Maybe GID is genetic

[Carly CD]

I have read many things on the subject of why people are transgendered, crossdress whatever you wish to call it and all the different theories of why. Something happened a few weeks ago that makes me wonder if it is genetic.

First the back story. I have only one cousin that I was close to. The bad thing is we lived, and still do, about 3 states apart. She has been openly gay for the past 20 years or so and keeps a masculine appearence. With the urging of my wife I came out to my cousin when I was asking her opinion on something personal. She was happy that I told her and then she revealed to me that her appearance was more then just a gay thing. Here all these years she has also faced gender identity issues.

We have had some nice talks and laughs at how when my family would come to visit when we were young that i would play with her dolls and she would play with my GI Joe's and He Man's. But it is also sad how all these years we fought our battles alone when we could have been fighting them together.

Back to the title of my post, after finding this out about my cousin it really makes me wonder if it is mostly genetic and not based on your social up bring or surroundings like some suggest.

Any opinions?

[Dianne S]

I think there is a strong genetic component to transgenderism. My therapist said that it does tend to run in families.

[Nadine Spirit]

I think it is genetic in nature. Or however one would like to describe it to mean that it is not in our environment or upbringing. I don't think you could make someone become TG just like I don't think you could make someone become hetero- or homo- sexual. It is how we are born.

[Katey888]

I think it could be, Carly - but genetics covers lots of stuff (and I bet we have an expert on here somewhere... just ain't me... ) I suspect you may also mean it's an hereditary genetic trait? Defo need an expert on that one...

I wouldn't discount environmental factors - organo-phosphates have been know to frigg with genetic structure, I believe, and long term exposure to all sorts of radio frequency radiation could do all sorts of damage... it's not been long enough for anyone to know yet. I just wonder why historically there hasn't been as much visibility of GLBT individuals... I can't believe that societal or religious repression would be enough to answer that, but maybe it is?

And anyway, it's the mutations and quirks of genetics that sometimes leads to improvements in life... I still like to fantasise that we might just be the next step in human evolution... Although goodness knows how we're supposed to make something of this particular quirk!

Katey x

[UNDERDRESSER]

There is probably SOME input to most things front our genetic makeup, but it's a bit like cancer in that regard, IF, you have a genetic disposition for it, and IF, you are exposed to environmental triggers, and IF, you don't follow a healthy lifestyle....guess what? You're very likely to be having an unhappy conversation with your Doctor.

Put another way, it's part of the answer to why.

[Christina Sevilla]

I do suspect it is genetic related but as far as i know among my relatives i'm the only one like this unless there is someone hidden deep inside the closet.

[Beverley Sims]

Maybe it is but I am sure it needs triggers to set it off.

[sometimes_miss]

Any opinions?

Sure. Some GID is genetically influenced, some is not. It's that simple. Each case must be determined on it's own; the huge problem is that most mtf gid patients are unlikely to know all of the actual influences in their lives, because of the trememdous stigma attached to males embracing femininity, so they actively suppress memories and influences that may currently exist or have existed in the past in their lives. Only when all facts are known can we begin to figure out why we don't quite fit into our physical gender the way most other people do.

[PaulaQ]

There's a good deal of evidence (twin studies, common traits among GD sufferers that are known to be genetic) that it is genetic. The evidence for this is mounting. It is also quite possible that it is related to events in utero - there is evidence for this too, so it may well be a combination of the two.

Social pressures are most likely the inhibitor for behavior resulting from having some female brain structure.

[Cheryl T]

I totally agree!!
I have 3 male cousins in my generation that are all gay....and here I am.
In my mind it's totally genetic.

[Kate Simmons]

I think it may possibly be a little of both but I also think we waste a lot of precious time and energy trying to figure it out. Time and energy that could be better spent enjoying who we are but many of us will always wonder I guess.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Carly, If you ever find out for sure , Please let the rest of us know.

[DanielleInMI]

I totally agree!!
I have 3 male cousins in my generation that are all gay....and here I am.
In my mind it's totally genetic.

That's kind of interesting, I had a half brother (dad's side) that was openly gay.

[KaceyR]

I'd kind of wondered on this. I can't really vouch for my biological dad too much...
He ran out on my mom when I was 3. But mom was doing some consideration recently about all the influences in my life.
Apparently my bio-dad was a quiet guy in general, Like me. The quiet,shy and some femme aspects also could have applied.
At least until he drank...he was an angry drunk and really overcompensated the opposite way against his nature as such...and what caused remembered (by me even) fights, run outs, and a few retaliation attempts (slashed tires, other things..for a bit mom carried around a crowbar/tire iron for protection).
(Me, I go quiet and sleepy when really drunk )

Can't say about any deeper into his family side to compare things further however.

[BOBBI G.]

I'm positive it is genetic. I would not consciously put myself through 65 years of misery and depression. Now, at 71, I can finally say I'm happy. Plus my therapist thinks so, too.

