By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Pemalite said:
JWeinCom said:

I get what dysphoria is, but that really wasn't my question.

I guess what I don't understand about trans people is whether or not they are transitioning because they actually feel like another gender, or is it because they like to behave in a certain manner which would be acceptable for the other gender, but not for them. In other words is the dysphoria based on what they are vs society's expectations, or what they want to do vs society's expectations?

For instance, if we had a world where a man was not judged for wearing dresses, makeup, being emotional, or other things that are typically considered feminine, would we see a decrease in the amount of people transitioning from male to female?  

I am part of the LGBT community... And from what a ton of Trans people have told me, it's that they feel they are trapped in a body that doesn't belong to them.
It has absolutely nothing to do with society expectations, their mannerisms/how they act.
They simply feel they aren't the person they are supposed to be, which I can relate with. Hence the Gym example.

Just because a man wears a dress, makeup, is emotional... And has feminine outward characteristics, doesn't make them Trans, they can still identify as the sex they were born with.
Whether if such judgement has any effect on the amount of people undergoing transition? That's a good question, Transitioning/Transgender seems more common now, because people are more free to be who they want to be in the modern era.

In short, they don't need to live in the closet.


I think in general we should try to limit gender reassignment surgery as much as possible.  Not on any kind of moral grounds or anything, but simply on the basis that we always want to use the least extreme medical intervention as possible, and surgery is a pretty extreme option.  If a doctor/psychiatrist decides it's truly the best option, then I'm for it, but if there is a way to make trans people feel comfortable with themselves without surgery, I think that would be preferable.  

As for feeling trapped in a body, I just don't get that.  As a male, I really have no concept of what being a man means beyond physical factors and in most, but definitely not all, circumstances being more in line with societal expectations for a man than a woman.  I don't know what "feeling like a man" inside would mean beyond acting in line with societal expectations of a man. And I'm, not sure the gym example is comparable.  Like, do you feel that you want to be more muscular or fit than you are?  I get that.  But do you feel like you somehow really are that fit and muscular on the inside and it's just somehow not showing?  That I don't really get.  And from my understanding, being trans is less about wanting to be the other gender, but more of feeling that you already are.  

Maybe it's just one of those things you have to experience, and because I identify with the gender I was born as, I haven't ever really had to question it.  But it's still something I can't really wrap my head around.

Last edited by JWeinCom - on 05 September 2019