What do you think about Gender Identity Disorder?

If you know what it means, good for you.
If not, look up the info and read about it on here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_identity_disorder and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexualism

inb4 wikipedia is bad source
inb4 op can't inb4

cough.

Anyways, I personally think that if somebody feels as if they were placed in the wrong body, then they have full rights to transition over and everything so they become who they want to be. Why should somebody be forced to live in a body they're not comfortable with all their lives?

This thread was not created due to any influence based on other users, but instead to hear the personal opinions of other users.

Warning: Do not turn this into a flame fest or LBGT bash thread. You will be reported if so happens.

I agree and disagree. I mean transgenders..they horrify me. They aren't bad people, and they're doing what feels right, but I mean the thought of the person you're "Loving" is the same sex as you are just standing behind a mask? It's kind of scary in my opinion.

Are you in the situation right now op?

Well, everybody deserves to be happy, but sex change is expensive so not many actually get that opportunity. It is basically someone who is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Everybody is dealt a different hand in life, so do the best with the cards you have and try your best to live a happy life. This is much easier said than done, but know that you are not alone and there are others who are in a similar situation as you, and that there is always somebody who has it worse than you...


I'm not really sure how to respond, so this is the best I could do. Best of luck to those who find themselves in an identity crisis. Do what makes you happy.

bobq : You actually can't change your sex since that's biological, however, gender - which is a social phenomena - reassignment is what is actually done.

I feel like social norms and expectations for each gender can feel too restricting for many people. I'm sure the majority of people keep something about themselves hidden because their interests or habits don't align with the gender expectations. The first thing that comes to mind is MLP. See? There's such a stigma about it that I chose to use the acronym rather than spell out the title of the show. I'm really not that insecure (MY LITTLE PONY, see?) but I feel that the point has been made.

"The pursuit of happiness" is one of our God-given rights. If someone feels the need to change their gender to their own liking to be happy, who are we to stop them? Heck, it's a promise in the Declaration of Independence.

Wow, no offense to anyone in this thread, but evolution really screwed up.

IMO, you have a penis - you are a male; you have a vagina - you are a female.

Since there are a few who find agreement with a previous post offensive, I have edited my response for those sensitive to certain key words which express agreement.  This is MY opinion. It's not an assault on anyone, just like all the opposing opinions above mine were not insults or assaults on me.

tRIUNE:  *applause*

Oh, and *more applause*

My opinion:

People born with certain parts, are part of the population known as the gender associated with that part.
(In other words:  If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it's a duck.  Boy parts = boy.  Girl parts = girl)

Singelli : Care to practice what you preach and give us your reasons for your position?

tRIUNE : I'd like to hear yours as well.

Everyone else so far has given detailed and fairly rational responses to the issue, so I think it would be good to have the opposing side present more than simple maxims and affirmations and instead address the points people have brought up.

tRIUNE :
Singelli : Y'know, for Christians who take it pretty badly when people are close minded and insensitive about your beliefs, those were probably the most insensitive replies I have ever seen towards this topic.

Just saying.

(Far more insensitive with Singelli's reply in my opinion, really)

Q : I'm not opposing anything, I agave /my/ rational response.

:/

And I agreed with it.  Because his response is also rational to me.

And Mega, you'd be offended if I said the sky was blue.  Applause is not insensitive.  It meant I agreed with his logic.

As for you question Q, I have absolutely no problem providing my reasoning.  ^.^  It's quite lengthy though, so can you remind me to do it this weekend?  Grades are due on Thursday and I've got about a foot high stack in front of me, currently speaking. Also, I'd like to make sure it's okay with two people, since two people on this board have reason to take issue with what I might post.

I have accepted this thought process over the years, but I will say that when it happens close to you, it can throw you for a bit of a loop.

I was best friends with a guy for a long time. He used to tell me he rather be female, but was afraid of being made fun of or criticized. I do not recall telling or advising him anything back then, but simply saying it might be a bit of an adjustment, but I would not make fun of him for doing something he needed to do to be happy. We later had an unrelated falling out over something and lost touch for a few years.

Two summers ago, we reconnected, except he had started making the transition to female. To be honest, it shocked me so much that I could not go up to HER (as she would want to be called now) when I first recognized her. I wanted to but it felt very awkward... part of it had to do with the falling out, but most of it was the shock of the change. It took another friend to help break the ice, and as soon as it was broken, it was like I never lost touch with her. We still have a bit of a barrier between us as she is interested in different things, but we keep in touch.

Also, after a few surgeries, she has really blossomed into a beautiful woman. Feels weird to say and recognize that considering she was a guy at one point, but it is true. She still is a friend, changing herself so drastically does not change that.

That said, I can not say I would date her (nor would she date me cause she prefers girls mostly).

tRIUNE : When you open your argument with "wow, evolution really screwed up," I think it's pretty clear that you disagree with what was said in here, even if you didn't mean any offense by it.

Your reason is fine (even though I disagree with it), but it doesn't address any of the points anyone made in this thread, and it really should be clarified.


For example, if someone with a penis had a sex change operation to get a vagina, then that person would fit your criteria for being a woman. Is that really what you believe in?

