What are your thoughts on transgenders?

[Keelin]

So a couple people near where I live say some rather nasty comments about transgenders, but I want to know what EC thinks about us. Don't hold back, just say it.

[whatsnormal7]

I think that if someone feels like they were meant to be someone else and they have the means to go through a sex change then that is totally ok! It is just as ok as being lesbian, gay, straight, or anything else.

[-Michael-]

I find it terribly confusing how one can feel a woman and be a man.

Surely that just makes your a feminine male or a masculine women?
Only really deemed so due to societies connotations of what a man/woman should be....

Alas, I know and accept I'm quite inexperienced with transgendered but feel no different untoward than I do any other human.

[Keelin]

Originally Posted by -Michael-

I find it terribly confusing how one can feel a woman and be a man.

Surely that just makes your a feminine male or a masculine women?
Only really deemed so due to societies connotations of what a man/woman should be....

When your trans, it's like (to me at least) nothing about your body feels right. I can't stand male puberty and think it's gross. You hate your body, want to be the opposite sex.

Did that clear it up?

[Just Passing]

Though I find transgenderism difficult to understand, I can sympathise with everyone who has to go through the journey of discovering one's self. Plus, it's not my life, it's theirs.

[GhostDog]

My own, personal opinion? "Folks is folks; don't bother me none," basically.

I have a lot of admiration for transgender people who live their lives openly, as who they feel they ought to be. I know people who are totally, 100% okay with my gay-osity that furrow their brows and change the subject when it comes to transgender and transexual people. TG folks have a longer way to go than the rest of the queer community to gain even tolerance or equal rights, and I'm seriously impressed at the number who, in the face of that, still live as themselves.

So, rock on and stay strong, my friends. =D

[Keelin]

Originally Posted by GhostDog

My own, personal opinion? "Folks is folks; don't bother me none," basically.

I have a lot of admiration for transgender people who live their lives openly, as who they feel they ought to be. I know people who are totally, 100% okay with my gay-osity that furrow their brows and change the subject when it comes to transgender and transexual people. TG folks have a longer way to go than the rest of the queer community to gain even tolerance or equal rights, and I'm seriously impressed at the number who, in the face of that, still live as themselves.

So, rock on and stay strong, my friends. =D

Thank you!

[Chandra]

I used to be weirded out by the idea, but I think that's mainly because I was exposed to negative stereotypes in the media, and had never met an actual trans person (that I knew of). But after educating myself through forums like this one, and actually meeting some individuals that identify as trans, most of that discomfort has faded.

Although I do have to admit that when I see... I don't know how to put this without sounding offensive... transwomen who don't pass well, I guess - who seem very physically male (deep voice, wide jaw, etc.) - I still find that I'm a bit uncomfortable with it. I think it's partly that I feel sorry for them because I know they'll be the ones receiving the bulk of the transphobic hatred and bullying, but I know it's also probably partly due to ingrained social stereotyping. For example, I feel like I might be uncomfortable having a conversation with such an individual in a public setting, because people would stare and laugh and make ignorant comments. I don't like the fact that I feel this way and I would like to get over it.

[GhostDog]

Originally Posted by Chandra

Although I do have to admit that when I see... I don't know how to put this without sounding offensive... transwomen who don't pass well, I guess - who seem very physically male (deep voice, wide jaw, etc.) - I still find that I'm a bit uncomfortable with it. I think it's partly that I feel sorry for them because I know they'll be the ones receiving the bulk of the transphobic hatred and bullying, but I know it's also probably partly due to ingrained social stereotyping. For example, I feel like I might be uncomfortable having a conversation with such an individual in a public setting, because people would stare and laugh and make ignorant comments. I don't like the fact that I feel this way and I would like to get over it.

Talking to them helps! I was in a class with a transwoman who still had to pass as a man for her job, which meant she couldn't start hormones or laser treatment for the hair until she got into a different situation. But she felt more comfortable being herself in this class, so she came in dresses and cute sandals and being able to interact with her in that setting made a lot of that initial weirdness go away.

But, yeah, on some level, I do feel badly that there are some individuals who are never going to have the body they want. Queer Secrets is full of FTMs who are angry or depressed about the fact that they won't ever have a functional penis, because there just is no surgery for that. And I'm just like, =(! And I can't do anything but sit back and wave my little, "I <3 You, TG Community!" flag, and speak up when I see injustice. But I wish I could do more!

[Lady Gaga]

I don't think anything of them? I've never met one, I don't create generalizations about people.

I base what I think about people on who they are, not what they are.

