Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Trans politics

It hasn't been the best of reads at one discourse blog I don't follow but have on speed dial for keeping up with the background to some off the other stuff I do follow but today I am just gonna set out my opinions around this topic.
In 2019 we are hearing more of people who do not accept  physically or socially being male or female as filled out on their birth certificates or by family to which attitudes in the past have been "you're being silly" to today's which is less critical and in some circles very much at one with it.
Sexual politics is often emotionally charged  especially when it comes to gender identity to the point some people do construct notions of true transgender transitioning with the inference that anyone who doesn't meet that is not valid.
One viewpoint that goes back to the earliest days of 'treatment' is the notion that a person has to have an intense disconnect with and sense of disgust at the gender they were recorded and socialized with in order to be transexual.
In other words you feel so disgusted internally about it you have to change everything around it all of the time.
The problem I have with that is most people who have never felt remotely questioning of gender themselves don't define themselves in terms of "and I am NOT and am so glad I AM a ....(/) " so much as they just are and get on with it.
In other words A girl is a girl because she is, it is what she feels.
People do when it comes to social roles and interests differ when measured against stereotypical norms so the sporty girl or the ballet loving boy are still girl and boy respectively.
To me that's more routed in gender roles and expectations as much as sadly some people are left feeling "it would be easier if I was [insert opposite gender].
The nature of transexuality is however it's not just the leaving of the social trappings of gender but implies you also wish to leave the body you were in because you want/desire the physical form of the gender you feel you are and not just at the point of wanting to 'fit in'.
People have defied convention expressing themselves or even presenting outwardly as a gender different to the one recorded without any surgery sometimes for short periods on occasions for most of their lives.
To want surgery to align yourself permanently physical to a sex (and sexuality can come into it too)  with its own attendant risks is one area where I do feel there simply has to be more in it than just being seen outwardly as that one gender as that is literally covered up where it physically counts.
This may not be everyone's view point, am sensitive to people being 'beaten with a gender stick' in their lives but do feel treating people who don't share you own view as a some evil enemy that should be prevented from having a differing point of view on it is wrong.
It's not our opinions that cause problems it is what we do with them that actually counts and causes harm.
If having a differing view causes you such emotional discomfort that you feel you have to self injure or attempt to take your lives, yes I understand your anguish but you need help for those feelings. 
Just saying "If you say that I'll take my life" is emotionally manipulative.

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