Hi Everyone The following is from a thread called
Did you ever question WHY you are transgender?, where I add more detail about what happened to me in this area.
IntroductionI'm not transgender, never have been and never will be. Why?
I have always been a female. I found this out when I joined Susan's in 2010 at the age of 51.
For just over 20 years I was living my life without realizing that I was female. Yes it is ironic, there I was working and living as female and I really did not know that I was female if that makes sense. Yes when I had to fill in forms during that period I tick the sex or gender box as female and that was the extent of my knowledge of being female.
I grew up never knowing who I truly was. The only stark thing that really stood out was I wanted to be a female and thoughts that aligned with being female. I changed my life around in February 1989, because I wanted to live my life as a female and I guess subconsciously I wanted my body to truly reflect who I was without realizing what I was doing.
Nothing I did in regards to this ever caused me distress or any dysphoria of any kind. In addition I chose privacy over public declaration of who I was and have always remained true to that aspect of my life.
I was on Susan's 15 years ago and I was working on the Wiki and papers or biological discussion were mentioned in how the brain was being affected. I read that the research often pointed to the way hormones in the womb might condition the brain to develop in a way that does not necessarily match the body. Whether it is a gene switch or a resistance to testosterone, this confirms that nature is responsible. I never asked myself 'why' because there is nothing that can be done about it and I like my life unconditionally.
Transgender as a LabelThe term "transgender" is a label used to describe individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. It is not a medical condition but rather a self defined term reflecting personal and social understanding of gender identity [1][3].
The term "transgender" emerged in the mid 20th century and gained prominence in the 1990s as a broad, inclusive label for diverse gender experiences. According to Stryker (2008) it evolved as a political and social term to unify various gender identities under one umbrella [2]. Historical and cultural shifts significantly influenced the term's adoption, broadening its application over time to encompass diverse gender experiences.
However, during the 1970s and 1980s "transgender" was not in widespread use and notable individuals like Renée Richards and Jan Morris did not describe their experiences using this label [5][6]. Instead they framed their actions as personal and medical rather than aligning with emerging identity based terms.
The term "transgender" has faced criticisms as a universal descriptor due to its limitations. Valentine (2007) argues that the term's broadness and inconsistencies often fail to capture the nuanced experiences of those it seeks to describe [6] and similarly Stryker (2008) emphasizes that "transgender" has evolved more as a political and social category than a universal or definitive term for all individuals experiencing gender incongruence [2].
This diversity of perspectives underscores that rejecting the label "transgender" does not invalidate someone's experiences of GD or GID. It highlights the need for autonomy in navigating identity labels and addressing medical or psychological experiences.
Labels can become tools for belittling individuals by reducing complex identities to a single, superficial trait. Just as derogatory nicknames like; "4 eyes", "carrot top" or "sissy", were once used to demean someone based solely on appearance, the "trans" label or variations can sometimes be deployed in a similar way to simplify and undermine a person's full identity.
Gender Dysphoria as a Medical ConditionGender Dysphoria is a clinical diagnosis defined by psychological distress resulting from a mismatch between one's gender identity and biological sex. It is recognized as a medical condition in frameworks such as the DSM-5 and the WPATH Standards of Care [1][3].
Earlier frameworks, such as the DSM-IV, referred to Gender Identity Disorder (GID) emphasizing the clinical aspects of distress without associating it with identity labels. The DSM-5 later transitioned to GD aiming to reduce stigma while maintaining medical recognition of distress [3].
The medicalization of GD underscores its distinction from labels like "transgender." GD focuses on the psychological and emotional impacts of gender incongruence while "transgender" remains a self defined term reflecting personal identity and social understanding [1][4].
Research by Swaab and colleagues (2002) has shown that the human brain undergoes sexual differentiation in ways that may not always align perfectly with external genitalia [7]. Work by Bao and Swaab (2011) further supports the idea that prenatal hormone exposure plays a pivotal role in this process [8]. Similarly, research by Scott Kerlin, as cited on grad-mentor (website), supports the view that prenatal exposure to synthetic hormones such as DES may significantly influence brain development and contribute to gender incongruence [9].
My Personal JourneyI have never embraced the transgender label because my identity has always been clear. When I joined Susan's and I realised I have always been female. The question remained as to why and how this "happened to me". The how is generally explained along the lines as Lori mentioned. As to the why aspect, it is just how things eventuate. In other words nature played its hand, no matter how it occurred. Kathy also mentions the external influence of DES.
I asked my mum twice about this particular issue, but she said it was not DES, but she said that she took the thalidomide drug. Which in a sense does not make sense to me unless I research this issue further. However no matter what caused my condition, I don't care. As the saying goes "a female brain in male body" comes to mind.
In the 1980s I sometimes longed to be seen as female and read an article in a men's magazine that showed a man transferring over five figures into a female outline. At the time I did not fully understand the term "transsexual" nor did I experience any dysphoria. I grew up without the label "transgender" surrounding my life and without the confusion of too many definitions. I simply wanted to be a woman.
In February 1989 I changed my life around, because I wanted to live my life as a female and I guess subconsciously I wanted my body to truly reflect who I was without realizing what I was doing.
Nothing I did in regards to this ever caused me distress or any dysphoria.
Two years later I underwent surgery to align my body with what it should be in my mind "a female". This being the classical definition of being a "Transsexual" I never questioned what I was doing. My decision was never driven by a need to fulfil a label but rather by the simple desire to live my life as me.
I never really questioned why I was the way I am. The research simply confirms that nature is responsible and I know there is nothing I can do about it. Not that I want to change anything about me, I'm happy as I am. I live my life as me unconditionally with out any labels. Every part of my journey simply fits together as it was meant to be.
I continue to support community efforts behind the scenes through my involvement with Susan's Place and through teaching. My personal privacy is paramount in regards to my medical condition and I respect those who choose public visibility. But for me the label "transgender" remains irrelevant to my life.
ConclusionThe terms and debates surrounding labels do not affect my personal experience and I only use "trans" terms when I'm discussing those issues on Susan's and nowhere else. I live my life quietly in a binary world as a female. That has always been the case, will always be and that is all there is to it.
Bibliography[1] American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
[2] Stryker, S. (2008). Transgender History. Berkeley CA: Seal Press
[3] World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) (2011). Standards of Care Version 7
[4] Davy, Z., et al. (2018). "The gender dysphoria diagnosis and its implications for transgender health care." International Journal of Transgender...
[5] Feinberg, L. (1996). Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman
[6] Valentine, D. (2007). Imagining Transgender: An Ethnography of a Category
[7] Swaab, D.F., Fliers, E., & Partiman, T.S. (2002). Sexual differentiation of the human brain: Relating structure to function. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 985, 68-84.
[8] Bao, A.-M. & Swaab, D.F. (2011). Sexual differentiation of the human brain: Relation to gender identity and transgender phenomena. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 32(2), 214-226.
[9] Kerlin, S. (n.d.). [DES Research]. Retrieved from
https://grad-mentor.com/des-research/ Best Wishes AlwaysSarah BGlobal Moderator
