First I want to make myself clear that I don't care if you're transgender, I have nothing against you. I also understand that you may be different from something that I described below.
[b]Why gender roles are bad:[/b]
For thousands of years, men have been the ones to do "manly" things such as go out hunting, fight in armies, hold a high-paying job to feed the family, ect. Women have been expected to stay at home and take care of the children, do housework, and generally act cowardly.
These roles weren't just a result of our "corrupt society" or something, however, they do have a biological basis. Men [i]do[/i] have more testosterone, and are more likely to [i]want[/i] to compete in manly things. Women have maternal instincts influencing them to [i]want[/i] to take care of their children. But just because it is more [i]common[/i] for men to act manly and women to act womanly, doesn't mean it's always necessary.
The problem is when someone wants to step out of these roles (like Joan of Arc or a particularly flamboyant male), they are disgraced, left out, and sometimes even punished. If you do not feel the need to be a man, then why should you? Because people would label you gay? If you don't want to be feminine, what's stopping you? You don't want to appear butch?
If we didn't care as much about gender roles, we wouldn't feel this pressure from society influencing how we act.
Now back to transsexuals.
There are two major reasons why people become transgender (usually some combination of both):
[b]Reason 1: Their body[/b]
Some transgenders feel like they do not fit in their body. They either want genitalia of the opposite sex, are disgusted or annoyed by their current genitalia, or just think they were born in the wrong body.
They can decide to get a sex change, and additional things such as hormone treatments, or just live the way they are.
So why do we need to promote transgender awareness?
I would love a bigger penis, should I get plastic surgery then label myself as a "megapenisexual"?
Should we have a "Nose job awareness day"?
There are many people who do not like the way they look, are uncomfortable about their body, or have other problems with themselves, but they do not decide to label themselves differently. Just because you wish you were taller doesn't mean we should acknowledge you as a different type of person, or a member of a certain group or people.
But of course, this doesn't really affect gender roles. I believe this is the most valid reason out there to get a sex change, simply because you want different sexual organs.
[b]Reason 2: Their mind[/b]
This is where gender roles come into play.
Some transsexuals don't really care too much about their body, but instead feel like a member of the opposite inside. If they are a man, they feel feminine and are interested in "womanly" things. If they are a woman, they feel masculine, and are interested in "manly" things.
So why do they feel the need to separate themselves from society?
Can't they just [i]be[/i] a feminine man, or a masculine woman?
Who says that you have to be a transsexual to do that?
The problem with this is now when someone feels opposite to what their gender roles are, they assume they probably are transgender, and will possibly even carry out expensive surgeries in order to complete that image.
Instead of being themselves- as masculine or feminine as they want- they feel the need to label themselves as different.
If you are truly in touch with your sexuality and yourself, you should be able to admit if you don't fit into your gender roles... and then completely disregard the arbitrary roles that you are supposed to follow and just live as the person who you want to be.
This is an interesting argument. I for one agree with the sentiment, changing gender to be more like how you behave is a round-about way of doing things. If you could be yourself and if society would stop being a prick that would work.
Both reasons you listed have to do with the mind
Read them again and you'll see why
[quote]I would love a bigger penis, should I get plastic surgery then label myself as a "megapenisexual"?[/quote]
both hilarious and true, not a bad argument.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224327]Both reasons you listed have to do with the mind
Read them again and you'll see why[/QUOTE]
Yeah I guess, but it's still a little different to become transsexual because you like shopping and ponies rather than because you don't want a dick.
I don't give half a fuck if somebody wants a dick/chop his dick off because she/he feels like a member of the opposite sex. Nobody else should either, in the negative sense at least.
If a fat truck driving lesbian annoys me she would probably annoy the fuck out of me even if she had a gucci purse.
[QUOTE=TropicalV2;27224363]both hilarious and true, not a bad argument.[/QUOTE]
It's actually one of the most terrible arguments I have ever heard.
Transsexuals did not label themselves that, psychologists did.
OP doesn't know what he's talking about in 70% of the post
At least his ignorance isn't spawning inflammatory comments like most of the homophobes in In The News though, bonus points to you for that
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224410]It's actually one of the most terrible arguments I have ever heard.
Transsexuals did not label themselves that, psychologists did.
OP doesn't know what he's talking about in 70% of the post
At least his ignorance isn't spawning inflammatory comments like most of the homophobes in In The News though, bonus points to you for that[/QUOTE]
Transgender was first used to just describe anyone who had a sex change.
Later it was used as a way to "unite" anyone who was struggling with their gender and took on a more political meaning.
It was never a word created by psychologists.
Don't they try to fit into those roles so they fit into the accepted normal of that gender?
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224410]It's actually one of the most terrible arguments I have ever heard.
