Its not our fault...blame plastic!

[KateW]

Hi girls,

I just read an interesting news article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228095/Chemicals-plastic-change-way-boys-play-say-scientists-babies-exposed-womb-grow-keen-rough-games.html?ITO=1490&referrer=yahoo)that claims that certain cleaning products and plastics contain high levels of phthalates, chemicals which can mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen.

If your mothers were exposed to them during pregnancy then less male hormones would be introduced during the 24th week. This leads to a greater chance of you developing feminine traits and gasp - be less likely to play with toy cars!

The article also stated that it could lead to un-decended testes in some children (any of you had that?)

The article went on to say: "This feminising capacity of phthalates makes them true "gender benders". Clearly the boys who have been studied are still young, but reduced masculine play at this age may lead to other " feminised development" in later life."

So there you have it girls... next time your partner or friend gives you a hard time about dressing, simply blame it on the kitchen cleaner!

[Karren H]

I was born before plactic was invented! Lol. They say anything about alien abductions?

[Lilith Moon]

So, that is why I like wearing PVC. It is the phthalates in it :devil:

[Kate Simmons]

You know this whole thing is a conspiracy incepted by denizens of an Amazon planet right( The Zamorans to be specific)? They abducted us, put nanites in our bodies to make us act feminine and sit back and enjoy watching the "show".:battingeyelashes::)

[AlisonRenee]

Depending on your age (and I wouldn't dare ask, of course), some of us may have also been affected by drugs frequently given pregnant women in the 50s era.

DES was commonly prescribed to prevent miscarriage. There is apparently evidence that this drug, which is a synthetic estrogen, may have bathed the developing child in estrogen during a couple of critical times that affect gender identity. High incidence of gender-ID disorder in those of us whose moms took DES.

Mine did and it would explain a few things...

Here's a clip from one publication which I found here:

http://www3.telus.net/des1/Observations.html

From - Simon Baron-Cohen's book "The Essential Difference, The Truth about the Male and Female Brain." Quotes from pages 99 and 98 respectively, Copyright 2003. Published by Basic Books (Amazon.com listing) 198).

"There was a time when women were prescribed a synthetic female hormone (diesthylstilbestrol) in an attempt to prevent repeated spontaneous miscarriages. Boys born to such women are likely to show more female typical behaviors enacting social themes in their play as toddlers, for example, or caring for dolls. This is a further indication that hormone levels can affect the ability to empathize."

"Most people who want to determine whether a person is male or female stop at this first level. But even if you are genetically female, and even if you are genitally female, you could be more male gonadally, and have a male brain and male sex-typical behavior. Conversely, even if you are genetically and genitally male, you could be more female gonadally, or you could have a female brain and female sex-typical behavior. And prenatal testosterone, an androgen, oozing from your testes if you are genetically and gonadally male, or dripping out of your adrenal glands if you are genetically and gonadally female, appears to be one important variable in determining your brain type or your sex-typical behavior.

There appear to be three points in development when testosterone secretion really surges. The first is the prenatal period, between eight and twenty four weeks into the pregnancy. The next one is around five months after birth. A final peak is at puberty. These periods are referred to as the "activational" periods, because it is at these times that the brain is thought to be most sensitive to such hormonal changes. The sex hormones are said to have a prenatal activating effect on the brain."

Dr. Baron-Cohen is a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Cambridge University.

[Stephenie S]

Believe me, hon, I don't need an excuse. I love what I'm doing and I take full responsibility for doing it.

Loviers,
Stephenie

[vivian fair]

There seems to be many things that turn somewhat to estrogen when contacting males. Such as the lineing of tin cans containing our food. But at 71, dressing since age 5,I can't blame most of the new things. But maybe if we need a scrape goat we could blame a lot of it on the new assertive type women, or the abundance of new laws that do not allow boys to act like boys. But to be honest I try not to blame any one other than my own feelings! I felt,I enjoyed, I returned, and again and again. vivian fair:)

[sherri52]

For some of us, we can't make that claim. Milk came in either glass containers or waxed cardboard. Most cleaners came in cans and plastic wasn't an option until near 1970.

[AlisonRenee]

Having lived with the feelings all my life, I'd just like to know what makes me tick. It is what it is, and it's who I am, and that's OK. I guess I just have some weird curiosity that makes me want to understand how things happen.

[Laura_Stephens]

Depending on your age (and I wouldn't dare ask, of course), some of us may have also been affected by drugs frequently given pregnant women in the 50s era.

DES was commonly prescribed to prevent miscarriage. There is apparently evidence that this drug, which is a synthetic estrogen, may have bathed the developing child in estrogen during a couple of critical times that affect gender identity. High incidence of gender-ID disorder in those of us whose moms took DES.

Mine did and it would explain a few things...

Here's a clip from one publication which I found here:

http://www3.telus.net/des1/Observations.html

From - Simon Baron-Cohen's book "The Essential Difference, The Truth about the Male and Female Brain." Quotes from pages 99 and 98 respectively, Copyright 2003. Published by Basic Books (Amazon.com listing) 198).

"There was a time when women were prescribed a synthetic female hormone (diesthylstilbestrol) in an attempt to prevent repeated spontaneous miscarriages. Boys born to such women are likely to show more female typical behaviors enacting social themes in their play as toddlers, for example, or caring for dolls. This is a further indication that hormone levels can affect the ability to empathize."

