She said as much herself -- see http://transsexual.org/wordoncogiati.html

She didn't intend it as a diagnostic tool -- but I gather she intended it to inspire the creation of a better tool -- or at the very least, to spark discussion about the process of diagnosis:

QuoteThe COGIATI is a challenge to the scientific and medical community to follow my example, and do a better job than I.

I guess in that sense she failed -- the GID diagnosis is still very subjective -- the options are self-diagnosis and the wildly varying criteria of gender psychologists.

Thanks Alyssa for that link http://transsexual.org/wordoncogiati.html
If nothing else maybe it teaches people to do a little more research before spouting off about just why there are stereotypes and psychological differences in how the female and male brain works and how both can compliment each other to work harmoniously. That would make for so much of a better world to live in.

Cindy

Quote from: Alyssa M. on December 31, 2008, 07:16:31 PM

Quote from: Starbuck on December 31, 2008, 02:21:03 PM

Quote from: Rene' aka candygirl on December 31, 2008, 12:36:54 PM
Do Not self diagnose or self medicate. Way to much bunkum and misinformation is swirling around out there...Don't be taken in by any of it.

Im afraid that is the voice of someone with the option and of treatment talking.... You  got treatment... you can say that... for some of us... it was our only option... our only way of survival...

Agreed. I'd add that I don't really believe there's anything better out there than self-diagnosis. That is, it would be great if we could all see qualified gender therapists, but the qualifications that make a therapist qualified are rather vague. I trust my therapist -- she has a lot of experience with trans issues -- but I hear so many people who have problems with theirs. When I read the DSM standard for GID, it is hardly different than self-diagnosis anyway.

That was a big part of the reason that Reitz wrote the cogiati -- because there isn't any good diagnostic method other than self-diagnosis.

~Alyssa

I agree with this. Self-diagnosis is the best of tools in determining which path one must take. If not then you have those wackos who, after having SRS, go out and spit fire that their thereapist and the community made them do it. Puh-leeze.
I didn't agree with the stereotypical view of the COGIATI myself either, but it did add to my already strong suspicion that I was TS rather than merely TG.

OK, I finally got curious after reading numerous threads about it here and took the test. IMO, many of the questions are based on stereotypical views of being male or female. That said, I did my best to answer the questions honestly and accurately.

My results:

Your COGIATI result value is: 160 Which means that you fall within the following category:
COGIATI classification FOUR, PROBABLE TRANSSEXUAL
What this means is that the Combined Gender Identity And Transsexuality Inventory has classified your internal gender identity to be essentially feminine, but with some masculine or androgynous traits. It is very possible that you are a candidate for a diagnosis of transsexualism. You show a strong degree of gender dysphoria. At the very least, further investigation should be undertaken. Your COGIATI score places you among the majority of those diagnosed as transsexuals, the 'late onset' tanssexual.
SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTION:
Your situation is potentially serious and indicative of a probable inborn gender conflict. It is definitely recommended that you pursue further action.
The suggestions for your circumstance are several.

   1.
      It is recommended that you seek help from a sympathetic counselor or professional about your gender issues. It is very possible that over time they will become increasingly difficult to cope with. Early determination of what you really need and want is vital. You need to determine if you truly are transsexual. Keep in mind, thought, that many alternatives exist other than complete sexual transformation. Partial transformation and many other way of existing are available. While you are very possibly a transsexual, COGIATI has determined that this is not absolutely certain. While time is an issue, being certain is more important. Proceed with investigation of your possible transsexuality or ->-bleeped-<-, but with caution.
   2.
      Some actions may help you to define your needs more clearly. Experimenting with living full time as a woman, taking hormones for a short time under supervision, or taking testosterone suppressers to observe how you feel are all viable options. Keep in mind that while it is very likely that you might be a transsexual, it is not certain. Do not take severe or permanent actions without long thought and the help of counselors and professionals.
   3.
      Your gender issues are real, and should not be ignored. Neither should you rush into acting on them, however powerful they may feel. You do not fit the full criterion for the rarest classification, classic transsexuality, and so should be cautious, and open to possibilities. You may yet end up undergoing transition, and the path of the transsexual may well be your salvation. Be very careful, but do not ignore your issues.
   4.
      If you have not already, consider joining any of the thousands of groups devoted to gender expression of various kinds. There is literally a world of friends to discover who share your interests. There are also publications, vacations, and activities that would expand your gender expression.

I took the COGIATI years ago and I scored pretty high, in the "transsexual" range.  I knew it was just an online test and not anything you hang your hat on but still, when I saw the score, I cried.  I already knew I was TS but didn't want to even think about it because of all I'd lose. Once I saw the results I knew I was eventually going to have to face it and that I'd lose a lot if I decided I had to transition.

As I sat there crying my daughter came up to me and said, "What's wrong Daddy?"  I almost lost it because I knew I would soon disrupt her world and the world of my sons and nothing would ever be the same.

