Critical mass…?

[Jessica Merriman]

I think it was the next visit he asked me about surgery and whether guys could tell the difference between a neo-vaj or a natural one.

When I told him guys don't care as long as they get their rocks off he went bright red.

BTW he is great!

Sounds like a "Critical Mass" topic to me!

[Nicolette]

Transgenders are still a tiny percentage of the population. If referrals are sky rocketing then one possible reason for this could be due to a backlog of transgender people only now realising their true selves who could not permit themselves to come out under a less tolerant society in the past.

[Ms Grace]

heh, I was going to post this pic...



oops, looks like I did! Annnnnnyhoooo... 

Transgenders are still a tiny percentage of the population. If referrals are sky rocketing then one possibly reason for this could be due to a backlog of transgender people only now realising their true selves who could not permit themselves to come out under a less tolerant society in the past.

This is true but judging by the commentary from a lot of people struggling with their issues on this forum they still perceive a lot of intolerance...? Maybe?

Another way of looking at it... might people feel that transition in their workplace would be "easier", "more acceptable" if there was already another transitioned trans* person in that workplace? Or if there was already someone in the family who had transitioned, would that make it "easier" to come out to the family?

[Jessica Merriman]

OK, Australian tolerance verses U.S., middle of the bible belt tolerance? Can I immigrate now, please!

[Jenny07]

Just remember to pack your Jenny repellent

[Cindy]

Jenny do you think we should warn the immigration department?

We could have Snow White on the way and from what I've read she brings a entourage of small people!

[Ms Grace]

As long as she doesn't arrive in a boat she should be OK.

[Cindy]

As long as she doesn't arrive in a boat she should be OK.

I have this image of Snow White and seven John Howard's for some reason.

And yes the boats! I feel so sorry for those people. It doesn't sit well with me what the policy is.

[Ms Grace]

Another thought here is that trans folks will sometimes blend in and vanish into the crowd!  Transitioners who start at an early age can often pass perfectly, or nearly so.  Many of them choose to go stealth, their changes unknown to most of the people around them.

This is very true. i mentioned on the previous page that back in 1989 it was a nurse from the hospital I worked at proved to be the final shove I needed to get myself fully investigating and then pursuing transition. However I only knew she was trans* because I worked in Human Resources (waaaaay down the rung) and she came in to change her name, etc. Some of the guys in the back office were all "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" and let me in on the "joke". Honestly, if they hadn't told me I would never have known, she passed so well. So if I'd remained in the dark about her would I still have received that jolt of incentive and awareness needed to pursue my own transition?

I have this image of Snow White and seven John Howard's for some reason.

Scary. Very scary.

And yes the boats! I feel so sorry for those people. It doesn't sit well with me what the policy is.

It's Aussie intolerance at its inglorious best... 

[Cindy]

So true Sis!

I think we of all people feel the scourge of intolerance in any form and it hurts to know others, no matter why, are also subjected to it.

Enough said, I don't want to go there!

[Jamie D]

There seem to be a lot more people openly identifying as trans* compared to when I tried to transition the first time.

Susan's is only a small slice of the overall world's transgendered population but even so, judging by the number of people who have signed up to this forum - identifying as, or at least questioning whether they are, trans* - there are more and more people who might ultimately go on to transition and bring trans* reality to the awareness of family, friends, co-workers, health professionals, etc.

There was a post elsewhere about "being the only transgender in the office" but I wonder if and when that might change and when there will be more than just one "out" person in the office (or family, or school, or church or wherever) who is known to be trans*. And if so, what is the tipping point, the critical mass when general public attitudes start to shift and change?

Could it happen in the next few years, or will it take much longer? How might it change?

Part of it must relate to the greater access to diagnostic information.  I think that self-recognition is becoming more prevalent.  I wallowed in ignorance for over 35 years, knowing that something was "different" about me, but not knowing what it was.  From the time I was a teen, I supposed it was just bisexuality.  Instead, it was genderfluidity.

Some of our more recently signed-up members have unique site identification numbers just over 30,000.  That numbering system began, I believe, in 2005.  We have about 9,000 active members.  But those numbers are just a small percentage of the numbers of TG/TS persons in the world.

Let's assume that all of our 9,000 active members are Americans (I know they are not - just a mental exercise).  It is estimated that about 900,000 self-identified TG/TS persons live in the USA.  That means we have only enlisted 1% of them.   

How do we reach more of them?  How do we provide an information-base to help educate our own, as well as the cis world?  How do we help those folks who wonder today, like I did 40 years ago, why they are feeling the conflict between mind and body?

We have challenges before us.  But we also have tremendous upside potential.

[Cindy]

We have to realise that we are comfortable in this thread. We all accept ourselves to an extent where we can talk sensibly about the issue. Most people be they TG or not cannot do that. Fear is paramount among most.

