Quote from: Amy1988 on August 29, 2015, 05:47:52 PM
You fooled yourself.  No one brainwashed you and most people here were diagnosed by professionals

Just to throw the cat among the pigeons, are we "diagnosed" by professionals or by ourselves?

I find it hard to believe that anyone would knowingly "fool themselves" into thinking they were trans. Not unless they believed it to be true on some level. And if someone suspected that they might be trans, while noting that being trans rests largely on self-reporting, would a psychiatrist not validate that belief? Now, what if this person who suspected they were trans, and who had this belief validated by a psychiatrist, discovers that they are in fact not trans -- who is responsible for this error in judgement?

Perhaps the nature of being trans is far too complex to ever attribute blame to anyone in such a situation.

Will all those here who are trans and transitioned and wished many many times there was Something, Anything else they can do, please raise your hands.

Quote from: Sydney Blair on August 07, 2015, 09:47:37 AM
I led a very sheltered life. I grew up in Forest Hills, Queens. I had a very pretty cousin who I noticed was being treated better by men, while I am gay. The more I saw this cousin, the more I desired to have her lifestyle - to be treated, by her, to be a woman. I ended up getting an orchiectomy after a huge verbal altercation with this cousin over her conceited behavior, despite the fact that I was the one who attacked her first. Her rejection of me drove me to it. After years of contemplating suicide, I realized that it was all about the *treatment*. They weren't treating me the same way as her. Just because someone treats someone else better doesn't mean that you have to become a woman. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I adivse that you don't do it unless you really feel like it. Unless you must to stay alive. I simply wanted men to be attracted to me. To look at me the way they look at her. If you feel this way, it doesn't necessarily mean you are a woman. The television can easily brainwash an innocent teenage boy who is simply gay. Be careful before you make any rash decisions. You may make a decision you regret for the rest of your life.

Are you having passability issues?

Hey Suzie,

what I'm saying is that when you have actively known that you were trans since age 4, you had basically 15 or 20 years to think about (esp. physical transition) plans. It's not fool prove, but a certain amount of time has passed to sort things out. I'm not talking so much about transition yes or no, but rather about: what kinds of transition, in what order etc.
Physical transition is not a one fits all solution, there are variants etc. All bodies are different etc. Some people find out that they want only social transition, others want very specific surgeries, or hormones etc. I know that for me it took several years to figure things out/I'm still in the process, even though I came out at pre-school age.
When people have *never* thought a single thought about trans and then do the whole thing including bottom surgery in one or two years, that's pretty extreme, like marrying after knowing someone of for a couple of weeks or something. It *can* work, but the risk is high. And esp. with teens who tend to be very impulsive, it's perhaps not such a good idea.

Btw. I don't think that "early transitioners" or "trans kids" or whatever are "real" or "better" transsexuals. I believe, from several decades of experience, that it's completely individual. E.g. I knew a very early transitioner, who was 150% sure, had complete passing, had been living as a girl/woman for years and was just waiting for bottom surgery all her life. And when she had it, it was a mistake. Nobody could have told that before. These things just happen.

Quote from: suzifrommd on August 25, 2015, 02:44:22 PM
I hope I'm misunderstanding you. It sounds like you're getting awfully close to saying that people who knew since they were 4 are more likely to understand what they need than those who got in touch with their gender issues later in life.

Please tell me that's not what you're saying.

I think it's important that professionals make it very clear *that they have no clue*.
An honest professional tells you that she can help you to figure out what you want slowly, but that there is no  "trans diagnostic".
I have heard from time to time about professionals (and self help group gurus) who pretend that they can "diagnose trans". This is very dangerous and should be legally prohibited.

Quote from: Serverlan on September 01, 2015, 06:50:55 AM

Just to throw the cat among the pigeons, are we "diagnosed" by professionals or by ourselves?

I find it hard to believe that anyone would knowingly "fool themselves" into thinking they were trans. Not unless they believed it to be true on some level. And if someone suspected that they might be trans, while noting that being trans rests largely on self-reporting, would a psychiatrist not validate that belief? Now, what if this person who suspected they were trans, and who had this belief validated by a psychiatrist, discovers that they are in fact not trans -- who is responsible for this error in judgement?

Perhaps the nature of being trans is far too complex to ever attribute blame to anyone in such a situation.

Quote from: Bunter on September 08, 2015, 06:40:45 AM
Hey Suzie,

what I'm saying is that when you have actively known that you were trans since age 4, you had basically 15 or 20 years to think about (esp. physical transition) plans. It's not fool prove, but a certain amount of time has passed to sort things out. I'm not talking so much about transition yes or no, but rather about: what kinds of transition, in what order etc.

Thanks for the explanation.

Quote from: Bunter on September 08, 2015, 06:40:45 AM
When people have *never* thought a single thought about trans and then do the whole thing including bottom surgery in one or two years, that's pretty extreme, like marrying after knowing someone of for a couple of weeks or something. It *can* work, but the risk is high. And esp. with teens who tend to be very impulsive, it's perhaps not such a good idea.

I'm not sure how you can say that this is riskier. Do you have statistics or studies that back that up?

I managed to plan my transition in only a few months and it turned out just fine. I don't feel like I was taking any risks. I'm a play-it-safe sort of person, but I felt fairly certain that things would work. If I'd had a few more decades, I don't think I could have done it any better.

Quote from: Sydney Blair on August 07, 2015, 09:47:37 AM
I led a very sheltered life. I grew up in Forest Hills, Queens. I had a very pretty cousin who I noticed was being treated better by men, while I am gay. The more I saw this cousin, the more I desired to have her lifestyle - to be treated, by her, to be a woman. I ended up getting an orchiectomy after a huge verbal altercation with this cousin over her conceited behavior, despite the fact that I was the one who attacked her first. Her rejection of me drove me to it. After years of contemplating suicide, I realized that it was all about the *treatment*. They weren't treating me the same way as her. Just because someone treats someone else better doesn't mean that you have to become a woman. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I adivse that you don't do it unless you really feel like it. Unless you must to stay alive. I simply wanted men to be attracted to me. To look at me the way they look at her. If you feel this way, it doesn't necessarily mean you are a woman. The television can easily brainwash an innocent teenage boy who is simply gay. Be careful before you make any rash decisions. You may make a decision you regret for the rest of your life.

A lot of people are brainwashed into gender dysphoria.  The idea of the male and the female is so degraded now that most people are a bit dysphoric.  I'd say cis-gays are a better example of brainwashing.

However, from reading your OP I believe you are deluded. Who's to say most of us aren't? Probably a lot of people lol.

When I sought medical opinions, I did tell my doctors and therapists that I was a transsexual. Is that a self diagnosis? My medical professionals never disagreed with. I was severely questioned when I got my three, yes, count them, three letters. But I had been through the gambit of purging several times, going back and forth, and even got caught up into the "pray the gay away" movement.

I finally decided I had to transition or die trying. So, I did. I was severely questioned when I got my three, yes, count them, three letters. That's what Dr. Biber required at the time. And looking back, I'm glad that requirement was in place. By that time, I had no doubts.

Still, with all that, I have a close friend who went through all that and has questioned whether she made the right decision. She's been seeing a therapist over the past couple of years and has come to terms with it. This is truly a complicated decision to make and not all of us are created equal. I often caution people to see the correct medical professionals and even at that to only go forward with genital modification only when they feel they have no other choice.

Cindi