Today all three of my kids have chosen a life without me.  When I look back at that day I wonder what I would have done had I known what the final outcome would have been.

Julie

Hi Julie Marie, Do I know you? Wow you certainly a good looker. I quite agree with what you have said, I lost three kids but that was even before, several years before I started transitioning. I count myself fortunate that I did have the opportunity to touch base with my three kids before they left home to make their own lives.

Me it was all those years before I even knew what transsexuality was and even thought about transitioning was where my hell hole of a life took place. Transitioning was my salvation. The past 9 years have been my happiest, I wouldn't want to change anything, all was as it was supposed to be. Well the only thing I would change, is to be born with the right body to start with.

Cindy 

I took it about a year ago and ended up scoring high in TS range, but then again it was only out of curiositys sake as I already knew I was transsexual having been diagnosed 30 years ago and still turned away. I am a early childhood TS so these tests are just for fun for me. I do believe that one first looking into their transsexuality might be guided into seeking professional help and if for that, it has a useful purpose. Hugs

Wendy

I took it a long time ago knowing that I could modify my answers to get a higher score so with that in mind I tried to be as accurate as possible.  The score I got was just inside of the transsexual range.  After I had been on hormones for several years I re-took the test while being as accurate as possible however I scored significantly higher.

I feel that on some level I may have been shamed out of being as feminine as I might have been otherwise, certainly my mother did try to shame me into being more masculine along with dad wanting to make a man out of me.  But I also feel that as a biological organism, having estrogen in my body and cutting out the testosterone affected how I thought, felt and experienced life and myself.  I remember thinking how transition changed my sexual orientation to liking males and then later on I remembered how I had liked males when I was younger but being raised the way I was I had gone into denial.  Funny what life does to us.

My bf took the test for lulz; apparently he's androgynous.
Like hell he is!
Just shows that the test is ridiculously biased towards MtFs and makes no allowance for anyone else.

Like hell he is!

Ya never know.  Even plants have secret lives, so says Stevie Wonder.  People, often amaze me even more than plants do.

Its kinda amusing... i rated 'probable transsexual' Most likely late transitioner XD its not bias to m2f... its bias to Male crossdressers...

Funny how everyone seems to think its biased (as all such assessments are) but can't agree on what the bias is.

Well as 99% of the questions deal with dressing up 'as' a woman, sexual feeling, male feeling, and treat the testee as a crossdresser... isnt it safe to assume its bias towards CDs?

If one looks at each question a pattern will emerge.  Each answer can then be chosen to express an actual or desired profile thereby determining the test results.  It's like playing "Jeopardy."  Many answers are within the questions.

This test could easily be geared or converted to suit a F-M just by altering the gender of the question, and yes it was not set up for cross dressers, what so ever.

Cindy

Just took the test and scored 315 classification FOUR, PROBABLE TRANSSEXUAL...just one more indication that i should maybe talk to a therapist about my gender issues  .  It's not perfect but it is fun and maybe it can be built on and improved and become a useful tool in diagnosis. 

Quote from: tekla on December 30, 2008, 06:14:25 AM
It's an internet piece of junk.  It says nothing really.  You get the results you want.  Because everyone lies, even to them selves taking test like this.  There is NO predictive value in the results.

THANK YOU!  ..I took this crappy test over a year and a half ago when I was still pretty new to researching all this transgender stuff and trying to really figure out who I was exactly.. and I knew then how bad it was.  It basically just asks how much like a crappy stereotype of a woman are you? ..not that anyone who is like this stereotype is automatically crappy lol    ..I just mean that the stereotype is crap.

And yes, it's pretty obvious what answers will get you closer to the "female" score.  That's not to say that everyone lies to get the score they want.. but I'm sure there's a lot of that going on. 

My score was something like.. Androgyn.. and it said that I probably shouldn't transition.. err something pretty much like that. I can't remember exactly what it said.  Anyway, while I wasn't sure of my gender at the time, I answered truthfully, and I'm sure I'd probably still get the same result even though I now know my gender is female.

The answer the test gave me kind of made figuring myself out harder because even though I knew it was bogus.. it put a little more doubt in my mind about who I really was.  So I think this test can actually be harmful to some people.

The only thing it can predict with any accuracy is how much of a crossdresser are you?

I got 185 (probable ts)
Although I knew it is just a test for fun, I enjoyed being confirmed as a ts ...

It fitted pretty well where I am now (pre-op under androcur) but, if I wasn't so found of maths, I believe I would have scored higher as classis ts 

Francoise

Looks like my housemate is a closset F2M!

Shes doing her masters degree in math.... oh noes, Trend bucker!

Very interesting.  I took it for a lark.  And after taking it, I scored a 'Probable Transsexual 80% Female".  But I realized that there is a fix.   By reviewing the questions, one can easily choose the answer to lead to the desired result.

Test like these only lead people into trouble.

Janet