Is or has anyone else watched this? What are your thoughts? I'm about 40 minutes in and it just ended the story of Ellie thus far. As puberty hits the gender dysphoria starts and you start feeling the effects of that. That was so me I felt so much like a girl but at that time no internet no idea that there was a such thing as transgender. Wow...im learning things about myself and remembering things......

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This was in my opinion the best ever aired gender related documentary I've seen. It actually made me proud to be part of the community.


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Quote from: JessicaSondelli on February 06, 2017, 10:20:39 PM
This was in my opinion the best ever aired gender related documentary I've seen. It actually made me proud to be part of the community.


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It is so enlightening and inspirational!

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Watched it last night and thought it was very well done.  Thought it was a positive thing that she admitted to being confused and or wrong at times.

For those who missed it, Katie mentioned in the Facebook live Q&A aftershow that it will be streaming on Hulu and Natgeo TV plus they will make it available on their website for free starting February 13 I believe but only for a week.


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It's being re-aired this Friday for those of you who missed it. 

National Geographic channel
Friday 10-Feb-2017 at 21:00 America-Eastern time (02:00 UTC Saturday 11-Feb-2017)

I actually teared up in some places.  If you can watch it - DO!

Katie Couric really did an excellent job shedding light on our peers and transelders who have and are going through this journey.
There is a younger generation coming up behind us that we must pave the way for.
Please I urge you to watch this program and if you can try to get your S.O.'s and family to watch it as well. It is sooooo educational.

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I'm planning on watching it tonight because Hulu is supposed to have it up. Reading these responses makes me more excited to watch it now.

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I just checked HULU. It's not there yet. I'll keep checking.

   I watched it last night too I thought it was pretty well done and did a pretty good job at explaining some things to the cis-world without getting caught up in the details of transitioning. I could relate to a fair amount.

I am currently listening to the audio book of True selves. It is in the same vein as last night's show but a bit more info.

   Jeanette

I got to see this Sunday night (see my post in the Arts and Entertainment News forum)

I thought it could have been better (I'm picky), but it was miles better than I expected and while I haven't seen other popular media documentaries, I'd guess it's miles better than any of them.  Remarkably little cluelessness and (thank God!) no "opposing viewpoints."

Oh, and her joint interview with Renee Richards and Hari Nef was priceless!

I watched the show last evening with my wife and son, we thought it was an excellent overview of a very deep and complex topic.  Lots of good dialogue came out between the three of us.

However, stories of very young trans people always make me think about my own and other later in life transitioners.  As with the young trans kids, and a common story with others on here, I also had those feelings at a young age (~5).  However, I wasn't given any rope in my particular environment to express it, and at that time (mid 70's) there was no good information.  Also, as one of the trans girls put it ....she had the "guts and voice" to express it.  For me, the only answer at the time was hide it with military precision and bury it the best I could.  Is the only difference between them and me (us) simply  the environment and today's education?  Has anyone else considered this?

Another thing that I wonder about is sexuality.  "Most" early transitioners identify as straight....however could that be because they were allowed to grow up expressing their proper identity socially and were exposed to the correct hormones before primary puberty?   Many late trans people identify as gay or bi.  Would we be more likely to be straight if we transitioned as kids?  I realize the contemporary thinking is that gender and sexuality aren't linked, but I always wonder if there's more to the story than that.

Thoughts?

Havent seen it. However, i am so happy these things are out there. Truth be told, if there was this much acceptance and awareness growing up I would have probably have looked into much more when these feelings kinda  popped up in 2007. I know this may sound pathetic to those who are older then me as this is coming from a millenial but even back in 2007 there was a lot of transphobia. It was either on Maury, ,TLC  or something like those channels, somewhere sandwiched in between the girl who wants to live as a human doll or how brother and sister fall in-love or some other odd stuff like that. Now we are being seen as humans who have a legit condition and and are deserving of respect and how we are really not different then cis-people. We are political, musical, successful when given a fair shot. Its just our journeys that are different. If i knew it was ok to be trans in 2007, i garuentee ya i would have came out long before i did in 2014! This is awesome!!!

Quote from: staciM on February 07, 2017, 03:07:41 PM
I watched the show last evening with my wife and son, we thought it was an excellent overview of a very deep and complex topic.  Lots of good dialogue came out between the three of us.

