I loved this explanation so much, I thought I would post it, with approval of the Princess of this thread,
This is Alaina from this episode of the Tyra show. I just want to say thank you for everyone's comments on this very interesting yet controversial topic. I appreciate all the sweet comments and well-wishes from you all. It takes a great deal of courage, conviction, and determination to go through the entire transition process and even more so to appear on the Tyra show to tell my story to the entire world. It does put myself out there...mainly with the hope to inspire those struggling with the same affliction of being transgender but also to educate those who are blissfully unaware of the struggles of being transgender. Furthermore, I realize that it puts me in a vulnerable place in which I can be judged by others, but I have to realize that that is okay. That is definitely something that I considered before ever doing the show.
Judgment, criticisms, and prejudice are all things that we transgender individuals have to face every day of our lives, and hopefully that is something from which we can learn and simply grow stronger. I don't reject any kind of the criticism or judgment from people stating what they perceive as a conflict with being transgender and their belief in God. I consider myself a Christian, and I have dealt with this inner turmoil, conflict, and struggle for all my life and have had daily reflections, meditations, prayer, conversations with God, copious amounts of research, volumes of reading, therapy regarding the subject matter of transgender, human sexuality, faith, human growth and development, and the study of how the mind works. Many people who cast their judgment, their opinions, and quite frankly lack of knowledge or dedication to this subject haven't spent the amount of time, thought, and energy as someone, such as myself, who has LIVED this experience. Their experience with the subject of transgender is simply a "passing thought" and further more it is simply an occasional and uneducated engagement of the subject. They have never walked a mile in MY SHOES. It is so easy to pass judgment or to give criticism on a topic that hasn't ever been an issue for that person. People who judge on this issue have never had to deal with their own gender identity. They have always felt comfortable with their own gender. That is something that most people take for granted. Each breathe we take on this earth is something that we take for granted. We don't think about it and subsequently we are rarely that grateful for it, because it is just something that was granted to us.
If you have never spent hours of every day of your life wondering why you have the mental faculties of girl but have the physical attributes of boy, then you don't know what it is like to be transgender. No. God doesn't make mistakes. Everything happens for a reason. It is apparent that sometimes it is God's intention to create individuals whose inner mindset does not coincide with their outward gender. That is a FACT. There are MANY people who have this dilemma and it is easily proven that they have had these feelings, these traits, these attributes, since their earliest memories. It's not like these feelings, emotions, and INSTINCTS were SINFULLY placed there by that individual or even the DEVIL...as proclaimed by some uneducated individuals. These are simply the innate behavioral instincts given to that person...whether you want to call it genetics, traits given from God, or both. It doesn't matter what people claim that the source is. The fact is that this is how some individuals are from birth. So, with that said, YES, sometimes that is how we are WIRED...how we were created. So, if that is how God created us and God has allowed us to take actions to do things that make us happier and healthier in our own mindset in a very disciplined and therapeutic manner, then by all means we should take the steps and actions that help us to reach a higher level of mental health and happiness.
The fact of the matter is that being transgender is not a conflict spiritually, it is simply perceived as a conflict culturally. I could use the same argument that if God had intended for woman to have smooth legs, then he would have created women with smooth legs...and for women to shave their legs is not in accordance with the teachings of God. Why do some people circumcise little boys at birth? That is an alternation to the body. If the body was already perfect, then why do this? The answer is that it is cultural and seen as a medical procedure with many benefits. Many people have differing opinions on it, but it doesn't mean that either side of this argument is closer to God because of their opinion The are NUMEROUS analogies that I could make that relate to being transgender. The fact that someone wants to go through a gender reassignment process does not hurt or inconvenience anybody else in society. That is a choice for that individual alone. I believe in a God who loves us and wants the best of us all. I believe in a God who wants us all to learn from each other and to embrace our differences as wealth of diversity and ways of learning...not a way to divide us and to judge each other.
Yes, now my outward appearance is female. And, yes, I will never be able to change who I am on the inside as one of the people commented on this site. But that person just contradicted themselves, because I have ALWAYS and ALWAYS will be a WOMAN on the inside. Now, my outward appearance coincides with my INSIDE, and that is completely female. For all this, I am tremendously grateful. I am so thankful to God for being able to embark on this journey of self discovery and being able to find peace, happiness, and freedom. I am extremely thankful for the advances of modern science, the love and acceptance from friends and family, and from the amazing lessons I have learned in life through this very challenging struggle. I hope that people will continue to learn from transgender individuals and that they will become more aware that this is not something that people can control, but it is something that individuals can attempt to remedy and to make better for themselves. Even though others may not understand or agree with the whole transgender process, I hope that they can attempt to learn more about it without criticism or judgment and to still love and embrace transgender individuals who wanted to be treated equally and fairly in society.
Best Wishes to All
Mickie
