Dysphoria spectrum poll and thoughts

[Edge]

It goes both ways though. I've been told that I'm bad and wrong for being binary (or perceived by them as binary. In truth, it's a bit more complicated) and that I am automatically enforcing gender stereotypes that I don't even believe in. I've been told that all the studies that have so far been done concerning the brain and gender are all false. No reason is given for this other than that more research needs to be done. I'm not arguing that, but that doesn't make what we've learned so far not true. (Although, because some people jump to conclusions not supported by the data, I should point out that nothing that's been discerned so far negates the existence of non-binary people.) I've been accused of being transphobic because being trans is not a choice for me and I am interested in the science behind it. Apparently, knowledge is a bad thing. Who knew? (<-sarcasm) I've been told that gender absolutely IS all about gender roles and that the only reason I am transitioning is because of stuff I have no respect for as opposed to the fact that I am a guy. I feel like I'm dealing with creationists. It's infuriating.
I've spent most of my life being taught that I am bad and wrong for being who I am. I have very little tolerance for putting up with that crap and neither should I.

[aleon515]

@Edge-- what about idea of knowledge is power. I wouldn't engage with them. It's perhaps lucky that I wouldn't argue with them either. They are probably a bit intimated to come on my youtube channel and disagree with me, due to my age. OTOH, there are other people's blogs that I read so I don't bother with this stuff. One thing to remember is *anybody* can start a tumblr, anybody. That's worth thinking about a few times.

@campenella-- though I disagree with the idea that there is some way or some sort of level of what social dysphoria is and just how "bad" it has to be. It's useful to try and define this stuff for oneself , "okay how is that I feel". The trouble is that people try and define how it is/has to be for others. I think the term of looking masculine is the shorthand people think about because they don't understand that there is an internal sense of gender and that this is different than sex assigned at birth. Obviously this is not being gay, being gay is who you want to go to bed *with*, gender identity is who you go to bed as.   I believe that gender noncomforming people are a bit more likely to get into identity politics because of being in a more discriminated against position.

@Ayden-- Don't discount the way you say thing because I think it is powerful in it's own way. But if you want to send over some chocolates I'd be honored.


--Jay

[Edge]

@Edge-- what about idea of knowledge is power. I wouldn't engage with them. It's perhaps lucky that I wouldn't argue with them either. They are probably a bit intimated to come on my youtube channel and disagree with me, due to my age. OTOH, there are other people's blogs that I read so I don't bother with this stuff. One thing to remember is *anybody* can start a tumblr, anybody. That's worth thinking about a few times.

I definitely believe that knowledge is power which is probably why I have such a huge issue with people spreading misinformation or, worse, claiming that I am wrong for not spreading false information. The thing is, I don't go on tumblr. I've gotten this here.

[ChrisRokk]

I've been told that gender absolutely IS all about gender roles and that the only reason I am transitioning is because of stuff I have no respect for as opposed to the fact that I am a guy. I feel like I'm dealing with creationists. It's infuriating.

Oh yeah, my favorite is when people accuse you of transitioning for the sole purpose of gaining male privilege.

The reason I cringed at the phrase "transcum" [sic] earlier is because you get accused of being "truscum" if you think being trans has a neurobiological basis.  I'm rather baffled at how someone wouldn't think that.

[Edge]

Oh yeah, my favorite is when people accuse you of transitioning for the sole purpose of gaining male privilege.

The reason I cringed at the phrase "transcum" [sic] earlier is because you get accused of being "truscum" if you think being trans has a neurobiological basis.  I'm rather baffled at how someone wouldn't think that.

Yes! That!
I've been told that recognizing it as a biological thing is transphobic because, apparently, there is something wrong with things being biological for reasons I can't even begin to comprehend. I've been told that I should stop saying it's biological to cater to people who are too ignorant to understand that brains are organs even though I make it clear (although I can't get much clearer than "brains are biological, physical organs that can be found in your skull" and that still doesn't seem to be enough). Again, it's that whole knowledge is bad thing.

[aleon515]

Oh yeah, my favorite is when people accuse you of transitioning for the sole purpose of gaining male privilege.

The reason I cringed at the phrase "transcum" [sic] earlier is because you get accused of being "truscum" if you think being trans has a neurobiological basis.  I'm rather baffled at how someone wouldn't think that.

Well *I* wouldn't use the term that way, but for people who view trans in an exclusionary way thinking that if you don't consider yourself a transsexual and want every single procedure you can get then you shouldn't be considered trans. I don't agree with the term used as a weapon that way. I think that trans probably includes many different sorts of people from those who are in the normal spectrum of human biology to those who may actually have some kind of "birth defect", which I think is the term they would use. I do ascribe to the "normal range of human gender" but that's just me, I don't expect anybody else to think that way (though I might try and convince someone of it).


--Jay

[blink]

I've been told that recognizing it as a biological thing is transphobic because, apparently, there is something wrong with things being biological for reasons I can't even begin to comprehend.

Yeah, I don't understand this either. These folks seem to think it's a value judgment to call it a medical condition, which is messed up. Literally everyone will have a medical condition at some point in their life, more probably several medical conditions. It's not fun, but it is part of being human, and pretending otherwise does no good. I do consider myself to have a birth defect/medical condition. The American Medical Association agrees, and I take their word more seriously than that of some random people on tumblr.

The only explanation I can come up with, is maybe these folks think it being biological in nature somehow negates the "people should have the right to change their body as they see fit" thing, but there's no reason the two have to be mutually exclusive. I'm also in favor of bodily autonomy and informed consent (why should someone AFAB need to see a therapist to get an elective mastectomy, but not a breast augmentation?).

Side note, the "truscum" folks of tumblr have come up with a less derogatory and more descriptive term for this position: "trans medicalist".

[aleon515]

Yeah, I don't understand this either. These folks seem to think it's a value judgment to call it a medical condition, which is messed up. Literally everyone will have a medical condition at some point in their life, more probably several medical conditions. It's not fun, but it is part of being human, and pretending otherwise does no good. I do consider myself to have a birth defect/medical condition. The American Medical Association agrees, and I take their word more seriously than that of some random people on tumblr.

The only explanation I can come up with, is maybe these folks think it being biological in nature somehow negates the "people should have the right to change their body as they see fit" thing, but there's no reason the two have to be mutually exclusive. I'm also in favor of bodily autonomy and informed consent (why should someone AFAB need to see a therapist to get an elective mastectomy, but not a breast augmentation?).

Side note, the "truscum" folks of tumblr have come up with a less derogatory and more descriptive term for this position: "trans medicalist".

I have no problem whatsoever with people who feel their their in their own lives that this their transgender status is a medical condition. I don't personally, but even I would recognize the validity in it for my own experience in that I have gotten medical care. I am not even all together sure that people who have difference feelings to describe their experience in some cases don't actually have a different reason they are trans. I think the whole how/why is an open question.

The thing I dislike is someone saying because you disagree with me, you aren't trans enough. I think truscum kind of, well the ones I have seen, don't agree that there IS any other kind of experience of being trans.

--Jay