Ignorance is bliss.

[I Am Paula]

I was amazed at how little people in general know about tg/ts.
Last night I was at my favorite coffee shop. The barrista and I were the only two in there, as it was starting to snow. She came out of the washroom, with a look I know too well, from being married most of my life. She asked if I would hold the fort for ten minutes while she went to the drugstore a few doors up. I offered to go for her, and she asked if I was comfortable buying 'girl things'. No problem.
I picked up her box of supers, and went to the cashier, a teenager who has seen me there 50+ times. She said in a low voice "Celeste, I didn't know you'd had a sex change". I said I hadn't. "well, you've never bought these before, I thought maybe..." I gently set her straight, that even post ops do not menstruate. She looked at me with big eyes and said "I had no idea".
I don't expect the general public to know the details of transexual surgery, but WOW, that's pretty much common sense.
Anybody been dumbfounded by someones lack of knowledge?

[Rogina B]

You don't suppose she is capable of an "unexpected pregnancy" do you? It is really sad how ignorant people are of how their body works.One of the reasons there is such obesity in North America now... Anyway,you are the barristas hero!!

[mmarmstrong]

wow...I've never been as dumbfounded as I am after reading that!!

[CarolynO]

Before the holidays I was depressed and desperately wanted to talk to someone about my GD and CD'ing so i turned to my sister(family knew about my cd'ing from the past).I asked her to listen more and talk less.
Of course she did neither and knows absolutely nothing about the gd/cd/ts subject.So I showed her a very good book on it.i was hoping she'd take it home and read it.
She just glanced at the cover and said..."Did I get this way from reading these books"!!!

I was stunned hearing that.After that i let the subject drop and vowed never again will I speak of my personal life with them.

[Angela Campbell]

Doesn't surprise me at all. A lot of people out there are not very smart these days.

[ArleneRaquel]

Carolyn,
Thank you for sharing. I hope that your pain can be treated. There are many girls here who would be more caring. HUGS & LOVE !

[Christinedreamer]

I have been reading, fuming and gritting my teeth reading the responses to the story about the 6 year old transgendered girl whose school is trying to prevent her from using the girl's bathroom. The ignorant and hurtful comments made by so many totally uneducated and bigoted people beggars description. Aside from the complete mind boggling lack of knowledge about human development, what is with this overriding fascination with bathrooms?

[Makayla]

why do you think we as ts/tg/cd etc arnt well accepted, people are afraid of the unknown. and my god how many people have no idea, a lot of guys think just cos u wear a dress it means ur gay.

[kimdl93]

Just a young girl who hasn't been out much in the world. she learned at least one thing from the conversation!

[AllieSF]

Actually, I love that she was comfortable enough to address you by your female name and ask you such a personal question. I agree that it may not be the brightest question, but I really do love the trust and confidence she had to ask you that question and to expect a truthful answer, which you most graciously grace her. That sales agent deserves a free cappuccino and the girl at the coffee shop deserves a glass of wine too for the same reasons. I love stories like this, so, thanks for sharing.

[Ressie]

Everyday folks have no reason or interest to learn about the details of anything TS/CD related. Why would they? It doesn't have anything to do with them unless someone in their family has come out to them. But it's apparent that most CDs don't want to tell their family or friends.

Christine, you may not be aware but public bathrooms attract child molesters. This happens a lot more than people realize. If my daughter went that that school I wouldn't want anyone except girls using the girls bathroom either.

[Jenniferathome]

It may be bliss for them but it is oh so painful to those of us capable of coherent thought. Like you, I can appreciate that the average person needn't know HOW a vagina or penis is constructed, but not knowing a uterus and fallopian tubes are not transplanted is pretty dim. People, what can you do?

[PaulaQ]

Like you, I can appreciate that the average person needn't know HOW a vagina or penis is constructed, but not knowing a uterus and fallopian tubes are not transplanted is pretty dim. People, what can you do?

We could educate kids on how their bodies work. We could also try to teach them logic, thought, and the application of knowledge. Mostly, though, we just teach 'em tests, and talking about the uterus makes people in some parts of the country real nervous.

[Christinedreamer]

Dee, the TG girl is 6 years old. The bathroom is NOT public, it is in an elementary school. All girl's bathrooms have stalls. No one will see anything.

[Lorileah]

Christine, you may not be aware but public bathrooms attract child molesters. This happens a lot more than people realize. If my daughter went that that school I wouldn't want anyone except girls using the girls bathroom either.

I am going to assume that was sarcastic? Otherwise you just proved the OPs point. You don't know as much as you think you do. When you make that kind of statement here you should back it with proof

[Rogina B]

Christine, you may not be aware but public bathrooms attract child molesters. This happens a lot more than people realize. If my daughter went that that school I wouldn't want anyone except girls using the girls bathroom either.
I don't feel that the transchild is any threat to any of her classmates just the same as TG adults aren't as well.Hate to get off topic but I feel you are wrong in your attitude.

[noeleena]

Hi,

As to who use's the toilets think about this so if its for girls only & the other one for boys only fare enough what about us intersexed we are nether or both, wheres for us then, & trans kids not a lot different from us ether,

We are more awere of our bodys than most people , most dont really have to think about this subject .

...noeleena...

[Beverley Sims]

Ignorance still reigns supreme, even amongst us as a common interest group.
Some transitioning have strong views about associating with CDers because of some of the less thought out questions that are asked of them.
We all have to learn sometime and the girl behind the counter possibly thought a sex change was all encompassing.
We learn something new every day.

I know I have reading through this thread.

[linda allen]

Everyday folks have no reason or interest to learn about the details of anything TS/CD related. Why would they? It doesn't have anything to do with them unless someone in their family has come out to them. ................

This is very true and it's not fair of us to call them "ignorant". None of us knows everything about everything. We don't have the time or mental capacity.

If I asked someone if they knew how to fly an airplane and their answer was "no", would it be fair for me to call them "ignorant"?


I have been reading, fuming and gritting my teeth reading the responses to the story about the 6 year old transgendered girl whose school is trying to prevent her from using the girl's bathroom. The ignorant and hurtful comments made by so many totally uneducated and bigoted people beggars description. Aside from the complete mind boggling lack of knowledge about human development, what is with this overriding fascination with bathrooms?

Did you ever stop and think that the school administrators may be reacting to the demands of the parents of the other children?

It's not easy to run a school with several hundred parents telling you what you must do. There's no way to please them all.

[Ressie]

I am going to assume that was sarcastic? Otherwise you just proved the OPs point. You don't know as much as you think you do. When you make that kind of statement here you should back it with proof

I'm just playing devil's advocate. We should try to understand everyone's point of view if we want them to understand the transgendered world. Ignorance definitely is not bliss.

[Christinedreamer]

I personally know a young lady whose case of discrimination went all the way to the Supreme Court several years ago. She has spina bifida and there were school officials who did not want her in school for what they termed safety reasons, many parents who did not want their children around someone with such a birth defect (as though it was contagious) and others who simply wanted anyone who was not physically 'perfect' to be sent to specialized and remote schools away from 'normal' children.

There comes a time when you MUST stand for the greater good and what is morally correct. We went through this with all the major disease over the years and education was the ONLY thing that eventually brought sanity and compassion to bear.

[rita63]

I suppose the reason I will never come out at work is because at 64 I am tired of having to explain everything to people who don't really care and won't remember what you say anyhow. At my age life is too short.

hugs rita