Transgender women are not gay men

[Shana A]

Transgender women are not gay men - Danton Remoto

By Danton Remoto | Remote Control | 03/24/2009 12:03 AM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/views-and-analysis/03/23/09/transgender-women-are-not-gay-men-danton-remoto

A newborn who is pronounced male by the doctor or midwife may not necessarily identify as male when that child grows up.  This person must have every right to choose to live his/her life the way s/he needs it to be lived.  This person who was born male may live her life as a woman.  Because she expresses and identifies as a woman, then she is a woman.

One's gender has nothing to do with the absence or presence of a specific genitalia.  Gender must not be imposed on us.  Who, then, has the right to determine the gender of a person?  Is it the church?  Is it the doctor who inspects the baby's genitalia upon birth?  Is it the psychiatrist? Surely, it is only that person because only s/he alone possesses and has innate knowledge of his/her self.

Furthermore, a person need not make any change in order to be the gender they are.  Feeling is being.  No genital or cosmetic surgery, hormone replacement therapy, nor any other intervention is a prerequisite to being oneself.  A man is a man and a woman is a woman not because of their genitals.  We are not walking penises and vaginas.  We are living beings who happen to have a certain kind of genitalia.  Surely, we do not want to reduce ourselves to mere organs.  Our being is a determinant of who we are, not what's between our legs.

[imaz]

Brilliantly put, thank you so much for posting this.

[mickie88]

exactly cuz last time i checked totally gay men only slept with men. maybe i'm wrong???

[imaz]

Know what you mean concerning Gay guys. They don't fancy me and I don't fancy them. Straight guys can really do it for me though although to be honest I'm more into Gay women.

[Genevieve Swann]

Zythyra, I agree with you. But I do know at least one guy who would be very dissappointed if he found he was not merely a walking penis. His entire life revolves around his sexual prowess. The jerk actually uses the walls of his bedroom as score board. He has the women sign the walls in permanent marker. He probably should seek professional help.

[K8]

IMHO sexual attraction and gender are completely different, and we really don't have control of either.  You don't have control over who you are attracted to.  You can choose to act on it or not, but the attraction is not under your control.  At the same time, you don't have control over what gender you are.  You can adapt, but your gender is just there and has nothing to do with what body you have.

Most gay men are men and are attracted to other men.  Most people have a body that matches their gender.  And most people are attracted to people of the opposite sex.  But there are a lot of us who aren't "most people".

Is this a wonderful world or what?

[tekla]

He has the women sign the walls in permanent marker. He probably should seek professional help.

What's it say about the women who signed?