abuse against LGBT people, and also find the suicides heartbreaking, but when I see Laverne Cox, I see a man, not a woman, and I think it's ridiculous to say it's "an act of violence" for me to have that belief, supported by science.
One can get a boob job, but that doesn't make them any more of a woman, just like getting a mastectomy doesn't make one less of a woman. One can get prosthetic privates, but their DNA still reveals their true gender/sex. Sexuality is different. As of now, and possibly forever, there's no evidence of a "homosexual" or "bisexual" gene. But sex/gender is identifiable.
Trans issues have really been public this year, in 2014, and I support people's happiness, but these contradictions have just been plaguing my mind...
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Sexual Health and Reproduction category?
Maybe give some free advice about: General Sex Questions?
Alright. Since you brought up DNA, let me break this down for you.
Doctors define your sex at birth by looking at your genitals. That's it. There's no chromosome test. You have no idea what your DNA is based on what the doctor says at birth. Genitals can be altered surgically. There are also people with ambiguous genetalia. It happens, and usually are operated on without their consent, even if the ambiguity wouldn't hinder their development.
Another aspect to biological sex is the gonads, which are the internal reproductive organs. You can have either set regardless of genetalia-I remember reading a story about someone with both sets-and sometimes this causes hormonal issues. W
Hormones don't get produced until puberty, which means those problems don't come up until then, but imbalances in sex hormones happen pretty often. Hence, men with gynecomastia, and women with beards.
And finally, back to DNA. Even though there is no way of knowing what chromosomes you or anyone else has without a test, which you are probably not able to give, you seem to believe that you can define someone's gender with that made-up information. However chromosomes in humans can be XX, XY, XXY, XXX, XXXY, XXXX, or even come in combinations, ie part XX and part XY, or any of the chomosome groupings above. The stats, while somewhat vague, put chomosomal combinations outside of your narrow perspective anywhere between 1 in 1000-1 in 2000. Basically, everyone with red hair, or if you prefer, the population of Australia.
So, pop quiz: If a person has a combination of XX and XY chromosomes, a vagina, and a pair of testes, which will produce testosterone, is that person, by your logic, a woman or a man? Or is it possible that when you claim "trans ppl arnt real bc SCIENCE 11!!!! !11" you're not just spouting bullshit? If you're going to use science to support your argument, at least do it right and do your research.
While we're on the topic of science, studies have found that many transgender people actually have brains whose patterns match those of their identified gender, or at least are markedly different from those of their assigned sex. So, if it makes it easier for you, trans women have female brains in male bodies. Trans men have male brains in female bodies. Nonbinary people have relatively neutral brains in male or female bodies.
]
I think you have to draw a definite line here between genteic sexual IDENTITY (unambiguous, deterministic and non-negotiable) and sexual ORIENTATION (none of the above and merely a 'lifestyle choice'). We will NOT identify a 'gay gene' since genes are the transferrable blue-print, or code for life. The coding is refined over time, mutations or changes if you prefer which are beneficial to a species are retained. Those which are not are evolutionary 'dead ends' and are self-eliminating. Naturally any gene which tended to drive a species towards asexuality or homosexuality could only result in the extinction of that species. Evolution is not conscious or following any sort of 'plan' itself of course. But genes are totally 'selfish' and determined to propagate by making 'copies' of themselves and to adapt to give the species every possible advantage. Look at the work of one Prof. Richard Dawkins, especially 'The Selfish Gene'. He's a bit of an intellectual 'hero' of mine and I'm nicking his stuff shamelessly here! I'm seeing ideas and comments in what you have written that suggest you might be on a similar wavelength and find his work interesting too? It's certainly interesting that one piece of coding we HAVE retained concerns altruism and the knowledge that us humans function best as societies. And thus sexual orientation other than heterosexuality certainly does NOT make the individuals any sort of 'outcasts'. Ok, there are some homophobic gay-hating trolls out there...but mostly we're fine about sexual orientation. In effect we are and always will be born in a gender-box marked either male or female. We did not choose it and cannot actually change it. The transgender box is a man-made product of free will. It has no model or prototype in genetics.