"Most people who want to determine whether a person is male or female stop at this first level. But even if you are genetically female, and even if you are genitally female, you could be more male gonadally, and have a male brain and male sex-typical behavior. Conversely, even if you are genetically and genitally male, you could be more female gonadally, or you could have a female brain and female sex-typical behavior. And prenatal testosterone, an androgen, oozing from your testes if you are genetically and gonadally male, or dripping out of your adrenal glands if you are genetically and gonadally female, appears to be one important variable in determining your brain type or your sex-typical behavior.

There appear to be three points in development when testosterone secretion really surges. The first is the prenatal period, between eight and twenty four weeks into the pregnancy. The next one is around five months after birth. A final peak is at puberty. These periods are referred to as the "activational" periods, because it is at these times that the brain is thought to be most sensitive to such hormonal changes. The sex hormones are said to have a prenatal activating effect on the brain."

Dr. Baron-Cohen is a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Cambridge University.

I am a confirmed DES baby. I don't know if that cuased me to be me or not. wish I did.

[AlisonRenee]

I am a confirmed DES baby. I don't know if that cuased me to be me or not. wish I did.

So am I, Laura. Whatever it is, it isn't just clothes with me and it's been there all my life.

[Alice B]

Our paper had an article about the same effects of plastic, but the emphasis was on the fact that it makes men have increased ED. No mention of hormonal changes.

[Shari]

Come on. What are you all reaching for?
Guilty because you dress and need an excuse?
It's just like everything else going on in this country anymore.

I'm an American, it's not my fault.

Get a grip and just enjoy what you are.
No need for labels or chemical imbalances.

[Joanne f]

This contamination from the plastic bottles has leached in to the water supplies and rivers , it is thought to be having an effect on the fish and making the males sterile, and to make matters worse the plastic granules are starting to build up on the beach`s .

[Lorileah]

No need for labels or chemical imbalances.

But I just got my first chemical imbalance, can't I keep it for awhile?

[sometimes_miss]

Gender role 'bending' has been going on since the beginning of time. Whether there is more of it or less, we really can't know, because of the huge percentage of people (like me) who are in the closet (or perhaps 'in the cave', before there were closets. There are plenty of examples of gender role changes in the wild animal kingdom, and they don't eat plastic affected foods much.

[AlisonRenee]

Come on. What are you all reaching for?
Guilty because you dress and need an excuse?
It's just like everything else going on in this country anymore.

I'm an American, it's not my fault.

Get a grip and just enjoy what you are.
No need for labels or chemical imbalances.

Not so much an excuse I'm wanting, more of an explanation. My mind just works that way. Come to think of it, that's kind of a girly expression in itself. A guy would just say "it is what it is". Girls want to talk about everything. :)

[docrobbysherry]

I was born before plastic was invented! Lol.

I believe it was called "bakelite"? Our TV was made out of it!:brolleyes:

[Laura_Stephens]

So am I, Laura. Whatever it is, it isn't just clothes with me and it's been there all my life.

Since I was 2 years old.

[Laura_Stephens]

Come on. What are you all reaching for?
Guilty because you dress and need an excuse?
It's just like everything else going on in this country anymore.

I'm an American, it's not my fault.

Get a grip and just enjoy what you are.
No need for labels or chemical imbalances.

With all due respect, part of me -- besides the dressing -- is that I truly need to know a "why" for everything. I analyze everything that I come into contact with. A few years ago, I even wrote a paper showing that the current version of the "big bang" theory is in no way consistant with the thought that the speed of light is a constant.

I am not looking for an excuse -- I am trying to understand why I am who I am.

[trannie T]

I still think it was the sunspots.

[busker]

I read that Consumer Reports for December is going to have an article on Bishenol A which is used in the linings for food containers and can have very serious effects. It is associated with birth defects of male and female genitals and can effect women of child-bearing age.
here is link to a story about BPA and though it won't effect your ability to CD, it may effect the length of time on earth you have to do it in.
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola
I find it very laughable that so many just want to bury their head in the sands of time when there is any data that might suggest that being a cross dresser happens through something other than devine intervention.
Chemicals and psychology. Repeat after me. I decided to be a cross dresser because Sears had a bra sale and I just couldn't resist.

[Teri Jean]

Being I was born before DES and we did not have a TV until I was five or six, I have only one proven excuse. I LOVE IT. Now doesn't that take the cake. German chocolate, yum.

Teri

[Frédérique]

I just read an interesting news article that claims that certain cleaning products and plastics contain high levels of phthalates, chemicals which can mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Why not go to the source (petroleum)? This theory of polymer*-based femininity may explain why I like plastic so much – I played with plastic toys when I was a boy, and it must have drained the masculinity right out of me! To this day I keep plastics close at hand, in fact I paint my pictures with them (acrylics) – this helps to maintain my girl-to-boy ratio quite nicely…:battingeyelashes:

*That reminds me -- isn’t “synthetic organic” a fabulous oxymoron?

[Shari]

I fully understand the need to know.
Who am I, Where did I come from and Where am I going? This can be applied to everyone on this planet and isn't limited to crossdressers.

I've wrestled with these thoughts the same as all of you and have come to one conclusion.
"It is what it is." (sorry about that)

I would lean more toward divine intervention than plastics. In my life, plastics didn't become widely used until I was in elementary school.

Must have been the aliens or the sunspots, or both!

[Barbara918]

Oh, puh-leeze! Everybody know the one true reason men crossdress -- it's all the pretty clothes! :)

[Joanne f]

Well the medical people must know what is going on as it use to be just surgery, now it is called plastic surgery :lol2: