Hi Berliegh
I quite agree with you. I present myself as the short maturing sometimes funny lady I am, nothing else. Actually I am quite active mentally and physically for my age, so it's amazing to watch how people react to me out there. But I have not had a soul out there address me as anything else then Lady, Mam, Hon, Miss, Mrs, even the B word once etc. and I don't present as anything else then who I present except in a couple of TS message boards.

Cindy 

I wish this thread would quit popping up. I don't agree with the original post at all. Thank god it's no longer stickied!

Quote from: steph on August 27, 2006, 11:09:41 AM
I'm sorry but if feel that this is another example of those who do not understand TS/who cannot possibly be expected to understand what TS are, what makes us tick trying to define "Us".  I find it quite interesting that people have this need to explain to me how I feel, and how I should feel about my body, my mind and any other "thing" that causes my disphoria, if that is in fact what I have.

I think it is safe to say that we transsexuals have endured several hundred years of collective therapy and yet the only viable explanation is that "body of work that is oft quoted/referenced, largely by the TS community", and why shouldn't we as TS use that body of work.  I find the remark "Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us as to exactly what you mean.  " a little typical of someone who is not TS as "An implied incongruity between mind and body."  seems imply that we don't know what we are talking about.  Of course "The mind is not the body - the body is not the mind." we are talking about the congruency between the two (in agreement with, or in harmony with) that is the disphoria.

Steph

Amen to that, Sis!  You rock! 

Hugs!

Quote from: seldom on June 01, 2007, 01:24:43 PM
I have seen people suffer from bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia, trust me, those are much much worse, and you are considered lucky if that can be treated even partially. 

Being transsexual is something that may be tough to face, but easily treated.  In many cases it is social stigma and fear that hold us back from facing these issues, as well as having a negative impact on our life.

Actually, I would disagree.  And I'm not coming at this from some random PoV.  I have bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks, and PTSD to go along with my "GID".  It's a lot easier to get a diagnosis of bipolar, etc (whatever else I have) just by going to the doctor and giving them your symptoms.  You don't have to be confused forever, forced in the wrong direction, told you're something you're not, and then try to rebel against socially dictated norms through a painful "transition" if you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Yes, getting used to the medications is a pain in the butt and sometimes you get hospitalized and it's especially horrid when there are co-morbid problems.  But you can end up dead due to problems with being trans just as you can from being bipolar... and you have to figure out that your trans on your own most of the time.

You are seen as abnormal if you have a mental disease, but FOR THE MOST PART people don't disown you, shut you out of their lives, etc. At least not in this day and age. Your parents and friends still love you and often try to do things to help you.  When you're trans, you can get shut out of everything that's important to you while simultaneously not even having a footing in life on which to hold.

Also, you can't be discriminated against for mental disease, but you can for "GID" (and I use quotes because I don't think my identity is a disorder).

All in all, being trans has consumed a lot more of my brain power, made me a lot more confused, and complicated my already weird enough mental problems.  GID has made all aspects of my childhood and adolescence miserable, where as my mental illnesses only permeated certain arenas.

I will not give a perspective on schizophrenia because I do not have it and don't want to offend anyone dealing with that issue.