]
Kisakiss19 put it in a long form. I'll try to put it in short form.
When it comes to homosexuality and transgender the only thing we know for sure is no one wakes up one day as says I'm gay or lesbian or I'm transgender. These people are born this way. It is in their DNA. That scientists know, just not why.
Unlike transgender person; Gays and Lesbians are not unhappy with their bodies. They are just attracted to the same sex sexually. A transgender person literally cannot stand their body. Males have been known to try and cut off their penis and women their breasts.
The best science can come up with, at the moment is their is something in the wiring of the brain that makes a transgender person feel as if they are in the wrong body. Now nothing says that even if they find out what this wiring is that they can change anything. I'm not sure we should even if we could.
If someone can change their sex by getting a boob job, a hysterectomy or a prostatic. If this makes them happy, makes them feel more complete as a person who are we to judge them. Why should this bother you? The fact that medical science can even do this for them speaks volumes about why we should not be bothered by it and be happy that these people who have been tormented by whatever happened at conception, now makes them complete and happy.
The real problem with homosexuality and transgender is we as a people not just here but worldwide do not trust what we do not understand. If we tried just a bit to understand that what we don't understand there would be far less hate in this world.
]
It would benefit your understanding if you looked up literary criticisms on gender dichotomy. In a scientific sense, it is noted that a male will have a certain set of genes, and a female would undoubtably have another. However, mentally, the standpoint of what gender is, should be viewed as more of a "concept" , rather than a concrete, set of ideals presented to us from an omnipotent "social norm.". In truth, this movement that you are hearing of is straying from this set of ideals that the misinformed American deems to be "right." It is challenging this view, and creating a movement that shines light on a very important subject. It is important to ask yourself these questions "How did I discover what gender is?" Naturally, you might think that a girl has long hair with bows and wears pink, and play with dolls. However, even the most basic form of gender bending is when one disagrees with that statement, because we know not all little girls are like this. If you think about it, the term "tomboy" for a girl is really just a girl who is androgynous , one who doesn't fit the "typical" girl.
A greater question to ask is-
Why must our idea of gender be limited to these false truths?
Transgender people are doing more than just transcending this "box" that which society puts them in, they are creating questions that one can reflect on, on how our nation views identity, liberated from being "male" or "female".
It doesn't matter whether or not you "see" a man, or a woman. What matters is whether you accept them to be who they are, and to let them be freely. You don't have to completely understand their decisions, but if someone wants to be identified as a "she" , then let them do so with open arms. Wouldn't you want to be treated the same way? We're all only human after all.
People who spit an angry phrase such as "act of violence" towards you because you may not fully understand another individual's decisions, are not helping you or them in any way. The best thing you can do is educate yourself on this matter, which is why you have asked this question on here. Beliefs can be reflected on,and they are easily split open by other truths. The further you broaden your view, the more evidence you have to support your personal belief,regardless. Never narrow your beliefs, for this is where you end up in a box. It is always important to explore all sides and aspects of a subject, rather than to remain ignorant- especially if they are ones that make you ask "Why?"
Also as a side note; (I'm not sure if you know this but) not all Transgender people are homosexual, or bisexual. I know plenty of straight men who dress up in drag from time to time.
To refine some of your conclusions: Sex, is identifiable. Gender has more than one component, it gets complicated. Gender is a blend of one's sex, and one's mentality of that sex verses another, and how these questions ultimately create an individual's identity. It is instilled in one's brain to see these two things as the same, though they are quite different. Let this plague your mind no longer! Hopefully I helped some, or at least left you in a place where you can branch off into your own research, there is quite a lot! Thanks for the question!
-- Kristen
]
More Questions: |