Tamurlin Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this thread but here goes. As far as I'm aware, no one close to me is transgender. My belief is that gender has no bearing on personality except how it affects the way you are brought up, and hormones maybe, I'm not sure of that part. I view gender as a physical trait, like height or hair color, that has nothing to do with who you are. Therefore I don't understand how someone can feel they are a different gender. I don't mean to offend anyone, but I would really like to understand this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSlayer Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 I think this is something to look up on the internet or ask your parents/friends/etc. Not asking strangers on a gaming forums.....Just my opinion though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Heya! It's your local transboy here to help! First thing's first: sex and gender are two different things. Sex is what you're born with, while gender is how you feel inside, and how you express yourself. To put it in short, being trans is like (for me at least) your soul being in the wrong body. You don't just wake up one day and decide "oh I'm not a girl I'm actually a boy"; it's a bit more complex than that. While everyone's experience is different, there's generally a period of questioning. When I was eighteen, I started to realize that I didn't feel like a girl, but I also didn't really feel like a boy. So I explored the spiritual side of myself, and realized I felt much more comfortable being a boy. Take into consideration that not everyone has this exact backstory, and it doesn't make anyone less valid for it. There are are in fact quite a few transgender members of the Reborn community, so you might actually know a few without even knowing it! I hope this kinda helped in understanding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noctelis Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Being transgender isn't something that can be scientifically explained, it's mostly a state of self-awareness. While being aware of your biological gender, you don't feel like it's actually your gender. It doesn't have anything to chromosomes or anything biological. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 4 hours ago, Noctelis said: Being transgender isn't something that can be scientifically explained, it's mostly a state of self-awareness. While being aware of your biological gender, you don't feel like it's actually your gender. It doesn't have anything to chromosomes or anything biological. I'm sure biology plays a component, even if it isn't the whole answer. What GS ball posted is a pretty good starting point in trying to figure it out from a somewhat more clinical perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noctelis Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 4 hours ago, Maelstrom said: I'm sure biology plays a component, even if it isn't the whole answer. What GS ball posted is a pretty good starting point in trying to figure it out from a somewhat more clinical perspective. I've got autism and my DNA is no different from other people, same as people who are transgender. It's not physical but mental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alistair Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 12 hours ago, SoulSlayer said: I think this is something to look up on the internet or ask your parents/friends/etc. Not asking strangers on a gaming forums.....Just my opinion though. Fortunately, this place is more than just a gaming forum. I believe almost any question about any topic can be asked, as long as it follows the forum's rules, is asked in a respectful manner, and stems from a genuine wish to understand people and the world a little bit better. I'm not trying to call you out for your reply at all, btw. I'm just using this opportunity to point out that people should definitely feel free to talk about anything and broaden their horizons here. This is an open, diverse and generally friendly community after all; let's make the best of it~ Have a nice day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickCrash Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 It's positive to discern between SEX and GENDER when having those discussions, as one is biological and the other social. Some languages have 1 term for both, so the best approach is to specifically say "biological..." and "social...". If you mix them, then the straw-man fallacy becomes omnipresent. Quote Wrong pairing of chromosomes. No. You might be thinking of a form of intersex. Quote Development of gender dysphoria. More or less correct. Usually not in clinical form. Severe dysphoria can lead to self-harm. Quote Being transgender isn't something that can be scientifically explained, it's mostly a state of self-awareness. No. It has been researched on. Brain hormones behave differently in transgender people. Their development also differs. Serotonin levels vary. Quote It's not physical but mental. While not organic (that's the word you are looking for), it is a normal condition. Autism is a spectrum of (mostly) behavioral drawbacks. Autism can be dealt with, with proper management and intense care when needed. Assistance in learning is encouraged. Transgender people are perfecty normal, yet not understood. The rest of the comment is correct. Quote Fortunately, this place is more than just a gaming forum. We used to have debates on politics, social phenomena etc. Although we project the image of overgrown pokemon fans, we do have real lives and (if old enough) respective professions. The community is nice enough (nowadays) that healthy dialogue can happen without people patronising or verbally assaulting each other. There are people that choose Meganium as