Upcoming documentary

[Karen's Secret]

The RT channel (Russia Today) has a trailer on Youtube for an upcoming documentary about people who have regretted transitioning. I'm posting this only because I know many people here would be interested to see it. I'm not endorsing the premise just posting the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkybueVZHoI

[Ashley in Virginia]

It looks like an interesting piece of propaganda made by the Russian government to slam transition.

[Queen Bridget]

It's nice for them to get some exposure. Transition regretters seem to get treated badly.

Just as long as it's done respectfully.

[kimdl93]

No thanks.

[DaisyLawrence]

Sorry but RT is a government propaganda machine. More truth in Harry Potter stories.

[ellbee]

From what I understand, this can be a bit of a taboo subject for some in the community.


But unfortunately, it can also be a reality for a small percentage. Apparently they went too far down a path that ended up being wrong -- for them, personally.

I do fear that we'll be seeing more of this in the future... Not only in terms of number, but also a greater percentage than where it is currently. Could be years, could be decades.


Regardless how you may feel about this issue, one should probably at least seek to show some understanding & compassion, anyway, at a basic human level. :)

[Jaylyn]

Interesting propaganda. I don't watch U tube very much but may have to watch this one.

[Teresa]

Karen,
While others suggest its propaganda it still doesn't take away the core problem for many of us , how much is GD taking us to that point and what happens after ?

I know from meeting TSs that all their problesm aren't solved , they exchange problems and new questions arise . I don't know if official figures exist but it might be interesting to see the percentage who do have regrets , It's a sad fact that the suicide rate is higher with that lifestyle .

Instead of slamming this maybe we need to discuss the implications and ask the right questions to those that have experienced it , transition isn't for everybody so what went wrong in those cases . Many of us talk about it as the Holy Grail but the reality for some is far from that , people keep asking why I'm not taking hormones and I'd be a natural for transition but it's not an exclusive club it's a life changing event which needs us to make some hard decisions , sadly some didn't give it enough thought .

[DaisyLawrence]

I'm not slamming the programme, I'm slamming everything that RT does. It is the propaganda vehicle for a homophobic transphobic dictatorship. End of.

[Teresa]

Daisy,
It's the issue it raises not the source of the program , it doesn't matter where it originates it's the content that is important to us on this forum .

ElleBee has picked up on the relevence of the subject .

[DaisyLawrence]

But with RT you have to assume that the 'characters' are all made up, just actors reading from a script. You can't believe anything they transmit. I simply can not believe it is transmitted in Europe. Even Joseph Goebbels would be impressed.

[Teresa]

Daisy ,
Forget RT , it's only a trailer , we don't have to view the whole program . We need to concentrate on the issue it raises for some of us , is transition the right thing and if not why not .

Sometimes I feel we need to bring other sections into these threads this is such a fundamental question for many members here .

[Karen's Secret]

RT is clearly Russian government programming but I'm never adverse to viewing material like this if for nothing else it keeps me informed of the world around me. Like anything else you need to asses the credibility of the source. Based on the trailer I'm not sure I saw any sentiment that I haven't already heard from reliable sources here in the US. Transitioning is such an individual story that it's dangerous I think to generalize the whole spectrum of people who transition.

[Alice Torn]

Teresa, Very honest and well said. All aspects must be looked at honestly.

[Bobbi46]

This is indeed a very interesting thing to come up and forgetting the political aspects of RT (I have yet to see anything which is not reported correctly, but getting back to the OP I have a very dear friend who is an MtF and completed transition fiully some years ago she told me that in the UK and I guess it must be equally so in other countries that the percentage of suicides amongst people who had transitioned was as equal as those who were trying to transition and were unable to finish the journey, of those that did complete some of them deeply regretted having completed transition and then realised they had made a very big mistake.
I feel deeply sorry for those that either finished and regreted as nmuch as those committed suicide trying or regretting.

[Karen's Secret]

I feel deeply sorry for those that either finished and regreted as nmuch as those committed suicide trying or regretting.
I've done some research in this area because I have a 21 year old nephew who decided he was transexual when he was 17. My wife and I had serious concerns that he was autistic as he was growing up but his mother, my wife's sister, refused to have him evaluated. She did not want him labelled. After he announced he was transexual, I noticed that he made no effort to dress as a woman, wear cosmetics, or even show any interest in anything feminine. Other than starting hormones, all he changed was to wear a skirt or leggings and a scarf. He went off to college at 18 and immediately had a confrontation with in the dorm due to his behavior. He also engaged in some anti social behavior, online suicide threats, and fought with the police when they came to his dorm room to check on him.