However, stories of very young trans people always make me think about my own and other later in life transitioners.  As with the young trans kids, and a common story with others on here, I also had those feelings at a young age (~5).  However, I wasn't given any rope in my particular environment to express it, and at that time (mid 70's) there was no good information.  Also, as one of the trans girls put it ....she had the "guts and voice" to express it.  For me, the only answer at the time was hide it with military precision and bury it the best I could.  Is the only difference between them and me (us) simply  the environment and today's education?  Has anyone else considered this?

Another thing that I wonder about is sexuality.  "Most" early transitioners identify as straight....however could that be because they were allowed to grow up expressing their proper identity socially and were exposed to the correct hormones before primary puberty?   Many late trans people identify as gay or bi.  Would we be more likely to be straight if we transitioned as kids?  I realize the contemporary thinking is that gender and sexuality aren't linked, but I always wonder if there's more to the story than that.

Thoughts?

That for sure is something to think about. I identify as bi but im 90/95 % attracted to women.
I was attracted to both as a teen but didnt quite understand myself as I was a boy who thought I should be a girl.
I was a late bloomer dating wise probably a junior in High School before having a real date.
If I would have had the internet then and it's resources I would've figured this out a long time ago and saved my current wife a lot of pain and misery.

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Quote from: staciM on February 07, 2017, 03:07:41 PM
However, stories of very young trans people always make me think about my own and other later in life transitioners.  As with the young trans kids, and a common story with others on here, I also had those feelings at a young age (~5).  However, I wasn't given any rope in my particular environment to express it, and at that time (mid 70's) there was no good information.  Also, as one of the trans girls put it ....she had the "guts and voice" to express it.  For me, the only answer at the time was hide it with military precision and bury it the best I could.  Is the only difference between them and me (us) simply  the environment and today's education?  Has anyone else considered this?

Oh, I absolutely considered it.  In fact it was the primary reason why I struggled with the decision to transition.  I wondered whether I was really 'trans enough' to transition if I didn't have the 'guts and voice' to express my feelings at a young age (even though like you I had these feelings since age ~5).

Quote from: staciM on February 07, 2017, 03:07:41 PM
I watched the show last evening with my wife and son, we thought it was an excellent overview of a very deep and complex topic.  Lots of good dialogue came out between the three of us.

However, stories of very young trans people always make me think about my own and other later in life transitioners.  As with the young trans kids, and a common story with others on here, I also had those feelings at a young age (~5).  However, I wasn't given any rope in my particular environment to express it, and at that time (mid 70's) there was no good information.  Also, as one of the trans girls put it ....she had the "guts and voice" to express it.  For me, the only answer at the time was hide it with military precision and bury it the best I could.  Is the only difference between them and me (us) simply  the environment and today's education?  Has anyone else considered this?   And the children will show us the way....

Another thing that I wonder about is sexuality.  "Most" early transitioners identify as straight....however could that be because they were allowed to grow up expressing their proper identity socially and were exposed to the correct hormones before primary puberty?   Many late trans people identify as gay or bi.  Would we be more likely to be straight if we transitioned as kids?  I realize the contemporary thinking is that gender and sexuality aren't linked, but I always wonder if there's more to the story than that.

Thoughts?

Yes, I agree that this was an excellent documentary and was triggering for me throughout the show.  So much pain and work to overcome those obstacles in our way!  More than what it felt like to me is the outstanding and expansive reach of this print and television media to share a humane look at our reality.  Bravo National Geographic, science rocks!

We have had a number of threads asking questions or wondering 'what if I transitioned as a child or teen'?  Renee Richards had major struggles in 1975 and had to disappear.  I did express myself as a kid in the 1950s and considering that there was zero professional assistance or general knowledge about us, i was simply dismissed and told to deal with it.  I attempted a transition in the early 90s too.  Another exercise in futility for me as i found no mentors or professional assistance then either.  I grew up in a family of 15 and had plenty of opportunities to see how my sisters were then so restricted with much fewer options than i experienced.  We can imagine all we want but that won't change where we are today and regrets are a downer I won't dwell in long.  SO yes the big difference IMO is education and awareness that allows us to demand our freedom to be ourselves and step out of the shadows as so many people have done before us.

Sexual orientation was also once thought to be immutable but there are more than a few who would question that as they allow themselves the freedom to explore and transition.  What I do not question is the significance of transitioning early and freely and the multitude of benefits it can bring.

