more people or just more aware

[rochyrob]

Odd thoughts due to lack of sleep and Benadryl medicine head.

I am wondering if the transgender population has gotten larger in the last 50 or so years, or if it is just less hidden. While I am certain that it IS less hidden, I still wonder if it may be getting larger too. (I know this is impossible to certify).

I'd be willing to bet that the entire lgbt population would be the overwhelming majority if everyone were on truth serum. We all know how well it can be hidden.

Who knows, the transgender population could be the next stage in evolution. Fewer societies follow the gender roles required in the past, so why wouldn't the genders merge?

[Eleonore]

Odd thoughts due to lack of sleep and Benadryl medicine head.

I am wondering if the transgender population has gotten larger in the last 50 or so years, or if it is just less hidden. While I am certain that it IS less hidden, I still wonder if it may be getting larger too. (I know this is impossible to certify).

I'd be willing to bet that the entire lgbt population would be the overwhelming majority if everyone were on truth serum. We all know how well it can be hidden.

Who knows, the transgender population could be the next stage in evolution. Fewer societies follow the gender roles required in the past, so why wouldn't the genders merge?

I do not think that's an "evolution-stuff", but I think there are just much more who aren't hiding anymore

[Elis]

I think it's a mixture of more people realising they don't have to hide; the discovery of multiple nb identies plus maybe DES. I know how confrontational the latter one is; but it is a possibility that it caused a spike of mtfs.

[kittenpower]

A lot of trans people stayed "hidden" throughout history, or formed small communities that were mainly hidden by city officials in major metropolitan areas such as the tenderloin district in San Francisco, before the riots broke out in Compton's cafeteria. I think that pop culture in the 60s ans 70s helped trans visibility; Andy Warhol was a trans ally and he put the spot light on Gia Darling and other trans women for the world to see. Another step came when Renee Richards transitioned during the 70s, and then all of the TV talk shows like Phil Donahue, Sally Jessy Rapheal, et al., started having trans guests on their shows; some of it (a lot of it) was exploitation, but good or bad, it did start conversations, and maybe even helped some of us to start our transition process. Internet access in the late 90s helped a lot of trans people to find a way to transition and during the late 90s and early aughts there were a lot of newly transitioned trans people, and that brought about a lot of societal issues which needed to be resolved to accommodate us, and we have been gaining momentum since then.

[KathyLauren]

There may be a pulse of "DES sons" who have been and still are discovering their true identity.  And increased awareness and perhaps tolerance has made coming out an option for more people.

[JoanneB]

I believe there are several factors.

1) TG is becoming the frontier of 'Cool'. AKA different. AKA, messing with the old folks heads
2) It is less hidden in general. Over the past 50 years ago, to which I exceed that number of years, the world today is like a totally different alternate universe then the 1960's/70's when I first "Experimented".
3) Most important factor for the seemingly "Increase"  is The definition. Back 50 years ago you were either a TV or a TS. Drag Queens were simply gay guys in a dress. TV's straight (AKA 'Normal') guys in a dress. And then the total fringe element, most guys (as in doctors) could not relate to, the Nut Whackers that wanted to make their junk disappear. Today TG is a VERY large umbrella term encompassing anything from 100% Cis-Female to Cis-Male.
4) Identity Politics - Part of the above #3. Make the definition broader, more inclusive, and there is power in numbers.
5) Social Media, part of #1, being cool

No way can this life long chameleon believe the stat that upwards of 0.5% of the overall population is TG. Broadly speaking, maybe. Depending on the criteria. Age group will skew the results. Broadly speaking 60-50 should be about the same as 50-40 as should be 20-40. Somehow I mostly suspect this is not the case.

Of course, my Luddite, conspiracy theory self can blame a lot of "Food Science" and too early immunizations in the western world, and other 'Life-Style' issues as a factor in skewing the numbers for younger people. For anyone with just a small exposure to the miracle of embryonic development, there is SO much that can easily go wrong. And then there are the so-called "junk genes" which, IMHO got to be there for some reason. Even if was just for one step during embryonic development. When you consider how we start out as fish in the womb and wind up as people.....

I often joke that just as with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reveled to us in "The Secret of the Ooze" that their birthplace was Bayonne, NJ; my home town; that there must be something with the water. Perhaps the seemingly increase of TG is due to environmental and pre-natal development factors. Every bit as much as I may be a DES baby. Can you say PBA Baby? Or HFCS baby? Or.....

[Devlyn]

You must fall over every time I announce that we're 5% of the population! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[warlockmaker]

For some, ignorance is bliss. I didn't know there was a gender option so I made the best I could as a male. When I found out and researched on the internet the floodgates opened. Publicity, education and those early brave ones who publicly came out has helped so many to find out who they are.