Fast forward, he is now diagnosed as having anti social personality disorder and possibly schizoaffective. Even with the diagnosis, he has found a doctor who believes he just needs hormones and to transition. My research found several studies which showed that some people overlay a belief they are transexual over underlying mental health disorders. After transitioning they find the mental health issues they were experiencing before remain after transitioning. I have no idea if this is part of what is covered in this documentary but I think it is certainly true in my nephew's case.

[alwayshave]

I'm sorry, but RT is a a Russian Security Service arm and anything coming from it is anti democratic in its ideals.

[DaisyLawrence]

Thank heavens someone else gets it, well done Jamie.

Teresa, the thread (titled upcoming documentary) was not a discussion about transition regret but was a 'heads up' about an RT 'documentary'. All I was saying is watch what you like BUT don't assume that if you see a TS on RT saying how she 'regrets' transition that she is real or telling the truth. The programme is made by an openly transphobic/homophobic mafia controlled state. Study transition regret all you like but I suggest you get your information from more reputable sources. If you want to discuss transition regret then why not start a thread in the transexual sub-forum?

[kimdl93]

Sorry but RT is a government propaganda machine. More truth in Harry Potter stories.

What we are prone to forget is the underlying motives of RT. One must question the provenance and look beyond. Yet again we see the Insidious effort to drive wedges into fractures

[ellbee]

Is the recent short documentary (and its much-longer accompanying written article) from The Atlantic on the subjects of pre-adult transitioning & transition regret *also* considered to be propaganda garbage, as well?

Because they have a long-standing reputation of mainly leaning "left of center."


Or is anything & everything that doesn't necessarily jive with one's personal beliefs, views, opinions & ideologies totally off the table, regardless where it comes from?



Just trying to figure this all out, here... :thinking:

[Kiwi Primrose]

If you watch it please do so with an open mind.

[Helen_Highwater]

I to would view anything from RT with great scepticism. Russia is well known for it's anti LGBT stance with homophobic policies enforced by a less than tolerant police force.

While post transition regret is a real phenomenon how it's portrayed is certainly a possible vehicle for negative reporting especially given Russia's track record in this area. Treat with the utmost caution.

[Aunt Kelly]

It looks like an interesting piece of propaganda made by the Russian government to slam transition.

There should be little doubt about that. Look, I'm sure that there are those who regret transition, but their numbers are "down in the noise". Producing a documentary film on them speaks of a specific agenda against transition, specifically, and dare I say, against transsexuals in general.

I'm with kimdl93. No thanks.

[Teresa]

Daisy,
OK I accept I'm not interested in RT , lets face it we get similar stuff come up on sites in the West . I felt the issue it raised was more important than a political debate , and yes I suggested just that , it would be great for members of the other sections have some input on the the good and bad points of transition . To me that is what the forum is about not to chew over iffy Russian propaganda.

Maybe I should apologise to Karen for apparently sidetracking the thread but transition is more on my mind than the suggested crap from RT , besides we are making the assumption that the program content isn't perfectly sound in fact and watchable . Transition does happen in Russia , borders have very little bearing on TG issues among individuals , they are the same as us but live in a different country with much stricter controls , so aren't we the lucky ones to have the freedom to truly be ourselves if we so wish .

Aunt Kelly and others ,
Lets pose the question if the same program ran from a Western source with the same theme , would you still have the same opinion ?

I do feel a program should be made not from an anti transition point of view but to show it is life changing but shouldn't cost people's lives and I'm afraid it does cost in lives . I know from personal experince twenty years ago what that feels like and that was over the basic acceptance of being a CDer and coming to terms with it .

Some members have far deeper rooted problems than others , sometimes we have to give them that space. We often talk about members who have left this site, some may be joyously happy and others maybe in their boxes through our issues . It's great to talk to the former ones but maybe we could have done more for the others before they took the drastic steps .

[Happygirl!]

No doubt the Russians have institutionalized persecution, right up there with the Nazis.

[Shelly Preston]

As much as I hoped this thread would stick to the issues of transition it has strayed too much into politics.

Thread Closed