their starter, yet even they have something to teach you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamitako Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 No, I don't want to get in trouble for being transphobic again Anyways, the short of it is a severe disconnect between the physical sex of the body and the way one perceives oneself that causes one to attempt to change one's physical appearance so that others perceive one as one perceives oneself. EDIT: ...Bleh, screw it, have a proper unambiguous real answer. Regardless of how we want to feel about it, the human brain functions differently between the sexes. While there are always exceptions, there are general traits and functions that can be attributed one way or the other. For transgender people, their brains function a good bit more like the sex opposite their own. (Note: Or presumably somewhere sufficiently detached from either sex for non-binary people, although I'm not aware of any studies into the matter.) This leads to a sense of wrongness or dysphoria. In an attempt to alleviate this, some will attempt to change their bodies (or at least outward appearance) so that they are outwardly perceived as the sex that they feel they are. For some the important thing is how others see them while for others it's more important how they feel about themselves. And of course that's a scale, not an either/or. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 I mean, this is on netflix, so if you wanna watch the whole episode like I did and not be a bit triggered by the skewed video titles by whoever uploaded these. and this is just silly but it has a few things on point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickCrash Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Notes on the sex part: It's better not to mix different things to avoid generalization. The "sex" part is binary. Depends on your SRY gene. If you have it, you're biologically male. If not, then female. There is the spectrum of intersex in which people have external genitalia from both sexes. This is mainly due to hormone anomalies during gestation, but they still are either male or female in their genotype. Some even have functional organs. Others are not so lucky. Notes on the expression part: This one's main influence is society, and what is considered appropriate for each gender in each time period. However, not all roles are "imposed" upon a person based on their sex, as implied. Some behavioral traits are observed in other primates, with males and females taking part in certain activities. Male chimps (Macacae) are inherently competitive with each other, not only to acquire nutrition or attract the females, but also as they play, with no apparent motive except possibly for a temporary establishment of dominance. Female chimps tend to care for the newer members of the "family" and protect them when they deem necessary (eg playing with each other leads to harm). Some genders take certain roles instinctively. In our human society some instincts may be deemed obsolette, but it's a mistake to regard them as a byproduct of the norms of society when we can observe them in other species. Bill Nye was smart enough to present an example that has no relation to human basic needs (nutrition and psychological assistance) but turned his focus towards more aesthetic examples. This however is not a basis to claim that all human roles that are observed mainly on one gender are somehow imposed on them by society. I have seen such claims, and I believe we should be careful in order not to generalize. Those who do, usually have something to gain from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 On 20.10.2017 at 12:07 PM, Noctelis said: I've got autism and my DNA is no different from other people, same as people who are transgender. It's not physical but mental. Im autistic as well and I must disagree. It affects mental development and personality, but the cause is physical (organic) and not psychological. Psychological traits are not inborn, but acquired during lifetime. Autism however is inborn and already begins affecting the nervous system during embryonal development. The exact cause is unknown (by now its presumed that its determined by multiple factors), but genetic traits play at least a partial role in it, as autism usually is heritable in a dominant way. Statistics have shown that if only one parent is autistic, there is a chance of 80% that their child will be autistic as well. About transgenders: I know rather little about this topic, but enough to tell that its not just a psychological thing, but most likely organic as well. Their brains chemistry and development is different from other people which share the same primary sexual organs. Its not just their imagination that they feel like they belong into a different body. Its physical and due to their brain actually having developed in a way that would usually fit people of the other sex. This discrepancy is probably caused by a hormonal problem during the embryonic or fetal phase, meaning that it is inborn and not psychological and thus not curable via psychotherapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I'm actually taking an Ethics and Social Issues course this spring - and the professor left open a blank for any possible social issue not already listed for potential discourse later in the term. I offered up "Transgenderism" in that topic - because I make up words just to try and direct thought. This matters to me because it's a Christian Ethics course and ultimately should be what scholars are saying ministers and the like should do with and how to address said issue. It may also talk about biblical interpretation of things like transition therapy and what someone contemplating transition (or if you are a stickler - trying