Gender Arithmetic: The Tranny-Term

[Marla S]

Just had an interesting incident.

I was heading to my pub when I went past two youngsters.
Youngsters often think aloud, so I got the chance to hear a quite interesting bit of gender arithmetic.
Seeing me, they said:

Half man, half woman, quarter human :eek:

(Side note: I didn’t even wear a single piece of women’s labeled outerwear, except flat boots. Just tight jeans, t-shirt, denim jacket, touch of eye-makeup and nail polish.:rolleyes:)

This statement does make complete sense to me. Despite feeling immediately a bit hurt, I think I am even thankful for their ignorance, because they made me see a few things more clearly.

You can skip the "math", if you want:


Translated as an equation, the boys said:

0.5*Man + 0.5*Woman = 0.25*Human


How to solve this equation, ? It’s one with three unknowns.

We have to make assumptions to solve it.

a) We set the value of Human = 1
b) Taking the traditional gender hierarchy into account it is save to set the value of Man = Human = 1.

This way the value for Woman can be calculated: Woman = -0.5

But a negative value doesn’t make any sense.

Hence we have to introduce a third term. Let’s call it the Tranny-Term: TT

We get the equation

0.5*Man + 0.5*Woman + TT = 0.25*Human

Now we have four unknowns, and have to set another value, that for Woman.

c) It is save to assume that the boundary condition for Woman is: Man > Woman > 0

We choose the arbitrary value: Woman = 0.5

Now we are able to calculate a value for the Tranny-Term.

TT = 0.25 Human – 0.5 Man – 0.5 Woman
TT = 0.25 * 1 – 0.5*1 – 0.5*0.5
TT = -0.5

Now the equation of the youngsters is solved and indeed does make sense.


It is not only that you climb down the social ladder when you change from Man to Woman. No, due to the Tranny-Term you even go below the social status of women.
In a similar way this equation holds true if you change from woman to man. Despite technically climbing up the social ladder you won’t reach the top because of the Tranny-Term.

IMHO it is this Tranny-Term we all have to struggle with, because it has a big effect on our social status: FTM, MTF and our SOs, friends and family.
FTMs at least can’t go up
MTFs will inevitably go down
SOs (family, friends) have to struggle, because the loss of the social status will rub off on them even when they have sympathies for CDing.

How to eliminate the TT ?
Well this forum is full of approaches.

1.) Seeking for acceptance  > Seeking for TT = 0
2.) Hiding in the closet  > TT doesn’t have an effect.
3.) Trying to pass  > TT becomes smaller the more passable you are and becomes 0 if you pass.
4.) Switching between “male self” and “female self”  TT is at least temporal eliminated and 3.) can take effect for the remaining time.
5.) Going to clubs or conventions: TT doesn’t matter.
6.) Staying anonymous > TT can't be attributed to you
7.) Ignore the effect of TT
etc., etc.

Sorry just a thought. A lengthy one though :D

[charllote34]

hmmm in england we used to have a program called the open university and that equation takes me straight back to the 70,s long hair and platform shoes and that was just the men!!

[trannie T]

Is this going to be on the test?

[Marla S]

Is this going to be on the test?
Dunno. Life is the teacher, ask there.

[sissystephanie]

Marla,

You make a lot of assumptions in your "math." That means you "assume" things. I am sure you know what "assume" does when used in the manner you did!

As for me, I am a man who likes to wear feminine clothing. I am still 100% HUMAN!!

Sissy

More Girl than man sometimes

[Kate Simmons]

S'okay Marla. I never was any good in math anyway.:p

[Ruth]

Marla, you do neither yourself nor any of us any favours trotting out stuff like that. To suggest even as a joke that some people are worth less than others is to put yourself at the top of a slippery slope. Best not to go there.

[kay2]

Marla,
Your math is humorous, and also poignant. I believe your assumptions about the values people place on men and women are realistic - that is why women who aspire to traditionally masculine endeavors were first seen as a threat, and now admired, and why men who aspire to traditionally feminine endeavors are seen as ridiculous. After all, who would want to be "weaker"?

[Marla S]

Marla,

You make a lot of assumptions in your "math." That means you "assume" things. I am sure you know what "assume" does when used in the manner you did!

As for me, I am a man who likes to wear feminine clothing. I am still 100% HUMAN!!

Sissy

More Girl than man sometimes
Sissy,

I made the 'assumptions' only to try to solve the equation I was given. I know there could be other solutions. I would need another three independent equations to solve this one with four unknowns, but I got only one.
One that said in its essence:
By blending masculinity with femininity I become less human, precisely 25 % of a human.

Now I know that I am, much like you, 100 % human, but precisely this 100 % don't allow me to ignore completely what others say or think about me.

The better I know that, the better I will know what to do.

Only two teenagers, that said aloud what others most likely will think only.