Quote from: JessicaSondelli on February 06, 2017, 10:20:39 PM
This was in my opinion the best ever aired gender related documentary I've seen. It actually made me proud to be part of the community.


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Totally feel the same! Loved it.

As a child I was caught expressing myself and treated. I dearly wish I had been in the modern environment, without the learned fear of being myself or the threat of treatment to "fix" me.

I'm an old MtF, oriented strongly toward females. I suspect a big part of that orientation is conditioned homophobia (Nothing like a religious upbringing,eh?)

In considering my feelings, even if I find a man to be handsome, the idea of the actual act with THAT involved is repulsive to me.  Like I said, conditioned homophobia. It extends even to certain accessories with another woman.

I don't know if I could ever be cured of this on my remaining lifetime.

I suspect I'll be celibate. Just me and the cats [emoji192]. But, I'll be myself, and that will be wonderful.

For the children with accepting parents, I hope life will be wonderful. For the others, I will do my damndest to make sure they never have to go through what my generation did.


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Quote from: Michelle_P on February 07, 2017, 06:07:18 PM
I'm an old MtF, oriented strongly toward females. I suspect a big part of that orientation is conditioned homophobia

In considering my feelings, even if I find a man to be handsome, the idea of the actual act with THAT involved is repulsive to me.  Like I said, conditioned homophobia. It extends even to certain accessories with another woman.

I suspect I'll be celibate. Just me and the cats [emoji192]. But, I'll be myself, and that will be wonderful.

  Michelle,
   Your post resonates with me due to you and I being of simuliar age. That universal binary upbringing With all it's taboos on straying outside of the "norm". With it came the guilt and shame when you did stray. It was bad enough having to be secretive and hide my youthful explorations into to the forbidden realm of  the female. With 5 sisters at home the opportunities were many and the guilt exacted a high price. Still I persisted.

   I too was a product of conditioned homophobia. Unlike you I differ in that I do not find any man attractive though I do imagine myself in the female role receiving the gratification a woman would recieve from her male lover. My would be lovers are all faceless and anonymous. I only desire the sexual fulfillment any woman desires.
   
My homophobia also extends to women. In retrospect I was never aggressive in the pursuit of girls and women. I wanted to be around them but as an equal. I was never one to treat a girl or woman as a sexual conquest. Probably because I held them in high esteam and treated them with respect. I believe this is why I have never  had intercourse with any woman but my ex with one exception. I did indulge one time as a young sailor with a hooker as a lark in the same as another sailor and his chosen partner. Curiosity won out.

  Like you Michelle, I too think I shall remain celibate in my old age. What's a few more year tacked onto the more than 20 since life with my wife ended. Like you, if I can go through with transitioning and thereby let my hiden self live for the few years I have left I believe I can me at peace with myself. It may cost me everything I hold dear but I will be her at last.

    Jeanette

PS I like cats too 

Quote from: Michelle_P on February 07, 2017, 06:07:18 PM
I'm an old MtF, oriented strongly toward females. I suspect a big part of that orientation is conditioned homophobia (Nothing like a religious upbringing,eh?)

I was at a support group meeting, and one of the women who'd recently had SRS was saying that she was interested in penises now, but wasn't interested in being intimate with a man.  That sort of expresses how I feel these days (for me, SRS is probably a year a way, if not more.)  A woman with a penis would be fine.  (And there's always strap-ons.)

For me, it's less homophobia than an intense wariness of (cis) men.  My experience of masculinity and of being in male groups was so awful (traumatic, even), that I simply don't feel safe around men.  I say "cis men," because I've gotten to know a number of trans men who don't exhibit whatever it is that triggers my alarms.

For that matter, I've had gay trans men say they're afraid of men, because they're aware of how often apparently non-violent men can suddenly turn violent if they feel their masculinity is threatened.  (And you never know what they'll see as a thread to their masculinity.)

Quote from: Michelle_P on February 07, 2017, 06:07:18 PM
I suspect I'll be celibate. Just me and the cats [emoji192]. But, I'll be myself, and that will be wonderful.

When I separated from my wife, I remember walking out the door of my apartment and thinking, I'd rather be celebate for the rest of my life than go through what I went through in my marriage.

Quote from: Michelle_P on February 07, 2017, 06:07:18 PM
For the children with accepting parents, I hope life will be wonderful. For the others, I will do my damndest to make sure they never have to go through what my generation did.

Word.

And not just around transness.  Children push all my protectiveness buttons.