Is it really a choice?

[Natasha]

Is it really a choice?

http://wesleyaustin.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/is-it-really-a-choice/
3/4/11
by Wes Austin

The other day when I was a guest on our local radio talk show, both the host and one of the listeners used wording that made it seem like being transgender is a choice. One of the listeners that called in said "...these people are trying to have us legitimize their behaviour(1).." and another caller said "...well it was your choice to be who you wanted to be...(2)". What this sounds like – at least to me – is that many people still think that being transgender is a choice -that it's a lifestyle or set of behaviours that we choose.

[annette]

Hi Natasha

What it sounds to me is that there are a lot of people who are too stupid to think, but just talking without thinking.
Like it is a choice to be born with one leg or something.
These people really need some education.
It's comparing with that one of these callers are suffering by a diseas like cancer and you would say, well it's your choice to get chemo and/or radiatontherapy.
I don't want to compare GID with cancer but I just want to say that if you want to survive you need the treathment.
There is no choice, that's my opinion about it.
I surely hope that people someday will think a little more and will give an opinion after studying the subject.

hug
annette

[Vicky]

I had a choice,

Choice 1, drink myself to death

or

Choice 2, Get help for the drinking, which involved admitting I was transsexual as well as an alcoholic.

[N.Chaos]

^This, only add drugs and really stupid behavior to the mix.
Seriously, the lengths some people will go to to try and justify their own ignorance and refusal to learn is amazing.

[justmeinoz]

In a word-NO!   

The medical evidence has been documented for years now, so maybe it's time to stop being polite, and say so, and call people out on their ignorance.   

[~RoadToTrista~]

Sure it's a choice. Live life to the fullest and be happy or be unhappy and have your life feel meaningless.

[pebbles]

It is a choice I can't deny it was but it's not the choice people think it is.

I openly exclaimed when making it to myself "This isn't a fair choice" But life is full of crap like that... Not only is there no right answer there are no good answers either.

[Rock_chick]

It was only a choice in that I chose not to drop off the bottom rung of the ladder, hit rock bottom, then slash my wrists and bleed out all over the cat.

[VeryGnawty]

I had a choice to be who I was, or to become increasingly more mentally disturbed and probably end up a violent criminal.

Yes, I did make a choice.

[MeghanAndrews]

I totally agree with them, it is a choice except it's not a choice about how you were born, it's a choice about what you do about it. We have control over our lives and what we do about them, usually. I might not be able to control how I felt as far back as I can remember, but how does making my choices affect the people calling in on those stations. When they say "these people are having us try to legitimize their behavior" it's almost laughable, really. It's like, they want us to be who they are, to reflect the views they have. My golden rule is pretty much if it makes people happy and they aren't hurting themselves or others, then let them be. It's the same for people in our community. Why do TV/CD/DQ catch so much flack? They are who they are and if it makes them happy and they are expressing who they are, go for it. Close-mindedness and trying to force others into their tight box of thinking is such a low thing to do. Meghan

[E]

Of course it's a choice: Face the censure of society and small-minded people, and a life of endless discrimination, ridicule and marginalization, or death at age 25.

Though I get the feeling that creatures like that would rather see us pick option B.