How long til the wanna-be TG's become an epidemic?

[Pat]

Maybe we should sell "I was transgender before it was cool" t-shirts? On the other hand, if we want people to accept our stories and treat us with respect can we really start doubting other people's stories and disrespecting them? If we want the benefit of the doubt, we have to give it as well. There may be such a thing as someone trying it on, but they won't last and perhaps along the way they'll learn something.

[HelenR2]

I read that here, in Britain, the demand for gender identity clinics is going up by 20% per year! I believe this is partly driven, (and only partly), because young people are attracted to making big decisions, big changes to 'take control of their lives', and what bigger decision could one make?

[Starling]

To return to the OP, I believe the recent shocking event might put the kibosh on transgender tourism, so to speak. Not sure that's a very good thing.

Lallie

[CTCDTV]

Indeed... (Here in the USA), I have been working up to a point of actually going forward with transition only to have us possibly yanked back into the Stone Age (politically speaking). I worry about increased violence against T-folk as well.

[Barbara Ella]

Increased societal acceptance will undoubtedly attract more to examine their TG tendencies, and even to accept them. It will also attract individuals with no business being here, but so be it, they will drop out quickly. The person with the true nature will persevere, although recognizing and accepting the TS nature may not come so easily, or be palatable to many. As many have mentioned, it is not a cake walk, it is just our walk. As the interested individuals become more educated, the interest will wane for many.

[Lauren B]

Increased societal acceptance will undoubtedly attract more to examine their TG tendencies, and even to accept them. It will also attract individuals with no business being here, but so be it, they will drop out quickly.

Yeah, if anybody "becomes TG" as part of some sort of fad, the reality will bring that to a stop right quick. I don't think the OP's original question is even a thing or will ever become one.

[Rebecca Star]

I remember about 15 years ago when I would go out dressed and often get ridiculed, laughed at, or hear rude comments. The worst that happens now is the occasional being called "he" or "sir". I am not shy about correcting them.

No too long ago (in the BIG picture), gay folk were subjected to a similar treatment. That has now changed. Why? Because the masses were educated. The Media, as much we may dislike them at times, have certainly helped volumes in this education process. In addtion to famous personalities etc.

Add the internet to the mix, the availability of information at our fingertips, it's all mind boggling.

I'll agree there seems to be an explosion of TG et al people. Though, and reiterating, I think that's because people now feel safe to not only discuss it in mainstream, but also identify as it in mainstream. However, making a comparison of TG/TS et al to that of the "hipsters" fad...

I'm sorry, but I think you might want to re-think that argument and stance.


Lisa

[Teresa]

Nicole,
There is a worrying trend in the UK that it's the thing to do, parents are considering gender problems in three year old infants , gender clinics are becoming saturated .

I can't get my head round what is going on, OK most of us come to a realisation that we are born wired differently, I know I'm talking from an older generation but sometimes we do have be rational about things and not jump on the bandwagon just to be different.

Personally the hard fight to stay on the male side is worth it to me, I appreciate my generation expected a boy to grow up into a man and get married and usually have a family, I wouldn't have missed that part for the World I now have three grandchildren. I might have missed out on all that if my parents had realised what was going on my head when my CDing started. So what is going to happen to the generation now and where will it end ?
Perhaps in the UK it is easier to follow that path because of our NHS , but that system is being overstretched, something will have to give.

[Pat]

Nicole, I'm not clear -- are you saying you're concerned about people who aren't transgender "trying it on" or you're concerned that a large slice of the population is transgender and it would be better in some way for them to be impeded? I would think the tire-kickers (tyre-kickers?) would drop away pretty quickly. But I would think if real transgender people are getting help then it's a net gain for them and for society as a whole.

I too am happy with my contributions to life as a cis-pretender person but I'm also hoping that as we get more experienced with transgenderism there won't be so much pressure to be either-or on the binary model and perhaps there will be more emphasis on being comfortably non-binary. So you can have your kids and grandkids and have your sanity and peace as well. I guess I'm saying I view transgenderism to really encompass both maleness and femaleness (I hope those are words) and extend both. I don't think we're a subset of binary gender -- I think we're a superset. Oh, dear. It sounds like I'm running for office... sorry.

[jentay1367]

I view transgenderism to really encompass both maleness and femaleness (I hope those are words) and extend both. I don't think we're a subset of binary gender -- I think we're a superset.

I don't want to be non-binary. I identify as female, want to be female and want to be seen and treated as female. When I'm done with this thing, I hope to be female. Not a trans woman. Although I understand that can never be in actuality, It will be so in my mind and actions. Anyone who chooses not to respect that, doesn't need to part of my world.

[PaulaQ]

This isn't going to happen for the same reason there aren't a bunch of wanna-be gay people. (If someone looks like a wanna-be gay person, they are probably actually bisexual.) Sometimes you either are something or you aren't.

