Why Transsexuality Exists

[Miss Tessa]

Here's another link with an explaination to why we exist as gender varients.

http://transsexual.org/why1.html

It is similar to what somebody posted recently with another similar link.

I guess we are spice on the crust of life.

I hope you find it informative.

[wishonastar]

They identified the "transsexual gene."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7689007.stm

Maybe this will end the religious nuts saying it is a choice and SRS is mutilation.

"Sorry that was sarcasm" because facts will not change these people views!

[Scotty]

Wanna hear a crazy hypothesis of mine?
It does involve genes, mother nature...maybe God...

I suspect mankind, animals, etc, are evolving (I still believe in Christianity!!) -

There have been MANY MANY cases of Frogs, animals, and now sharks b earing babies with no father involved, A-sexual...

I suspect it's possible mankind is moving in that direction.....maybe not likely but I think nature is trying....one gender..

Just a hypothesis I think about once in a while...

[Nicki B]

Here's another link with an explaination to why we exist as gender varients.

http://transsexual.org/why1.html

So transsexuality is a 'mistake'?? :strugglin

Nature does variation, not conformity. 'Twas ever thus.. It's our strength, not our weakness?

[battybattybats]

There have been MANY MANY cases of Frogs, animals, and now sharks b earing babies with no father involved, A-sexual...


It's called Parthenogenesis. There are good evolutionary advantages to the practice in small amounts, such as with Komodo Dragons, the huge toxic lizards that live on a few islands. If the population drops too low or a dragon travels to an island where there are no mates they can reproduce without a partner.

However few species drop sexual reproduction alltogether (though a couple have!) because you get more new combinations of genes, more positive mutations and more diversity from sex which means greater adaptibility and faster evolution while completely asexual reproduction, cloning essentially, means little to no mutation or change which vastly increases the risk of extinction.

And too much parthenogenesis in a population which still practices sexual reproduction means depleted gene pool and all the risks that come from incest of genetic errors and diseases.


So transsexuality is a 'mistake'?? :strugglin

Nature does variation, not conformity. 'Twas ever thus.. It's our strength, not our weakness?

Indeed. Kin selection (where a non-reproducing individual helps their siblings and family prosper passing on the gene) which makes Ants one of the dominant life forms on the planet is a major advantage.

[KeriB]

It's interesting to read and discuss the "whys" of things. Up at P-town last week, there was a bit of a lively discussion about the "whys," and why it's necessary to know. Obviously, everyone differs on this.. my thoughts being that knowing exactly why will not resolve my issues, and I just simply have to look past it and move on. That said, I still believe in the nature argument.....

[melissaK]

Cool that we may have our own genes. I will look for the actual study and await more studies that try to explain why the gene is not universal among us, or why it may or may not have a dominate presence (express itself) in an individual.

I always like to know why. In something like "why I am TSually inclined," knowing why is not likely to immediately change my life, But the old saw that knowledge is power is true, and with knowledge, society does change. Takes a ridiculously long while sometimes, but we do change.

As far as a genetic basis - I have long suspected there is a genetic reason for TSualism because it seems a condition that free-will alone can not transcend. It's decidedly that way for me, and seems that way for all of us based upon everyone's posts year in and year out. A genetic factor seems the only explanation.

And on genetics in general - interesting comments that life seems to "chose" which way to evolve. IMHO those who phrase it that way tend to believe in God, and that life has a purpose. The other view is that genetics are just chemical reactions that vary in outcome because they don't recurr in the exact environmental circumstances. The differences that result may increase the chance of replication of the reaction, or not. No master plan.

Perhaps my brains ability to believe there is a God leads to a replication advantage and that is all there is to it. Perhaps not. The romantic in me likes to think there's a God, but I live in a time when scientific proof about it is not available. So it doesn't seem important to me that I "decide" which way it is and elevate my "decision" which is nothing more than a "guess," to the level of a provable fact. Kind of like living 5,000 years ago - one would have lived in a time when scientific proof of most anything wasn't available, so the act of "deciding" how something was does not further your life.

Well fun topic.

Hugs,
'lissa

[John]

It's an interesting conjecture, I'll give it that.


They identified the "transsexual gene."

Um... no they didn't. They found that transsexual XY individuals where more likly that cissexual XY individuals to have longer coded in the androgen receptor gene. Sorry.

[Scotty]

Just saw that news about the TS gene - Anyone know if you can get tested for that?

Dang that would be nice to get a sweet official "Positive" - insurance might have to start looking at covering costs then.....

[Miss Tessa]

I bet lots of people carry the gene. Obviously my parents have it even though they're not TG.


And yes we have a longer coded androgyne thing that's what it was.


I don't think we're a mistake because look at all the societies both past and present that look at TG people as shamans and part of royal courts.
We must be contributing something good.

Transgendered people always seem really intelligent, smart, and worldly to me. Some are more street-smart while others are more booksmart or both like me=). Many are very artistic.