to come to grips with existing transgender reality consciously.) If the professor decides it's a good topic - I'll relay what I learn here - because I'm always game to learn about this. --- So - I find it interesting that people just in this thread are not a concensus when it comes to the biological and psychological factors involved. Those if you in the merely psychological camp - why is it that you believe transgenderism doesn't involve anatomy or chemical buildup? The biological camp has done a good job of asserting a premise in brain activity - but I could go for some elaboration. I'm a slow science learner. Also - for fun - Is it possible to be biologically transgender subconsciously (I.e. You don't identify as trans but your brain shows patterns that don't match up with your outward assumed gender)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eviora Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 6 hours ago, Chase said: Also - for fun - Is it possible to be biologically transgender subconsciously (I.e. You don't identify as trans but your brain shows patterns that don't match up with your outward assumed gender)? Yes. It's quite common for people to repress themselves in the face of social hostility. I would know. I spent a nauseatingly long time living behind a mask that fooled even me. During that time, as training for my job as a peer tutor, I took a test to determine my preferred learning type. The options are essentially "learning auditorially", "learning visually", and "learning by doing." I was the only one in a group of 15+ people to gall into the first category. Then, the person running the meeting said that means of learning is most commonly favored by women. At the time, I was utterly mortified. Whether you acknowledge it or not, your true nature is always lurking beneath the surface. And I don't think your question is as purely academic as your "for fun" qualifier would suggest. It wouldn't be surprisingly if a staggering percentage of transgender people struggle to convince even themselves of lies out of fear of the consequences of acknowledging the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I will acknowledge this. As a male, I prefer to learn by ear - as you do. I also didn't come to this site as myself, so I'm the last person to claim purity to any gender whatsoever. Im not shaken up by this revelation though. The way I've always understood how my brain works is that it's my brain and not a part of a group. Maybe that isn't how it works - and I'm not saying it can't be empirically given a gender based on studies, but it hasn't caused much "severe" dysphoria outside of the time period I've given above - which I'm not sure counts. I don't think this is the place to examine that further. --- I do know that I biologically appear male and that I'm okay with it. I don't worry too much if men think I'm not one of them and i definitely liken male aesthetic as my own I also know that I've been intrigued by "what it means to be female" in the past. I wouldn't say that I skew toward male in every category either. I don't think though - that -I- qualify as a transgender person. History aside, my musings throughout my life have been "what ifs" instead of "why is it"s. Unless of course you think my other intent with the question was to mock people here - in which case, I apologize for having given folks the impression that I don't respect you for who you are. I would have considered learning about me academic as well though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eviora Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Perhaps I came off as harsher than I meant to - or maybe you're just used to being in conflict with me - but I meant no hostility in that response. I was just pointing out that the situation you were inquiring about may be far more common than you imagined. As far as my little anecdote goes, one point of data such as preferred learning style is certainly not enough to say anything conclusive about gender. If anything, the fact that my story doesn't faze you suggests there's likely nothing amiss with that aspect of your current self perception. I suppose it made me deeply uncomfortable back then because it forced me to confront something I was trying to contain in my subconscious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Nah - I wasn't offended in the slightest. I did have to smirk that we have something as profound as a similar learning style preference in common despite how often we seem to diverge in opinion. It also - to the topic at hand - was a fun bit of self reflection. I wonder how much things like learning styles actually reflect gender differences or how that applies to the patriarchal history of humanity. Are men "hands on" because they've had opportunities to for so long in comparison to others? I'm starting to see the appeal of Gender Studies from a inquiry standpoint. I wouldn't be surprised either in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickCrash Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 You'll notice gender differences more in instinctive responses to social stimuli, and less in learning methods. A statistical finding on its own means nothing, given samples are not always either accurate or big enough to form a consensus. I believe Chase was asking about anatomical differences between trans and cis people. As far as we know, there aren't any. The current picture seems to be of physiological nature, rather than anatomical. We know the hormones differ, but more research needs to be done. Without concrete proof or enough evidence, all we can say right now depends on the most recent of findings and is in no way definite truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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