Transsexuals did not label themselves that, psychologists did.
OP doesn't know what he's talking about in 70% of the post
At least his ignorance isn't spawning inflammatory comments like most of the homophobes in In The News though, bonus points to you for that[/QUOTE]
Maybe I should have included the "nosejob awareness day" quote, because I think he has valid argument about transgender awareness. There's no need to have a week for transgender awareness.
I'm sexually attracted to men, I might be transsexual!
[QUOTE=Jo The Shmo;27224512]Transgender was first used to just describe anyone who had a sex change.
Later it was used as a way to "unite" anyone who was struggling with their gender and took on a more political meaning.
It was never a word created by psychologists.[/QUOTE]
The roots of the word don't matter, what matters is that it IS a term recognized by psychologists today.
EDIT: "Transsexualism" and "Gender Identity Disorder" are both recognized terms by the DSM, in case you want the specifics
[editline]5th January 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=TropicalV2;27224581]Maybe I should have included the "nosejob awareness day" quote, because I think he has valid argument about transgender awareness. There's no need to have a week for transgender awareness.[/QUOTE]
There's no need for black history month either
lol megapenissexual
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224614]
There's no need for black history month either[/QUOTE]
I agree with that.
[QUOTE=TropicalV2;27224693]I agree with that.[/QUOTE]
why not just click the damn agree button?
[QUOTE=TropicalV2;27224693]I agree with that.[/QUOTE]
But in both cases we're dealing with a minority that has been and still is the target of discrimination so bringing awareness to the situation isn't a bad thing
They can do whatever they want with their genitals, but they should not come crying and demand special treatment.
[QUOTE=furbrain;27224704]why not just click the damn agree button?[/QUOTE]
I agree with this sentiment.
[editline]5th January 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Lemonator;27224711]If they don't want to have a penis or something they are going to have to live with a dick or live with humiliation, but they should not come crying and demand special treatment.[/QUOTE]
Here's those moronic inflammatory comments I mentioned earlier
Gender roles would be here whether transsexuals existed or not, most people out there are still not mentally evolved enough to give up the old ways of thinking.
If OP's point about the mind is true, then why are there a significant number of homosexuals who don't opt for surgery, and do practice being "a feminine man, or a masculine woman"?
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;27224733]Gender roles would be here whether transsexuals existed or not, most people out there are still not mentally evolved enough to give up the old ways of thinking.[/QUOTE]
That's not the point.
[QUOTE=furbrain;27224704]why not just click the damn agree button?[/QUOTE]
agreed.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224717]I agree with this sentiment.
[/QUOTE]
you won't even believe this man, but when I was originally going to reply to your post I was gonna say "I agree with your sentiment" but when I looked up the definition it didn't seem right even though it would have worked, so I just went ahead and said "I agree with that."
fucking mindblowing
[QUOTE=Askaris;27224765]If OP's point about the mind is true, then why are there a significant number of homosexuals who don't opt for surgery?[/QUOTE]
Explain this post right now young man
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224614]The roots of the word don't matter, what matters is that it IS a term recognized by psychologists today.
EDIT: "Transsexualism" and "Gender Identity Disorder" are both recognized terms by the DSM, in case you want the specifics
[editline]5th January 2011[/editline]
There's no need for black history month either[/QUOTE]
How do you manage to find problems with everyones theories and stuff?
And how do you come up with the number 70%? I'm not trying to hop on your ass but you don't sound like you know what you're talking about either.
I agree with the black history month though. :v: Conflicting agreement!
[QUOTE=Askaris;27224765]If OP's point about the mind is true, then why are there a significant number of homosexuals who don't opt for surgery?[/QUOTE]
Homosexuality does not necessarily mean a person is feminine or enjoy female genitals
Gender roles help dictate how you define yourself as a person in a world with many interpersonal relationships.
They also dictate what you find acceptable, and what others around you will find acceptable as well. Gender roles aren't pointless OP. It's all in your head.
[QUOTE=Askaris;27224765]If OP's point about the mind is true, then why are there a significant number of homosexuals who don't opt for surgery?[/QUOTE]
Because there are a significant number of homosexuals who don't feel like women?
ninja'd
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224717]
Here's those moronic inflammatory comments I mentioned earlier[/QUOTE]
So you are saying they do deserve to be treated super special because they got !@~PLASTIC SURGERY~@!
[QUOTE=Zeke129;27224792]Explain this post right now young man[/QUOTE]
I think the importance is that Askaris is pointing out that it's not true.
[QUOTE=Askaris;27224765]If OP's point about the mind is true, then why are there a significant number of homosexuals who don't opt for surgery?[/QUOTE]
You are fucking kidding me.
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