A list of TS traits from my therapist

[Berliegh]

I thought the list wasn't very close to my own personal situation or personality and only 6 of the things listed applied to me.....

We are all so different, just like everyone else is different in society and a therapist cannot make generalisations just because we all have Gender Dysphoria.....

[tekla]

Well I can seem some changing - and not all change would be for the better, ie, becoming less able to read others emotions, or becoming pro-war and pro death penalty.  I don't know how you change the ability to do math, which you got, or ain't got, I don't know of anyone in their later years who wakes up and says "Hey, this is great, now I do algebra" - thought I do think that sometime things that are abstract when presented to us in school, become clear when we see a use for them.


I was struck, and am thinking hard about 'if these are TS traits, do CDs display the opposite, and if so, what's that say about levels of GID.'


shutting down all emotions  - I've never been very emotional, but I don't shut down what little I have
discuss deep feelings with others  - I can, and I do
very insecure  -  Not me either, and few CDs I know are
few, if any, close friends, prefers to spend time alone - I prefer the company of the few to the many, but in my work I'm with masses, so that might be compensation
extreme shyness - nah
hatred of (and inattention to) our appearance   - I'm the exact reverse.
avoid pictures and videos of ourselves  - getting between a CD and a camera is dangerous,
inattention to health issues - I'll have to think on that, if inattention is the same as not caring
extreme modesty about our sexuality and partial and full nudity - no, not ever
dangerous jobs or activities  - what I do seems dangerous to others, but I've always felt safe by doing it right
above average intelligence   - whatever
activities or jobs that require intense concentration and highly technical vocations - yes
extremely competitive or extremely non-competitive with no middle ground - I'm not competitive in most things, because there is no need, but I like sports too, and activities that are small competitions   
very imaginative daydreamers   - isn't everyone?
self destructive behavior - I've always seen myself as far less self destructive than those around me
a tolerance for others, very unlikely to be racist, homophobic etc.  I blame a liberal catholic education and not being a CD for that,
anti-war and anti death penalty - yes
need for more than usual privacy in our  lives  I'm not sure what the "usual amount" is, so I can't answer
unlikely to fight or have a physical confrontation - I fight if I have too
deep seated hatred of authority   - I don't hate it, I hold it in contempt, different deal
battles with clinical depression   Never, I might depress others, but never myself except for the year after the break up of my marriage, which seems natural
place people by the sounds of their voice - you mean everyone can't?
easily read peoples emotions - I can, but I don't care about them, does that count? 
excel in reading and writing at an early age but have difficulty with mathematics - I did good in liberal arts and hard science, so no.
suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts    - I have come close to being homicidal, but never suicidal.

[mickiejr1815]

yep, all but the suicide attempt ones fit me an a couple of others.







Mickie

[Kate]

About 15 of the 25 match for me...

~Kate~

[Constance]

I think of myself more as an androgyne than MTF. But, the following bolded items did seem to be true for me.

We have a primarily cope with the condition by shutting down all emotions
We have an inability to discuss deep feelings with others
We are very insecure
We have very few, if any, close friends, prefers to spend time alone
We exhibit extreme shyness at times
We have a hatred of (and inattention to) our appearance
We avoid pictures and videos of ourselves
We often have inattention to health issues
We have extreme modesty about our sexuality and partial and full nudity
We often take on dangerous jobs or activities
We often have well above average intelligence
We immerse ourselves in activities or jobs that require intense concentration and highly technical vocations.
We are extremely competitive or extremely non-competitive with no middle ground
We are very imaginative daydreamers
We display self destructive behavior
We possess a tolerance for others, very unlikely to be racist, homophobic etc.
We are anti-war and anti death penalty
We have the need for more than usual privacy in our  lives
We are very unlikely to fight or have a physical confrontation
We gave deep seated hatred of authority
We have on and off battles with clinical depression
We are easily able to place people by the sounds of their voice
We are able to easily read peoples emotions
We excel in reading and writing at an early age but have difficulty with mathematics
We often have suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts

[cindybc]

Hi Amanda, did you notice the little rainbow on the bottom right corner of your picture? Neat.

Cindy

[Just Mandy]

I planned that LOL.

Actually I had a whole slew of pictures that had that little rainbow it's actually the flash reflecting off the painting
behind me. I liked some of the pictures so I made it an "artistic" thing. LOL.

After having it up for a while as my avatar, now I'm not sure if I like that picture Too boyish.

[cindybc]

I think you look great hon, just wait until the HRT starts doing it's stuff. I been on it for 8 years and it went and done it's job Finlay but then I am considerably older then you are and lucky to have got as good a results as I did. At least I look like a rather distinguished elder lady  I got some new pics but I have to finish using up the film so I can get it developed.

