How about a person born with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)? That person would have external female genitalia and XY chromosomes?
And someone who has surgery to change their genitals is what, then? What about someone who is XXY? Or a XY born with Anorchia, which means no testicles? Life is diverse. People are diverse. Billions of different genetic code and you mean to tell me that it's impossible there are some born biologically male that feel they should have been female and visa-versa? As for skin color, where am I hating on anyone? Skin color is a trait determined by melanin. Ancestry by DNA. Not all people of African descent are dark skinned. And not all Caucasians have fair skin, as some are darker than others. Race is more of a society construct, and "black" as a race is based purely on skin color. And people of African heritage with lighter skin passing as "white" has happened throughout American history.
So let me get this thinking. In 99.9999% of births you are born either male or female, scientific fact. But, if you choose to identify as the other sex though, you are granted all the attributes given to the sex you were not born as. Society is supposed to accept unconditionally. Opposite science. But your race is not what you were born as it is a "society construct", and because of that, a white person cannot identify as a black person? Who knew! Now what if you were born as a white male but you choose to be a black female? We only accept part of your choice? This is so confusing. Do you have an outline of all these concepts, so we know how to play along?
Probably roughly the same number that undergo genital surgery to change their external physical gender. Both are extremely small.
There have been people born into "black" families that can and have passed as "white". I linked to such cases in history. What makes them "black" and/or "white"? Skin color. Nothing more. Based on nothing more than observation of skin color, society for generations dictated white as good, and anything else was less. Race is nothing more than a societal construct based on people's observation. Gender, note not biological sex, is similar. What makes someone a woman and someone else a man? Since we go around fully clothed, it's not always possible to identify based on sight alone, is it? Biological sex isn't always black and white, male and female either. There are 11 known animals that can change gender including banana slugs and certain frogs. Humans cannot naturally, but we are also the most complex species on the planet. To say a male is always a male and a female is always a female isn't scientific in nature. And with the complexities of the human brain, so many permutations and combinations, to say it's impossible for any human to be truly trans based on a scientific statement that isn't supported by science is silly. You don't have to accept anything. But to expect all 7.8 billion people to conform to your norms? Good luck.
No, I wouldn't expect 7.9 billion to accept my norms, especially the 100 million or so US lefties that know all. I'll be happy with the fact that only like 7.5 billion agree with me. Good luck on proving that since other animals can be born as two sexes quite regularly that the .05% of humans is a regular occurrence. But to each is own!!
This is an objective identifier that has nothing to do with feelings. I think most of us can operate in a world where we define things based on what is biologically observable. Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
How do we know that the feeling is not wrong rather than a thought that should be catered to? And who should be obligated to cater to that thought other than those that choose to? Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
Excellent question, and I'm not qualified to answer. But professionals who study the human psyche and mental health may be. And here's what the APA has to say.
They're called people with a disability or genetic condition. We don't re-define the nature of the entire species--which is reflected in damn near all species throughout the animal kingdom--to conform to a statistical anomaly of a deviation. Human beings still come into existence by the copulation of one male and one female member of the species, and are born male OR female... C'est la vie. See above.
So what do we do with the deviation? Just ignore it? Pretend it doesn't exist and it will hopefully just magically go away one day? Treat it as mental illness even though many trans people can function perfectly within society?
Treat it as a medical/psychological/genetic condition, not as some alternative that any normal male or female can choose, or thereby suggest/maintain that all gender is therefore fluid, stick your finger in the air, see which way the wind is blowing, pick your gender for the day...
So conversion therapy, which is proven to be incredibly harmful? And drop affirmation therapy, despite the fact that it has proven to be much more effective, reduces suicide rates, and allows more people to live productive lives?
I'm pretty sure most health professionals do characterize gender dysphoria as a medical/psychological condition; medical treatment for it would otherwise make little sense. Gender identity and gender expression are seen as different things. People can express themselves in a way that's inconsistent with social norms (ie, a woman wearing a tuxedo as opposed to a dress). Similarly, men can wear dresses for different reasons, but that doesn't mean they are transgender or have gender dysphoria.
We do the best we can to understand it but we do not flip the world upside down to accommodate for every anomaly. That’s nonsense libbie talk.
I think this whole conversation is about 2 different conditions. One you have a very minuscule number of humans born with gender dysphoria and should be treated with therapy appropriate for that. Then you have a much larger number, but still small on society as a whole, that feel like they want to change their gender or have gender fluidity and they should be handled differently, just like any other mental condition.
Sure, women can *express themselves* or *identify* as men. They're still women. Conversely, men can express 'selves/identify as women...They're still men... Both, with psychological conditions (dysphoria).
Not sure there’s been a distinction made earlier in the thread but I believe any discussion of this matter should include very specific definitions for transsexual and transgender (post surgical sex change individual versus pre surgical individual who “feels” they are something other than customary social construct). Further, there should be some specific terms to identify different sexes and genders. For instance, there would be three of each (the fabrication of so many genders is just nonsensical) Sex - male, female, intersex Gender - masculine, feminine, neither or null To change sex, a medical procedure is required. To change gender ….. one just changes their mind.