If not, and you mean that what you're born with defines your sex, then what about the people who are born with both or neither? If, for example, somebody with a male body that functions as a male member of society didn't happen to be born with something that could be strictly defined as male genitalia, is that person still male?

If not, then what is he? If so, then how is he different from a somebody born with a vagina functioning in society as a man?


If it truly is a rational position, then you should be able to explain it and justify it.


Singelli : Fair enough. I'm looking forward to it.

Q : This thread was never about a person who had both genitalia - that,s a different subject that I ca reply to.

My 'confusion' about this is you are born with a penis - well, evolution screwed up because it should have gave you a vagina.

The misconception among some of the posters here stem from a misconception directly relating to the ideal of gender binary. It comes from the ye olde days when every man was a working man and every woman was a maid at home doing household related chores. "Get back in the kitchen!" Johnny would say, "Why do you want to vote anyways?"

The concept that we must separate our society into two distinctly different roles divides us among each other and brings conflict where there should be none. Albeit it's not common etiquette to source fiction in your argument, I believe that the episode "Neutopia" of the TV show Futurama can argue my point volumes better than I ever could. This episode in particular gives an outer view of the insanity of humanity's insistence of gender separation.

By saying that it is "incorrect" to not be the gender that you feel is right is like attempting to give a point where none is due. Before you cock your head and go "whaaat," yes, I did indeed just state that gender is pointless. Beyond sexual connotations and slight physical differences, there is no reason to separate male and female. Must I point to flowers and various animals to illustrate my point better? Many, many creatures (of which humans only are a chromosome or two off of) have both parts of the reproductive system. Because of this, it is completely irrational to state that genders are absolute when the concept of gender separation is so rare beyond a select few species.

I hope that clears up some of your guys' misconceptions.

If you can become a christian why can't someone with a penis become a woman?

Everyone one earth transitions into something, babies into adults, children into teenagers, dumb student into business owner, caves into houses, monkey into man and penis into vagina.

I doubt God even looks remotely human or represents any sort of gender, god is probably just an energy mass like the sun. That would be the scientific outlook of it all. If you want to talk genders then the next step to any sort of God must be transgender or genderless. If God is almighty it cannot represent one specific gender for it would need a female counter part much like Mary to even exist and reproduce. So before you think being transgender is wrong think again, God is most likely one.

tRIUNE :
Being born with the wrong genitalia isnt evolution, evolution is a gradual change over generations, whereas this is a biological mistake, either where the body has been incorrectly assigned(fetuses are female, hormones make it male, hence why men have nipples), or a mental condition whereby you simply dont like what youre born with.
Either argument still warrants the choice of the effected as to what to do, there body.
But going with blaming evolution you can just as easily go, why did god give that woman a penis?
Megarevolution:
"for christians"
Slam dunk. Shoots and scores.
Reusen:
That was a very mature outlook, im impressed.

People have every right to do what they want with there body.
Im not as mature as id like to be on the subject because iv never actualy met someone in that position, so its an alien concept to me.
I cant see any logical reason to punish or impede them.
Personaly id be interested to find out if they are born the wrong gender or its there state of mind. But thats half empty or half full, not really important but interesting.
If they figured it out maybe theyd find the similarity in gay people, it'd be good if they proved it was mental and not a choice so that they could shut up the loudmouths.
Except facts dont stop people like that I guess.
Its hypocrisy has made me smile anyway, i could predict word for word some of what was said here.
the_casualty :
While there is no need to split geners, religion disagrees. And the world is, *ahem "united" by many religious concepts.

I guess my generic view on this and most things in life is... If it will make you happy do it... As long as it doesn't harm anyone else.. 

people will obviously oppose this but that's just natural.. As people will think that a man becoming a woman and a woman becoming a man is "unnatural"

Personally it doesn't bother me.... There's so much freedom to do what you want these days.. It's like Gay people... About 40 to 50 years ago it was frowned upon by the majority of people... These days it's generally accepted by most people..  When culture changes the people will also change... Whose to say in about 40-50 years. That this subject won't be frowned upon anymore...

Either way people should be accepted for who they are personality wise... Anything that is physical should not change a persons view on who they are... 

If any of this didn't make sense (it's probably likely) just summon me...

I feel bad (read: sympathetic) for anyone who struggles with their sexual or gender identity. Just because you believe something feels right, does not mean it is. Just as much, this goes for people who don't have any problems with their identity. I won't get into details but some of you do know that I sound hypocritical with these statements, and acknowledge my own hypocrisy. Just because I feel inclined to doing certain actions does not mean I have a right to follow through with those feelings.

So where to we draw the line between male/female - masculine/feminine? Some of you obviously believe there shouldn't be a line drawn. I disagree. Sure there was a huge divide in the past, which has blurred a lot recently, but even now I still have heard reasons to separate the roles of men and women. This mostly is in the church where a woman cannot preach to a congregation nor can she be a member of the church's elders.

What about in the non-religious portions of society? I believe in the importance of having a man and a woman raise a family. Who goes to work and who stays home can be up to them.

Singelli : Just a late reminder, you never ended up telling your explained reasoning with the topic, Nya~