But more important, without knowing it and without intention, IMHO they summed up the problems we have to face, be it with ourselves, our SOs, family, friends, bosses, etc. in six tiny words.

At least for me, for know, with my current understanding, they covered it all.


Marla, you do neither yourself nor any of us any favours trotting out stuff like that. To suggest even as a joke that some people are worth less than others is to put yourself at the top of a slippery slope. Best not to go there.
It is not a joke (At least not the incident and the conclusion of the 'math'). I didn't experience it as a joke to be characterize as 25 % human, and it is not funny to get an additional slap for reporting it. Sorry that I tried to brighten it up with a little humor. Talk about slippery slope or walking on eggshells.:Pfft:

[Teresa Amina]

But seeing those fine examples of humanity I'm happy to be only 1/4 as bad

[sissystephanie]

Sissy,

By blending masculinity with femininity I become less human, precisely 25 % of a human.

This is the part where I totally disagree with you, or any others that reach the same conclusion you do. IMHO, I am a better (can't be more then 100%) human because I have blended masculinity with femininity, NOT less human! I just don't buy your version of the math at all, because there is no facts to back any of it. That is, other then the statement that man=human=1. But "man", when related to human beings, includes females as well as males, so the second part of your equation is incorrect. At least in my part of the world that is true. I don't regard females as second class!

Sissy

More Girl than man sometimes

[Danielle11]

Let's see now, Take this equation for example.

Real Life IQ=IQ*(Ability to Comprehend New and Different Situations)

ability is a value on a sliding scale with 1 being not threatened by some thing new and -1 being not able to deal with anything that might change the day to day existence.

Your equation might look like this:

RLIQ=college student IQ * (ACNDS)
RLIQ=95 * -.5
RLIQ= -47.5

There you have it. Your little mathmaticians rank right up there with brilliant earthworms.:tongueout


Danielle

[Lauren Richards]

So far, no "passing" grades. There are more ways to treat numbers (and people) than have been assumed so far. Seems pretty obvious they were multplying, since .5 x .5 = .25 . Math nerds, no doubt. Oh, that is SO not nice, but I guess I qualify, too. Probably just trying to be funny and deal with a situation where they were uncomfortable, and at the same time expressing uninformed opinions. Teenagers do this all the time.

We are who we are, and that is not likely to change. They, however, have a chance to change their opinions of us based on how we act. That is the real test.

[Billijo49504]

I am me, if you don't like me, tough sh***. If you have something against what I'm wearing, Tough Sh*** . I live my life the way I want too. And if it doesn't agree with you tough sh***. At age 60 I don't really care what you think, I just care what I think. You don't count....BJ

[KatieZ]

0.5*Man + 0.5*Woman = 0.25*Human

Slight glitch in your (and the kids) math.

0.5 Man + 0.5 Woman = 1 Human (not 0.25)

So we are all blessed with being a whole person due to our CDing experience.

[Tree GG]

I, too, was going to object to the 25% human answer but after the math, you brought home the point that this was a social rating, as seen from the average citizen. Average is sooooo scarily below the perfect simplicity & logic of math, and since you're analyzing the SOCIAL or opinion of an observer, there is another variable missing from the equation.

I would suggest a scale of intention of the observer.
0=always looking for someone to belittle or feel superior to
1=disinterested in gender or public presentation for either apathy or personal issues
2=the person who feels life is a fascinating, wonderous journey and looks at all the variety with glee and curiosity.

I use these values because:

0x anything = 0 which is what that type of person's opinion should be worth
1=neutral, self-expression remains confined to self and observer makes no value judgement so equation does not change
2=God wouldn't that be wonderful! 2x better than apathy and infinitely better than 0

:D Nice analysis.

[Suzy Harrison]

Well you lost me in the first line - I'm a Blonde :heehee:

[Marla S]

Slight glitch in your (and the kids) math.

0.5 Man + 0.5 Woman = 1 Human (not 0.25)

So we are all blessed with being a whole person due to our CDing experience.
Ok, sorry, sorry, sorry for bad phrasing.
I said:


Seeing me, they said:

Half man, half woman, quarter human

[...]

Translated as an equation, the boys said:

0.5*Man + 0.5*Woman = 0.25*Human

At no point, I said that I am of THEIR opinion, I just tried to solve the riddle THEY gave me, and tried to draw a conclusion.

That I introduced the boundary condition Man > woman > 0 and choosing the arbitrary value women = 0.5 (I could have chosen 0.9999999) is the result of observing the society. I think it is not wrong to say that men still have a higher social status than women, even when I am not happy with this rating ... I am not the society.

To make it clear:
To me no individual is of more or less value than any other individual.... maybe except for my cat .. she's just great. Whoever alleges that I see it differently is wrong.



I, too, was going to object to the 25% human answer but after the math, you brought home the point that this was a social rating, as seen from the average citizen. Average is sooooo scarily below the perfect simplicity & logic of math, and since you're analyzing the SOCIAL or opinion of an observer, there is another variable missing from the equation.

