Thoughts about the future of trans* people

(I'm still feeling good which means I have energy and mental fortitude to think about things and to write about things.  Things like the following.  I encourage feedback.  Tell me where my logic is wrong.  Tell me I'm full of BS.  Tell me I need to learn more.  Tell me something.)

I've been thinking a lot about the future of trans* people.

I have been thinking about trans kids and future trans role models.  As it becomes more acceptable to be trans more children are transitioning younger and being prescribed hormone blockers, which means that more are avoiding the permanent changes puberty of their birth sex would cause.  This is a good thing for them.  It also means that they will blend into mainstream cis society much more easily.

What will  Will they even be trans in the way we think of it(I know trans has more definitions than stars in the sky but bear with me)?  Will they just be women and men who had a medical condition when they were younger?  Will

Maybe that's for the best.  Maybe there doesn't always need to be a trans movement.  Maybe we can 'win'.  Maybe one day it won't matter that Suzie was born male or that Mark was born female.  Maybe they will grow up in a world where it's not shameful to be a woman born male or a man born female.  Maybe as soon as they're old enough to understand, they will tell their parents, "Hey I'm a girl," or "Hey I'm a boy."  And their parents will say, "Thank you for telling us.  We'll get your info updated at the school."  And life will go on.

Maybe... but how will they know that it's ok to say that without visible trans people?  If every trans person transitions young and blends in then who will trans people look to know that they will be accepted?  Can we be accepted and still be visible?  How can we blend but still stand out?

I have more thoughts but it's getting late and I have work tomorrow.  I'll try to write more tomorrow.

Till then.

Gilly

Trans Talk - Myth vs Fact

Transsexual Myth - Transsexuals hate their penis and can not be happy without gender reassignment surgery.

Trans* Fact - While this is true for some it isn't true for all, myself included. This myth comes from the fact that in order to be diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder a transsexual is expected to feel this way.

Some do dislike their genitals and do require surgery to feel comfortable in their bodies. Others may feel that surgery is their ultimate goal but then once transitioned find that being excepted as a woman is what they really need. Still others never feel this but may bend the truth to get medical help in transitioning.

Years ago while first researching transsexuality I came across this myth and not knowing any better excepted it as fact and set myself back by years. My thoughts at the time were something along the lines of, "Huh, I don't hate having a penis, so I'm not a transsexual."

I have since then read many transwomen's stories that have shown me that it's not about what's between your legs that matters. It's how you feel that's important. Feel like you're a woman but don't want to get rid of your penis. That's fine.

Trans Talk - A little about my gender identity

It's Wedensday and time for Trans Talk, my weekly column about issues that concern transgender and transsexual folk. I'm be discussing news items, trans* characters in media and even talking about my own transness.

I guess now is a good time to talk about my own gender identity.

I would say I identify as a woman, that is when I think of myself I think of myself as a woman. I prefer to be called ma'am instead of sir(this happens much less often than I would like). However I don't identify as a 'woman trapped in a man's body.' I am not trapped in my body. I am my body. I may not especially like the way it looks but I is mine.

I've come out to a few family members(sister, parents, a cousin). Even though their response has been neutral to positive I still feel afraid to tell the rest of my family.

I was on hormones for about six months but after I quit my job I couldn't afford them. I've had one laser hair removal treatment. Again lack of money forced my to stop. Now that I have a new job and I am getting back on my feet, I think I will be able to restart hrt shortly after the new year.

I'm 27, at the time of writing this, which makes me think I should have my life together and be doing something with it. I don't feel 27. I feel much younger, even if I don't also feel foolish. Much of my life feels like I wasn't really there. Like I didn't belong, which in a way the me that was there wasn't me and therefore didn't belong in my life. Through most of my twenties I have been moving forward waiting for 'my' life to begin.

A couple of years ago I finally said to myself, "I want to live as a woman." Quite a break through, I think, for someone not in therapy, who has spent most of the previous(7+) years convincing themselves that they were not transsexual. How does someone spend years reading about transsexuality and watching every show about transsexuality on tv, and researching transsexuality on the internet, not see that he was transsexual? I'm not sure but I did.

There are more things I'd like to say but I would rather wait and devote full posts to some of them.

See ya later.