I recall a recent incident. I was giving a public talk about TG issues and society, I was approached after by a woman who had helped me 'come out' she expressed amazement that I, who was such a terrified little girl when she helped me, was now publicly leading discussion.

I realised that the steps we take are massive, even just being able to log onto a site like this is full of fear for so many.

Why?

And how do we let people overcome that?

I have questions but few answers.

Story of my life

[MadeleineG]

And yes the boats! I feel so sorry for those people. It doesn't sit well with me what the policy is.

Human Rights violation in Niugini 

[MadeleineG]

We have to realise that we are comfortable in this thread. We all accept ourselves to an extent where we can talk sensibly about the issue. Most people be they TG or not cannot do that. Fear is paramount among most.

I recall a recent incident. I was giving a public talk about TG issues and society, I was approached after by a woman who had helped me 'come out' she expressed amazement that I, who was such a terrified little girl when she helped me, was now publicly leading discussion.

I realised that the steps we take are massive, even just being able to log onto a site like this is full of fear for so many.

Why?

And how do we let people overcome that?

I have questions but few answers.

Story of my life

leave it for the future historians 

[Asche]

All the same, even at 2% of the population being transgender, that's a lot of people! Obviously not all those people get genital corrective surgery, many won't even transition to their identified gender let alone start HRT or even seek to talk about it.

(Bold face added by me.)

"Gender dysphoria" doesn't necessarily mean "identifies with the opposite gender from their assigned gender."  One can be uncomfortable with one's assigned gender without identifying with the other gender.

One of the problems with the term "transgender" is that different people use it and define it in different ways.  Some use it as a synonym for "transsexual," others call anyone who is gender-variant "transgender."  Which is why the referenced web page defines what they mean:

is transgender (i.e., experience some degree of gender dysphoria)

[Jessica Merriman]

Jenny do you think we should warn the immigration department?

I think you should warn the whole continent! Not like I could hide in the crowd anyway. 

The way we are treated here, being wrapped up by jellyfish while being eaten by a shark and scraping on a coral reef sounds remarkably peaceful.

[Stella Stanhope]

I think we will see a "nuclear" event VERY soon.

Ominous onions, indeed! (But in a good way.... hopefully!)

Since crossdressing openly, a few friends of mine have come out of the woodwork and have asked to try it. And the NHS's current explanation as to why I'm having to wait an extra 4 months for another appointment is apparently because of a MASSIVE increase in people seeking treatment or therapy which has occurred within the last year or so. I've read similar accounts online on various blogs, too. Ultimately I don't know whether its true or not, so perhaps they'll be an epidemic of gender-related treatments & coming-outs very soon, or perhaps not.

Would be amazing if a sizable proportion of the world was transgender, an awakening to the flexbility and wonderment of fluid genders. From a dating and organisational point of view - it would be chaos of course. Filling in forms would be even more tedious than now. However, from a pure understanding, accepting and expressing point of view, it would be awesome sauce. 

Roll on Binary Apocalypse!

[MadeleineG]

As long as significant barriers exist to accessing care, all but the most motivated, connected, and desperate won't. Where I live, in the absence of any literature (road-map), publicity, or formal policy structure, I effectively had to design my own ad hoc care structure by educating and cajoling doctors and counselors into helping me. And that's in Canada, where $$ barriers don't factor.

I can only imagine how many people thousands would make the leap if free and publicized trans-health clinics were to start popping up universally.

[Ms Grace]

The thing that amazes me is that there aren't more services available... technically transition is big money - from shrinks, counsellors, endos, drugs, blood tests and potentially - depending on whether M2F or F2M - prosthetics, cosmetic/corrective surgeries, vocal cord surgery and/or voice training, hair removal, hair regrowth, wardrobe changes, special size clothing and foot ware, genital corrective surgery, etc, etc.  I mean, we're talking tens of thousands of dollars or more - admittedly and unfortunately gleaned off our suffering - but it's still big money and yet we still get the brush off by so many (so called) professionals and businesses who either don't cater for us or won't.

[JRD]

The thing that amazes me is that there aren't more services available... technically transition is big money - from shrinks, counsellors, endos, drugs, blood tests and potentially - depending on whether M2F or F2M - prosthetics, cosmetic/corrective surgeries, vocal cord surgery and/or voice training, hair removal, hair regrowth, wardrobe changes, special size clothing and foot ware, genital corrective surgery, etc, etc.  I mean, we're talking tens of thousands of dollars or more - admittedly and unfortunately gleaned off our suffering - but it's still big money and yet we still get the brush off by so many professionals and businesses who either don't cater for us or won't.

Them being uncomfortable, their fear of making their "normal" clientele uncomfortable or just don't want to get mixed up with crazy people.