Why? Are we trans and do we really like it?

[flatlander_48]

These are the arguments Janice Raymond and other TERFs make against trans women.

It's funny, how certain so many of us are that alone amongst all the animals, man has no instincts, that being a man or a woman is a matter of socialization, that with the proper programming, we'd be whatever they tell us to be! For that must be your argument - because if the defining characteristics of being a woman are purely physical and social, that her feelings of who she is are not hers - they are imposed on her externally. That her feelings and inner life have no meaning, that she has no soul.

A very simple illustration of your point is this:

People often speak of the nurturing ability of women (Note: men nurture also) and the unconditional love of a mother for her children. Do people come by this ability and unconditional mindset from EXTERNAL means? Did they get it from the newspaper or last week's soap opera episode? I think PQ is spot on because these traits, and others, are not gleaned from physical situations nor are they social constructs. They come from within.

The other transgender people I've met inspire me and humble me - they are the most remarkable people I've ever met

As I've said before, we're all struggling with SOMETHING and that spans Crossdressers, Transgender people and Transsexuals. But the important thing is our spirit to not let these issues totally weigh us down. So it is amazing when you see people able to rise above the negative forces in their lives and do what needs to be done. And we must remember that s/heros are NOT born; that was never true. They are forged by circumstances and tempered by resolve.

Human?

No, I don't think that will work in this case because EVERYONE is Human; irrespective of orientation, identity, etc., etc.

A few, I think, are envious. This is insane of course, but in their minds we are the cool kids right now. Go figure!

It could just be that what they envy is that someone found the wherewithal to face a MAJOR personal issue and decided to take significant steps to fix it. It's one thing to realize, and even understand, a problem. It is a whole different thing to re-engineer one's life in order to deal with that problem.

DeeAnn