Bobbi

[I Am Paula]

There is a difference between genetic, and hereditary. A genetic defect can show up once (Lou Gherigs), 50/50 chance (Muscular dystrophy), only in males (Haemophilia) and many others.
Transgenderism is almost certainly genetic. The theory that nurture made us this way is almost entirely discounted.
Whether homosexuality, or gender variant behavior is hereditary (passed on, or runs in a bloodline) is under investigation, but may never be answered. There is simply not a large enough group available to be considered clinical results. There is anecdotal evidence that homosexuality may run in families, but so far nothing worth reporting about gender.
As we discover more about genetics, a VERY new field, we may discover a gender variant genes, gene mutations ,and gene variations, far beyond X and Y chromosomes, and other relatively simple concepts.
There was one well documented study of identical twins, separated at birth, who BOTH grew up transgender, unfortunately, one committed suicide during puberty, making further study purely conjecture. Researchers cannot decide if this was just a coincidence.

[Engendered]

My extended family has a lot of LGBT variation, including (as I only recently found out) someone who is TS. I think, as people become more open, links like this will be easier to study.

[Claire Cook]

There's a good deal of evidence (twin studies, common traits among GD sufferers that are known to be genetic) that it is genetic. The evidence for this is mounting. It is also quite possible that it is related to events in utero - there is evidence for this too, so it may well be a combination of the two.

Paula, I think you are right on with this. Especially about in utero events -- I'm sure that there are epigenetic things that have affected our transgendered selves that occur before we are born. Whether or not there "gay genes", of that I am not as sure. I would think that strictly gay people would not be likely to pass their genes on to the next generation.

[mariehart]

As Paula says there is a difference between hereditary and genetic. But there may be a number of factors at work here. Certainly I know it's certainly not nurture. If so then I'd be 100% male!

I have two sons and it has made me wonder if I might pass this on to them. They're quite small yet so far to early but the eldest seems to have been born sexist and is all boy. The youngest tends to be more 'artistic' and less macho. But far too soon to be making judgements. Frankly I hope both are straight and comfortable with the identity. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

I read somewhere a while ago that there is evidence that younger sons are more likely to be gay than older sons. Something to do with hormone balance in the Mother. That's interesting. I also do believe hormones have a big influence, in fact obviously they do. As I'm sure anyone who is transitioning will tell how different they feel when the testosterone is gone and the female hormones kick in. So perhaps some event during gestation may influence the situation

Again I read that when a woman is under stress during early pregnancy. It may impact on the foetus and it's development. Looking at my own Mother. Mine was an unplanned birth. My parents married when she was three months pregnant with me. Worse this was in repressive Catholic Ireland in the fifties, where pregnant unmarried women were sent away in shame to work in church sponsored laundries and often had the child taken away from them. She had to have been in considerable stress even though my Dad did the right thing by her. Actually they'd been dating for ten years by then. What was he waiting for?

I wonder if there's something to that idea?

[Melissa_59]

Mom once told me she suspected my father "borrowed" her clothes from time to time but she said she never had any proof.

My father was a Marine, which fits another check block of many people with gender identity issues, that of doing "extremely masculine" things in order to deny what they're feeling at other times. I've known people like many of us who were former Rangers, Force Recon, SEALS, etc, that were also crossdressers or seeking gender reassignment surgery. There's a story out there now on the internet about a former SEAL who has transitioned.

~Mel

[Karen kc]

In my case, I'm pretty sure its genetic

[KellyJameson]

Another possible influence is how the environment affects pregnant mothers and the fetus they carry.

Life is designed to survive and it is very likely as competition for scarce resources increases, the mothers stress response will increase the likelihood of homosexual children because they will be less likely to reproduce.

Natures way of reducing population to protect the health of all its members.

The hormones a stressed mother releases are critical to the understanding of her progeny.

The genes we carry are like switches where each gene contributes to the expression of the entire organism based on how this switch is "set" so it is not just the genes you inherit but how they are "set" individually.

This is referred to as Epigenetics, allowing life to have a type of plasticity so that it can adapt to whatever circumstances it finds itself living in.

Separate from that it is in our nature to think the outside decides the inside so how you look and act determines who you are.

Crossdressers sometimes dress to be sexually alluring or simply because they admire beauty and beautiful things.

It is the culture that teaches that this is "abnormal" for a man to want to do but from a human point of view this is not abnormal at all.

The culture has a sexist attitude toward men as " how they should act and feel" and collectively men tolerate this to harvest the benefits of being the dominant gender but individually some pay a high price for this priviledge.

Beauty and sex are highly regulated through the assigned gender roles and those who transgress these rules feel the sting of guilt and shame.

[Vickie_CDTV]

It might be in some cases, but not always in others. I don't know of anyone on either side of my family that are TVs much less TSs, only one suspected gay cousin (never confirmed) and a gay uncle on the other side (never confirmed.) I am the only one who dresses that I know of or have ever heard did.

[dana digs sweaters]

Everything is possible I guess.
I have a sister who worked at a print shop while going to college.
Always blue jeans and Bear's and Blackhawk's tops/sweaters/jersey.
She told me that some peeps called her a crossdresser because of what she wore in that type of work environment.
She is fem as any other woman on the planet.
I laughed and told her to tell them that it runs in the family

[Ms. Alexis]

Though it may not always be I think that much of it is. In my case after I found out my own gender issues in my late 30's early 40's I came out to my dad and only then did he tell me that he is a cross dresser as well. Never had a clue. And think about this - the world is much more accepting of people as a whole today and the Internet has made it possible for people like us to find out we are not alone and that we really have nothing to be ashamed of even if the world is not ready for us. For many of our parents and grandparents coming out would have been the death of them, so any feelings or dressing etc. they would have (and some still do) carry to the grave with them.