Hi Everyone,

Did you all find that once you had decided that you wanted to transition, that you had become obsessed with surfing the net for as much info as possible on transexualism. Well, I have read just about everything on TS and realise my story is the same as thousands. I feel this way I'm preparing myself for transition and it also helps me feel closer to people like me.

Well, if you have read enough you ought to also have a few thousand stories that are not like you.  Helps to get a range of expectations and possibilities. 

And the nets, just like the time honored libraries that came before have one huge thing in common - they have lots, and lots, and lots of information, a small amount of that information is true, and a subset of that information is actually helpful.

But it is nice to have a guide and get some idea of what's coming, and knowing what is rolling up on you, it might make it easier to prepare.

Yah you both have good points. But yes it is good to know that there are people out there who have similar stories.

Yeah. I'm naturally overcautious, so I pretty much razed the entire internet before I finally decided I had been right in the first place, that I was transsexual.

Although I came across a few personal stories that made me hesitate (for about a day), on the whole it made me much more sure of myself and what I wanted to do.

All the research helped me put form to my feelings and wants. I shudder to think how I would have ended up if the internet wasn't around. It must have been hard for some of the trans folk from way before this era.

I'm an information addict! If I decide to build a gingerbread house I spend 30 hours finding the best recipe before I even go shopping for ingredients..
Ofcourse that meant that as soon as I decided that "yes, I will acctually do something about this" the googling began. As there are new developments, new news, and all that jazz, I dig through google at least monthly still.

It doesn't get any better once you're done and dusted either!

Three decades and more on - I'm still fascinated to be finding out things I didn't know.

I am fairly obsessed with it. I even setup Google Alerts. :-)

Quote from: Davina on December 04, 2009, 08:56:36 AM
Hi Everyone,

Did you all find that once you had decided that you wanted to transition, that you had become obsessed with surfing the net for as much info as possible on transexualism. Well, I have read just about everything on TS and realise my story is the same as thousands. I feel this way I'm preparing myself for transition and it also helps me feel closer to people like me.

*adds another tally to this trans generation* (if my assumptions were correct.. And you're younger... If not then disregard that comment)

eevn today itsd impossible to find written information about transsexualism in any public library and the papers are full of negative stories so that surfing the internet is the only way to find up to date info.

I'm 39 now and If I had easier access to information on transexualism when I was in my mid 20's I do believe I would have transitioned by now. I regret not having transitioned when I wanted to a few years ago. I dont want to miss out any longer being my true self.

Quote from: lilacwoman on December 05, 2009, 03:58:52 AM
eevn today itsd impossible to find written information about transsexualism in any public library and the papers are full of negative stories so that surfing the internet is the only way to find up to date info.

Its the only truly neutral sea of sources.... At least until Comcast rapes it.

Quote from: Davina on December 04, 2009, 08:56:36 AM
Hi Everyone,

Did you all find that once you had decided that you wanted to transition, that you had become obsessed with surfing the net for as much info as possible on transexualism. Well, I have read just about everything on TS and realise my story is the same as thousands. I feel this way I'm preparing myself for transition and it also helps me feel closer to people like me.

Your lucky, when I started out on my journey the internet didn't exist!

Its the only truly neutral sea of sources

It's far from neutral.  It may be more or less objective (or more or less subjective, and in fact, most of the trans stuff out there is subjective, not objective), but its not, and never is, neutral.  Just for one example, Google puts up GIS in an order largely determined by hits - in other words, its a popularity contest, and popularity contests are never neutral.

Quote from: tekla on December 05, 2009, 03:03:58 PM
Its the only truly neutral sea of sources

It's far from neutral.  It may be more or less objective (or more or less subjective, and in fact, most of the trans stuff out there is subjective, not objective), but its not, and never is, neutral.  Just for one example, Google puts up GIS in an order largely determined by hits - in other words, its a popularity contest, and popularity contests are never neutral.

So would you consider google synonymous with internets now Tek?


You might be right, thats a sad thing indeed.

I should just make my own effing browser...


But on the other hand thats not the data itself, its how the data is being presented. Its like the ocean can have a calm, nice wave or a superflood (Which I guess could be the popularity thing?)

Or how one is diving into the data. The popularity thing is a valid argument, but relatively speaking, I can't think of any cleaner sources of data than the internet...

At least blatantly?

Quote from: Davina on December 04, 2009, 08:56:36 AM
Hi Everyone,

Did you all find that once you had decided that you wanted to transition, that you had become obsessed with surfing the net for as much info as possible on transexualism. Well, I have read just about everything on TS and realise my story is the same as thousands. I feel this way I'm preparing myself for transition and it also helps me feel closer to people like me.

I totally agree Davina.

I am still on a quest and I think it's a perfectly natural human curiosity. For me it's a way of discovering, after all these years I actually fit somewhere. I'm not a closet freak like I thought I was after all and its a very satisfying relief and weight off the shoulders. The other saying that "knowledge is power" also comes in here. For me, the more I can glean from the net (trying to filter some of the inevitable disinformation of course) the more I can make an informed choice about what to do and what counseling to seek etc.

Alexie

Throughout my battle with the whole thing, computers didn't even exist (well, they DID but they filled a whole room and were rare) and finding ANYTHING in writing was a major chore, like requesting copies of medical journals or reports through the town library. It wasn't until D.r Benjamin's book in 1966 that various bits of information began showing up in publications that were easier to ferret out.

Now, three and a half decades after the fact, my research interests are much more along the line of the possible causes of 'primary transsexualism' (i.e. its manifestation in the very young), an area muddied by 'political correctness' and 'equality dogma' that says we are "all created equal" and that gender is a "social construct". 

forget 'primary transsexualism' - if you are genuininely transsexual then its been with you since you first noticed other people had toys, clothes, decor different to yours.
I don't believe in 'secondary' or 'late onset' except in TGs.

Quote from: lilacwoman on December 06, 2009, 01:37:52 PM
forget 'primary transsexualism' - if you are genuininely transsexual then its been with you since you first noticed other people had toys, clothes, decor different to yours.
I don't believe in 'secondary' or 'late onset' except in TGs.

With all due respect, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. I do feel however this is a very complexed issue and although luckily for someone like yourself it is quite obvious, it is definitely not the case for all of us. In my case, probably a bit like you my feelings and identity were very female at an early age, but through a little bit of social engineering and trying to fit in I tried (until now) to ignore it a "be a man". There are definitely others that legitimately only realise there true gender late in life and weren't aware of this turmoil in childhood. They too have every right to be a part of the sister/brotherhood and be on this forum. After all, tolerance, compassion and understanding is something that we, more than most, should hold dear to our hearts.

The one thing I have learned is that on first reading about GID I was amazed at all the similarities and I wasn't alone in this. However on closer examination and understanding I realize how many slight variations to what makes us what we are, exist. It's never black and white.

Long live the rainbow 

Alexie

If i knew 25 years ago HALF what i know now (or if indeed, if what is known now was known then by anyone) my situation would be much less complex today (or at least, complex in entirely different ways lol)

Quote from: lilacwoman on December 06, 2009, 01:37:52 PM
forget 'primary transsexualism' - if you are genuininely transsexual then its been with you since you first noticed other people had toys, clothes, decor different to yours.
I don't believe in 'secondary' or 'late onset' except in TGs.

Meh, I disagree. I don't think I'm a "fake transsexual" since it didn't really bother me until puberty. But we're all entitled to our opinions.