Do TS possess the brains of their target sex?

[Nero]

Good morning guys and dolls, and welcome to Nero's Not-so Pointless Poll of the Day!

This is in response to the question Child of the Light posed to me in Hypatia's 'Primary and secondary' thread. I was so busy issuing apologies that I never got around to answering.

Do TS possess the brains of their target sex?

The answers 'I don't know' and 'maybe' are redundant here, since we don't have the facts one way or another.
If you think the statement:

'Transsexuals possess the brains of their target sex.'

Is probably true, vote 'true'.
Is probably false, vote 'false'.

Yes, I am going somewhere with this.


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[amberctm]

Here is a link to some research that was done in the netherlands. I have the original paper and I see if I can find it. just contact me if your interested in reading it.
~Mischa

PS. my vote is yes, TS do possess the brain of the target gender.

http://etransgender.com/viewtopic.php?p=613

[Lisbeth]

Here is a link to some research that was done in the netherlands. I have the original paper and I see if I can find it. just contact me if your interested in reading it.

Here is a followup study that calls the previous into question:

http://eje-online.org/cgi/content/full/155/suppl_1/S107

I vote yes, too.  But for different reasons.

[Lisbeth]

I used to work with a fellow in the same cubical.  This was before I ever thought about transitioning.  One day he was on the phone with his wife disagreeing about his mother-in-law.  He hung up the phone and made a comment about expecting an arguement when he got home.  I suggested that he difuse the situation by as soon as he walked in the door saying, "Tell me how you feel about what you wanted to talk about."

He sat there for several seconds staring at me, and then said, "I don't have any idea what you just said."

I would say the two of us had very different brains.  And his was the male one.

[Buffy]

I voted yes.

When I die please get clarification as I am leaving my Brain to Nero.

The boobs are up for grabs.

Buffy

[Jay]

I think yes! I believe that I have a male brain, its just the body I'm lacking. 

[Rachael]

i will not vote, as i think SOME ts do, and some dont, but this is the 'true transexual, transition for id crisis/attention debate.

[Jay]

the two of us had very different brains.

Question:
"Do you know why some doctors used take brand newborns up by the ankles (not so much anymore) and slap 'em firmly on the arse?

Answer: (didn't wait for my reply)
"The dick always would fall off on the dumb ones!"

Kiera where do you get this sort of information?

[Kate]

I wonder if I'll be the only NO vote here, lol...

I've never believed my brain was physically female. I just see that as grasping for justification.

I have NO clue why I feel the way I do.

And that's OK with me.

As is how I feel

~Kate~

[debisl]

I voted YES. I do have a female brain. What can I say!!!!!!!

Deb

[Jay]

Kiera where do you get this sort of information?

(very old pilot joke) 

LOL Always "anticipating" your desires dear I added this after just posting! I used to work what's called "Lower Aircraft/Crew Operations" for Pan American. 

Ahhh no I get it!

[Nero]

I've never believed my brain was physically female.

I'm not really talking about that so much as the mind. Not the scenario where they dissect your brain at autopsy and point to it and say 'This brain is female. Yeah, Kate, you were a woman.'
Because that also seems like a long shot to me.

But I find both questions - "Is the brain (mind) that of the target sex?" and "Is the brain physically that of the target sex?" revelant, so all voting and posting, interpret the question as you wish.

[Rachael]

why let uncertaintys bother you?

[Nero]

why let uncertaintys bother you?

Huh? Oh, it doesn't matter to me one way or the other if they open my brain at autopsy and say 'male brain or female brain'. I'd still know I had been a man.

[Sarah Louise]

I have been told by others around me, at different times in my life that I think like a woman, so I answered true.

Do I know the answer to this question, not really.


Sarah L.

[Rachael]

kids these days...












oh wait...

[Lisbeth]

i will not vote, as i think SOME ts do, and some dont, but this is the 'true transexual, transition for id crisis/attention debate.

You've got a point there.

Posted on: July 25, 2007, 12:44:04 PM

I've never believed my brain was physically female.

I'm not really talking about that so much as the mind. Not the scenario where they dissect your brain at autopsy and point to it and say 'This brain is female. Yeah, Kate, you were a woman.'  Because that also seems like a long shot to me.

As far as the physical part goes, whether it was before HRT or not, HRT changes the macroscopic anatomy of the brain so that it looks like the brain of the gender matching the hormones.

http://eje-online.org/cgi/content/full/155/suppl_1/S107

[Seshatneferw]

I wonder if I'll be the only NO vote here, lol...

Not any more, although my 'no' is more a 'not completely'.

There is some evidence (such as the article at http://www.psy-journal.com/article/PIIS0165178105002714/abstract) that in some respects the mind of transsexuals does indeed resemble that of cissexuals of their birth sex, even after HRT. On the other hand, that's likely to not be the whole truth either. I would have liked to answer something between 'yes' and 'no', but that was not an option.

  Nfr

[Lisbeth]

There is some evidence (such as the article at http://www.psy-journal.com/article/PIIS0165178105002714/abstract) that in some respects the mind of transsexuals does indeed resemble that of cissexuals of their birth gender, even after HRT. On the other hand, that's likely to not be the whole truth either. I would have liked to answer something between 'yes' and 'no', but that was not an option.

What that article is saying is that starting estrogen doesn't suddenly make you bad at math, or starting testosterone doesn't cause language problems, etc.

[Sarah Louise]

I agree with you there Regina, we do have somewhat of a biased audience here.


Sarah L.