Cindy

[RebeccaFog]

zeat Grot!

I have all except being good with voices.   I'm supposed to just be gender variant.


oh crap.

I know that the list doesn't mean anything beyond being a kind of quick assessment tool.  But Yikes!

[Just Mandy]

I think you look great hon, just wait until the HRT starts doing it's stuff. I been on it for 8 years and it went and done it's job Finlay but then I am considerably older then you are and lucky to have got as good a results as I did. At least I look like a rather distinguished elder lady  I got some new pics but I have to finish using up the film so I can get it developed.

Cindy

Thanks Cindy, you look great too

[Tanya1]

Lots of the stuff fits me too.  Not all but a lot do.

[Rachael]

We have a primarily cope with the condition by shutting down all emotions <-- nope
We have an inability to discuss deep feelings with others <-- nope, not remotely, i find it easier
We are very insecure <-- yeah quite true
We have very few, if any, close friends, prefers to spend time alone <-- plenty of close friends, id rather be with my best friend than alone
We exhibit extreme shyness at times <-- shy when i dont know people, after that, im apparently quite confident
We have a hatred of (and inattention to) our appearance <-- i actually like how i look
We avoid pictures and videos of ourselves <-- not just ->-bleeped-<-s do that....
We often have inattention to health issues <-- uh what?
We have extreme modesty about our sexuality and partial and full nudity <-- my modesty is on a sliding scale with alcohol consumption... its a negative linear correlation....
We often take on dangerous jobs or activities <-- i dont really mind it, but i doubt its linked
We often have well above average intelligence <-- its been noticed.
We immerse ourselves in activities or jobs that require intense concentration and highly technical vocations. <-- distracts from the crapness of life
We are extremely competitive or extremely non-competitive with no middle ground <-- disagree, im fairly easy on that front
We are very imaginative daydreamers <-- lol, about as true for general society....
We display self destructive behavior <-- not really
We possess a tolerance for others, very unlikely to be racist, homophobic etc. ROFL, no WAY.... ->-bleeped-<-s if anything, are MORE intollerant than those we accuse of intollerance.
We are anti-war and anti death penalty <-- lol no. im pro death penalty, and pro war depending on the situation.
We have the need for more than usual privacy in our  lives <-- i dont care
We are very unlikely to fight or have a physical confrontation <-- i play a combat sport *shrugs*
We gave deep seated hatred of authority <-- Rubbish... a lot of transpeople do, but thats from bad experiences, or percived likelyhood of it, hell, im JOINING that authority...
We have on and off battles with clinical depression  <-- not really, ive never been clinically depressed, (aside from the trans issue)
We are easily able to place people by the sounds of their voice lol i cant do that for toffee...
We are able to easily read peoples emotions <-- um female trait.
We excel in reading and writing at an early age but have difficulty with mathematics nah, im fairly good at maths. -> 'my modesty is on a sliding scale with alcohol consumption... its a negative linear correlation.... ' that thar is irony in action folks.......

We often have suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts <-- well duh

R >

[Caroline]

A therapist giving out a list like that is rather shocking in my opinion.  It simply demonstrates and perpetuates transsexuals presenting a 'standard' list of symptoms and circumstances in order to get treatment.  It's stupid because this lack of REAL honest communication between patients and therapist doesn't help either party. 

[buttercup]

We have a primarily cope with the condition by shutting down all emotions <-- yes, primarily I did shut down to cope with life, now after hrt... now a different story.
We have an inability to discuss deep feelings with others <-- yes, still find it hard, rather listen than talk.
We are very insecure <-- very true
We have very few, if any, close friends, prefers to spend time alone <-- no, like to spend time with family and friends, definitely not alone.
We exhibit extreme shyness at times <-- shy at first with strangers.
We have a hatred of (and inattention to) our appearance <--  I hate certain things about myself, but pay alot of attention to my appearance.
We avoid pictures and videos of ourselves <-- yes definitely
We often have inattention to health issues <-- yes, was negligent previously
We have extreme modesty about our sexuality and partial and full nudity <-- yes very modest 
We often take on dangerous jobs or activities <-- yes was attracted to danger
We often have well above average intelligence <-- my pychiatrist thinks so, I'm not so sure
We immerse ourselves in activities or jobs that require intense concentration and highly technical vocations. <-- yes, love using my brain as much as possible, helps to not think so much.
We are extremely competitive or extremely non-competitive with no middle ground <-- yes, have the extremes.
We are very imaginative daydreamers <-- yes
We display self destructive behavior <-- did when I was really young, not anymore
We possess a tolerance for others, very unlikely to be racist, homophobic etc. <-- like to think so.
We are anti-war and anti death penalty <-- YES Very Anti-death penalty and war.
We have the need for more than usual privacy in our  lives <-- YES, will fight to the bitter end for my privacy!!!
We are very unlikely to fight or have a physical confrontation <-- ummm, just said that I would for privacy. lol
We gave deep seated hatred of authority <-- Yes always have!  But don't give them a hard time or would land myself in jail or anything, but I don't believe all police or doctors blah, blah, blah are right/gods!!
We have on and off battles with clinical depression  <-- yes
We are easily able to place people by the sounds of their voice <-- yes true, identifying others by voice,
We are able to easily read peoples emotions <-- yes definitely
We excel in reading and writing at an early age but have difficulty with mathematics<-- yes, won awards for writing stories, poetry and good penmanship, below average in maths.
We often have suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts <-- yes, yes, yes!!