A lot of people who are cisgender have trouble with the strict gender binary of our society. This binary is liable to blur, and sure, some people may claim trans status over fairly small identity or presentaction issues for a time. I expect this will settle out. Also, depending on how things go, it could vanish altogether if discrimination begins to increase again, rather than decrease. My hope is that cis people will begin to explore and understand themselves better. So many of them have absolutely no concept of who they are or what their gender really means to them because they've never had to think about it before...

[karenpayneoregon]

This is actually rampat on Facebook, mostly in closed groups which one has to ask, how the heck did they learn about the closed groups, perhaps via a friend who is trans?

Two supposedly male to females asked to be friends with me, I accepted. As time went by I noticed both had more features of a cisgender female than male e.g. a twenty something year old with pronounced hips for one.

I am very supportive of the trans community and belong to several close groups with a lot of members. At least a handful out of hundreds are indeed females passing off as male to female. I have not seen female to male attempting this so it's more females looking to do this then their counter-parts.

[GBJoker]

It's already an epidemic.

[pamela7]

This seems a fair question to me. I've noticed students faking dyslexia or asbergers in order to gain advantage in school exams. Right now though, where on earth is the advantage to a CISgender person in posing as trans?

In the bathroom debate (one of the greater fears expressed by CIS folk and us; predators posing)?

My daughter's boyfriend has taken to wearing her leggings. I can see a fashion thing confusing the CD part of transgender, but I can't qute see why a person would pose as TS for a social advantage.

[jentay1367]

I can't qute see why a person would pose as TS for a social advantage.

The answer would be, for "attention"...... pure and simple attention. Some will go to the ends of the earth for it.

[PretzelGirl]

I agree Lisa. We see it here. There are members who so want to be transexuals, but their words give away that they aren't. It is all about being part of a group and getting that attention. Amen.

[StacyPump]

Personally speaking, I can't figure out why any of us would be worried about the trend of increasing acceptance of anyone who is transgender or dealing with gender dysphoria in any way, be it cross-dressing, transgender, trans-sexual, part-time, full-time, up-time, down-time, front-time, back-time, black-time, white-time or green or purple-time.

You're worried about TG's and CD's and hipsters claiming to be TG's or CD's, becoming "mainstream"?

I can understand an artist, or a scientist, or a software developer, being worried about their craft, invention, work of art, or intellectual property becoming "mainstream", but we, as a community, have been dealing with shame, rejection, and aggression for a very, very, very long time.

In my humble opinion, anything that lessens the pain that I feel, or the shame that I feel, or the embarrassment that I feel, or the risk that I take, is a good thing.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

i agree everything that helps YOU lessen pain is good... would you say the same for others?

what if seeing tg tg tg all around you is making you feel worse... if the "mainstream" tg thing is making you feel more isolated because it does not resonate with your experience or what you know about yourself??

the tg "mainstream" has a big element of riding the coattails of people that suffered alot....in a way, thats just life...breaking new ground is harder than walking on it..




In any case, what's done is done... and we are seeing the result.... in fact, we are being blamed for the rise of you know who.... just as i predicted btw...the whole mess in NC didnt help me, that's for sure...

[Starling]

Everything contributed to The Big Backlash, and to abandon the good fight(s) is not going to improve the situation. (I know you're not suggesting that we do, Kaitlyn.)

Lallie

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I am suggesting that the "good fight" seems like its lost its way..

how could people not see that "bathroom laws" was a terrible battleground for it

i guess we can't pick our fights, but optically it just seems ridiculous... our feelings about it are not what i'm talking about...

[Starling]

Not only can we not pick our fights, but our enemies are constantly scanning the horizon for opportunities to start new ones. They get out the vote. Regardless of our feelings, we don't have many options, but "strategic silence" is an invitation to further repression. And we can't control the way our allies respond. It's all a big crapshoot, actually.

Lallie

PS: Honestly, a sane society wouldn't make it so hard to go to the bathroom.

[Becky Blue]

I think its a good thing. It wasn't that long ago that being gay was a huge stigma, many teenagers who were gay suppressed their feelings and many landed up as very unhappy adults. Today in most of the world being gay is accepted that makes life easier. Now Trans is very much in the spotlight and will hopefully be generally accepted in most of the world. If that takes pressure off young trans people who can be themselves earlier in life I say its a great thing.

Of course there will always be haters, but its mainstream that makes the difference. The more the topic is in the news the more its talked about people like healthcare professionals become more aware etc...

[pamela7]

I've thought some more, and I hope it does become an epidemic. what is wrong with it? It's not as if there are no fakes in politics, management and most walks of life.
what i'd prefer to see is more acceptance and support, but perhaps that's too much to ask.

[Shelly Preston]

I would suggest no one is against more people coming out as a person in need of transition.

The worry is those who have somehow mistakenly convinced themselves they need to transition. As we have seen there have been some who have gone through transition, but have then reverted back to their original gender. I am sure the clinics do there best to make sure those cases are very few.

[pamela7]

I agree Shelley, but the male privilege is used by doctors in justifying "it might be regretted" to make us wait years - one size does not fit all, and there needs to be a place/way to allow some to progress faster than doubtfuls.