I would suggest a scale of intention of the observer.
0=always looking for someone to belittle or feel superior to
1=disinterested in gender or public presentation for either apathy or personal issues
2=the person who feels life is a fascinating, wonderous journey and looks at all the variety with glee and curiosity.

I use these values because:

0x anything = 0 which is what that type of person's opinion should be worth
1=neutral, self-expression remains confined to self and observer makes no value judgement so equation does not change
2=God wouldn't that be wonderful! 2x better than apathy and infinitely better than 0

Nice analysis.
Thanks a lot, Tree
At least you got it, I knew I could count on you.

Again sorry for bad phrasing ... will try hard to improve it.

[AmberTG]

I think the point that was missed in this discussion from the beginning is that Marla was explaining how society views people like us, in a basic math formula. This was not a personal attack by her, it was a judgement by 2 teenagers that she tried to resolve with a math formula.
To take this discussion any other way, especially to assume it's a personal attack, is to completely miss the point that her explaination is how many "normal" people in society feel about people like us.
I got it!

[Ann D Bluebird]

Hmm. Interesting thread starter Marla. I don't claim to be a great mathematician but at first I was confused and thought the obvious solution lay in multiplying 0.5 * 0.5 But that was to miss your point about how gender variant people might be being regarded by those who prefer to think in blacks and whites. I guess that's where the solution lies really, understanding that for some minds life is easily categorized and put into boxes. And maybe only the aging process, and exposure to lifes realities, will teach those minds otherwise. Its all the more wonderful to think, then that there are lots of young minds who are born into a multicoloured world, and accept it happily.

I liked Tree GG's input here too :happy: a nice alterantive formula!!

Oh, and :OT::sorry: just on a pedantic note (It is a male(??) falling of mine:devil:)
You may be delighted to hear, Charllote34, that the Open University is alive and well....e.g. the BBC Coast series were done in partnership with the OU

Anyway. Never mind those thoughtless comments: lets keep the world a colourful place!!

[Carroll]

umm....ok a bit to complex for me...(going back to flying her simulator!):D

[MJ]

]Well you lost me in the first line - I'm a Blonde :heehee:[/QUOTE]


what can i say hmmm " I Think therefore i am " hey i am a blond too :D

[Marla S]

I think the point that was missed in this discussion from the beginning is that Marla was explaining how society views people like us, in a basic math formula. This was not a personal attack by her, it was a judgement by 2 teenagers that she tried to resolve with a math formula.
To take this discussion any other way, especially to assume it's a personal attack, is to completely miss the point that her explaination is how many "normal" people in society feel about people like us.
I got it!
Thanks a lot, you definitively got it :hugs:


Hmm. Interesting thread starter Marla. I don't claim to be a great mathematician but at first I was confused and thought the obvious solution lay in multiplying 0.5 * 0.5 But that was to miss your point about how gender variant people might be being regarded by those who prefer to think in blacks and whites. I guess that's where the solution lies really, understanding that for some minds life is easily categorized and put into boxes. And maybe only the aging process, and exposure to lifes realities, will teach those minds otherwise. Its all the more wonderful to think, then that there are lots of young minds who are born into a multicoloured world, and accept it happily.

I liked Tree GG's input here too :happy: a nice alterantive formula!!

Oh, and :OT::sorry: just on a pedantic note (It is a male(??) falling of mine:devil:)
You may be delighted to hear, Charllote34, that the Open University is alive and well....e.g. the BBC Coast series were done in partnership with the OU

Anyway. Never mind those thoughtless comments: lets keep the world a colourful place!!
:hugs:

And for those not feeling happy with math.
Which part of:

You can skip the "math", if you want:
you didn't get ?

Sorry. I will write slower next time.



@mods: Feel free to close and/or delete this thread.
It's going a way that never was intended and is done. Maybe it has been pointless from the beginning.

[kristytv]

bet you they would of retracted their statements after you beat the living tar outa them! i have no tolerance for intolerant people. there woulda been a fight if i was there! how would of that looked them going back to their friends i got beat down by a tv!

[Ann D Bluebird]

Ok, maybe enough already on this thread......but before we stop I thought maybe they were just misinformed in a less nasty way than we have so far supposed.
Sure about half of humanity is born male, about half female ( forgive me, intersex folk for not knowing how many YOU are :hugs:).
But transgendered/androgyne???
what proportion of humanity are we? Maybe the teenagers though it was 1 in 4????? Maybe you know a more accurate estimate, 1 in 10 or something?

As some one else :heehee: has said somewhere "Education, education, education!!" that's the key!

So (and this is the sort of reply that one can only come up with long after the moment is passed) maybe you could have said something like "Wow! You really think a quarter of humanity is transgendered?? I thought it was more like.....(whatever it actually is)" :tongueout