[tekla]

For the record: Suicidal thoughts and plans are the number one symptom of clinical depression.

[Just Mandy]

A therapist giving out a list like that is rather shocking in my opinion.  It simply demonstrates and perpetuates transsexuals presenting a 'standard' list of symptoms and circumstances in order to get treatment.  It's stupid because this lack of REAL honest communication between patients and therapist doesn't help either party.

She had already made her diagnosis I think when she gave me all the reading material. But I may have started
off with her a little different than most. I had fully decided before starting what I wanted to do and how I was
going to do it. She started her (I'm sure standard) talk about what her role was bla bla bla.
I let her finish and then I was totally honest and I told her I was female, always had been and all I needed her for was to
deal with the guilt that I was having for the pain I would be causing people AND that I was going to transition with or without her.
I spilled my deepest thoughts out for a couple of sessions, cried several times, and at the end of that second session she
said fine I have no doubts you are going to make a fine women. Then she smiled and corrected herself and said
"you are a fine women". "You're are going to do well". The next session she gave me a couple of books to read and the
handouts and it's been great with her from there. Best experience ever really and I love seeing her now and I know it's a dr/patient
relationship but she thinks of me as a friend as I do her.

[polymorph]

We have a primarily cope with the condition by shutting down all emotions - yep
We have an inability to discuss deep feelings with others - yep
We are very insecure - yep
We have very few, if any, close friends, prefers to spend time alone - yep
We exhibit extreme shyness at times - what do you mean at times
We have a hatred of (and inattention to) our appearance - yep
We avoid pictures and videos of ourselves - yep
We often have inattention to health issues - yep
We have extreme modesty about our sexuality and partial and full nudity - don't even go to the beach anymore cause of this one
We often take on dangerous jobs or activities - well, sometimes
We often have well above average intelligence - heh, i can be smug about this one
We immerse ourselves in activities or jobs that require intense concentration and highly technical vocations. - comp sci counts i think
We are extremely competitive or extremely non-competitive with no middle ground - i'm more competitive than the rest of you >_>
We are very imaginative daydreamers - yep
We display self destructive behavior - sometimes
We possess a tolerance for others, very unlikely  to be racist, homophobic etc. -yep
We are anti-war and anti death penalty - very yep
We have the need for more than usual privacy in our  lives - very yep
We are very unlikely to fight or have a physical confrontation - yep
We gave deep seated hatred of authority - yep
We have on and off battles with clinical depression - been pretty good on this one, i hardly ever feel down
We are easily able to place people by the sounds of their voice - yep
We are able to easily read peoples emotions - yep
We excel in reading and writing at an early age but have difficulty with mathematics - great at reading and writing, used to be good at maths... now i'm only good at reading >_<
We often have suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts - thoughts, mabey...

[cindybc]

Clinical depression is I believe part of the GID that all trans people suffer from, among an array of other lesser or greater living problems. As I have mentioned before, GID must be related to alcohol. Given time both will remove everything of value from you unless one seeks help. Depression can throw your entire physical and mental state out of sync, and yes to the point of attempting suicide, and street hooking and drugs. Been there done that, but just like the list, not everyone will identify with all the symptoms listed there. We all perceive, see, and experience life differently, just as we view the characteristics in the list differently. Those are the cold facts for some of us sorry to say. I do not relish to talk about the street stuff But if need be I will.

Cindy 

[Rachael]

The majority of that list i fear is what transsexuals feel they have to be, to get treated.... ie, flowery girly girls...

its by no means a 'grouping' or even a study... its that therapists opinions...

Personally i think theres more intollerance in the trans community than out of it !


and what the HELL does being anti war have to do with gender?
R >

[tekla]

and what the HELL does being anti war have to do with gender?

If you look at the poll numbers, far more women support peace then men (who also, at the current time, oppose it by more than 50%), where war is some macho deal.  The leaders of the anti-war movement in America have historically been women.