[Flyers2011]

I've never met someone who viewed themselves as transgender in person.

I view transgender people the same way I view straight, gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, etc people. We're all bros. Let's just live together in harmony and treat each other as equals.

[HazMattic_Force]

i think that they are extremely brave and that people are people , if you haven't personally affected me then i have no problem with a person . if anything though trans people have more respect because they deal with alot and sorry they have to but the fact they deal with it and still cope they get a thumbs up from me

[mnguy]

I'm not aware of ever knowing a trans person. When/if I ever know someone, I would treat them with as much respect as anyone else. I really admire the confidence and courage of those who go ahead and live in the gender they feel, against all the resistance from the world around them. I can't fully imagine the turmoil they must go through feeling that they are in the wrong body and wanting so badly to feel comfortable in their own skin/clothes, all the while knowing that many people will call them freaks. I wish more people had the capacity/willingness to empathize with their fellow human beings before saying hurtful things.

[Keelin]

^Thanks. That means so much. We can all look different, but we are all one race, Human.

[djt820]

Though I truly don't care in the end, I find transgenders to have some sort of insecurity issue. Only insecurity can make one feel unnatural or disgusted by their own gender to the point that they have to change their sex.

[Mirko]

I don't view or regard transgender persons any different from others. If someone is transgender it, so what? It doesn't matter at all. What matters to me is that they are comfortable in their own skin and can identify with their body. I admire and respect them.

Two of my friends are transgender and honestly, I don't think my friendship circle would be complete without them. I have learned a lot from them and it has given me the chance to understand what transgender persons can go through even better.

[Chandra]

Originally Posted by djt820

Only insecurity can make one feel unnatural or disgusted by their own gender to the point that they have to change their sex.

What exactly do you mean by this?

---------- Post added 31st May 2011 at 07:20 PM ----------

Originally Posted by GhostDog

Talking to them helps!

Yes, I agree that this would be a very helpful approach. Unfortunately, for the time being I don't personally know any people who fit the description I gave.

[djt820]

Originally Posted by Chandra

What exactly do you mean by this?

From my life experience, transgender people want to become the opposite sex because they don't feel that the sex they were born with is what they truly are. And because of this, they feel like they must identify as the opposite sex. This, to me, translates as a huge insecurity, in the sense that they aren't capable of being comfortable with your own gender. That, to me, doesn't make sense. You are who you are born as; just because you don't feel that way doesn't mean you were born with the wrong parts or anything like that. They have a problem accepting they are that gender and that, to me, is insecurity. If you are born a dude, you're a dude and vice versa.

To use a very simple example, it's like when a woman, who is born as brunette, wishing she was a blonde. That is the most simple of an example I can make and probably doesn't truly give justice on how I feel about this.

But anyways, people are always gonna feel compelled to do what they think is right and necessary and that's not my problem; I'm just voicing my opinion.

[steel03]

Honestly, I've known two transgender people in real life, both were FtM, and both (one in particular) were annoying and pretentious about how great they are for having survived such a struggle. Of course I don't think this is how all trans people are, but I haven't really liked the two I've known very much.
I admire you all a lot. When I was a kid, I sometimes wished I was a girl or thought I was supposed to be a girl, but it was never anything like what I'm sure you went through. Now I love being male and I can't imagine wanting anything else. I hope and constantly pray that you can feel that comfort someday, too.
I think most people (myself included) know very little about transgenderism and don't really understand what it's like to feel like, as so many transgenders put it, you're stuck in the wrong body. Maybe you could elaborate a little more on that?

[TheEdend]

Originally Posted by djt820

From my life experience, transgender people want to become the opposite sex because they don't feel that the sex they were born with is what they truly are. And because of this, they feel like they must identify as the opposite sex. This, to me, translates as a huge insecurity, in the sense that they aren't capable of being comfortable with your own gender. That, to me, doesn't make sense. You are who you are born as; just because you don't feel that way doesn't mean you were born with the wrong parts or anything like that. They have a problem accepting they are that gender and that, to me, is insecurity. If you are born a dude, you're a dude and vice versa.

To use a very simple example, it's like when a woman, who is born as brunette, wishing she was a blonde. That is the most simple of an example I can make and probably doesn't truly give justice on how I feel about this.

But anyways, people are always gonna feel compelled to do what they think is right and necessary and that's not my problem; I'm just voicing my opinion.

This is simply not true at all.

I understand that its a hard concept to grasp and its not very well known, but you are being extremely rude here. Please refrain from posting comments like these. They don't help you understand transgenders any better and all it does is insult people.