Many people are uncomfortable and unsure talking about transsexualism, because they don't know all the facts or they just don't fully understand the subject. For a long time I was one of those people. I didn't know anything about it and like many people I thought that transsexuals were the same as homosexuals, which I was never for or against the subject. It was a big shock and surprize when one of my friends brought up the subject of transsexualism and said that she was thinking of getting a sex change. I was confused and not sure how to take it at first and so to get a better understanding I decided to research the subject. I learned many things that helped me understand and that will help me to help my friend. This information could be useful to many people in understanding and coping with this subject. Understanding is a big part of coping and maybe acceptance, or not accepting transsexuals. Either way at least a person can know the truth instead of the myths about transsexuals.
There are many different views on what transsexualism means. "transexualism is sexual nonconformity, and a transexual is 1. One whose primary sexual identification is with the opposite sex. 2. One who has undergone a sex change." (Bookshelf '98) There is much more that goes into it then that. The dictionary definition gives a slight idea of what it is but doesn't give us enough information to really understand it. Transsexualism can also be considered a disorder, though most psychiatrists still don't know whether or not to count it as such. Most of the time this disorder is called gender dysphoria, which means it, is a gender identity disorder. The different levels of this disorder are; "TOTAL: Transsexualism, transvestophilia (cross-dressing for erotic arousal) PARTIAL UNLIMITED: Gynemimesis/ Andromimesis, Transvestism (desire to live as a member of the opposite sex) PARTIAL LIMITED: Homosexuality, bisexualism, lesbianism.” (Andromeda Andrology Center) On thing that is not explained in this classification is not all cross dressers are transexuals nor are the homosexuals, not all homosexuals are transexuals, and not all transexuals are homosexuals. This is a general classification for the majority, and not limited to all transexuals.
There are some doctors who disagree, saying transexualism shouldn’t be considered a mentle disorder for many reasons. “The mind of the transexual cannot be chanced in its false gender orientation. All attempts to do this have failed.” (Dr. Harry Benjamin) “Psychotherapy has nothing to offer them as far as any cure is concerned.” (Dr John Alden) So the argument goes on to decide if gender dysphoria is a mental disorder to be treated with counseling or whether it is just simply something that should be taken care of by hormones and surgery. In the medical world rather then the psychological world world tests have shown that “transexuals have a brain structure which is neuroanatomically different from what is expected of their biological sex. There is a particular area in the brain, which is essential for sexual behavior. This area is known as the BSTC(Bed nucleus of the Stria Terminals-Central subdivision). A female type of BSTC was found in male transexuals in a pioneering study conducted in the Netherlands.” (Andromeda Andrology Center) Though there has been many studies both physical and mental, much is still unkown about the cause of transexualism of how to cure it. This is why the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA) was created. This association deals with nothing but research on gender dysphoria and on going studies of how to cure it.
Research shows that throughout history there have been accounts of transexualism. “In Rome, Canaan, Turkey, India, North Africa, and other cultures, anatomical males severed their genitals while in states of spiritual ecstasy worshiping a Goddess. The literature on this subject usually describe these acts simply as “castration.” However, the accounts from witnesses suggest something more like a change in sexual identity. In Rome, the gallae, Frijian worshipers of the Goddess Cybele, ran through the streets throwing severed male organs into open doorways. The households receiving these remains considered them a great blessing. In return, they nursed the gallae back to health. The gallae then ceremoniously received female cloths. Fraser mentions them dressed as brides.” (Gender Identity Project)
“In India, this ritual practice continues to the present day. The Hijras do not perform surgery on themselves but have a local guru do it (by guru, we mean a spiritual leader who is herself a Hijras). The Hijras occupy an anomalous position in India society, despised and respected at the same time. They are called “eunuchs” but in many social aspects they are considered women.” (Gender Identity Project) Even in Greek mythology, evidence of transexualism is found. “Teiresias, the very model of a seer, gains his power partly from a magical transformation from a man to a women and back to a man. Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, the most feminine of goddesses, arose when Chronos severed the male genitals of the sky god and threw the organ onto the sea.” (Gender Identity Project) There was even a nobleman serving Loui XV who went under cover in the Russian court as his non-existant sister. After his return, on orders from Loui XV the nobleman was obligated to dress as a women and live the role till his death in 1810. (Andromeda Andrology Center) This bit of history is comforting to transexuals because it shows them that in certain cultures in history transexuals are accepted in society.
Transexualism even has its place in religion. Though most Christians regard transsexualism as wrong, there are some religions that accept transsexuals with open arms. Shamanism is very popular among transsexuals, and most shamanistic religions see transsexualism as a persons potential to be a shaman. “In many places the shaman’s initiation includes a change of gender. Often, the person “called” to be a shaman experiences visions in which spirits command him or her to abandon their identity and adopt the “opposite” gender. This may be a wrenching experience, something which the shaman may find frightening, but unable to resist. This experience will remind many transsexual people of their own sence of being overwhelmed by the transsexual impulse.” (Gender Identity Project) It too is comforts transsexuals to know that somewhere and somehow they can find a place where they’re accepted and understood.
In a survey I conducted I asked 9 people a total of 10 questions and got a large perspective of answers. The first and most important question I asked was, “What is your view on transsexualism?” Most of them were against if for religious reasons and for moral reasons. There were a few who said that it was a free country. One said that they had never thought about it before to get a viewpoint on the subject. In the survey I had asked them what they would do or think if their son/daughter was transsexual. Most of them said that they would be shocked and would have their child seek counseling immediately. Some said that nothing would really change except that they would know more about them. Another question asked if the respondents would consider getting into a relationship with a transsexual. Most of them said that they would be friends with a transsexual, though most would not get into a relationship with one. One person even brought up an interesting point in one of the questions. When asked, “If your significant other told you that he/she used to be a man/women, would you stay in the relationship?” One person answered “Ultimately not. Betrayal of a trust between two people is torment.” This survey showed me exactle what my resources told me. It showed the diversity of answers and the different viewpoints that people hold about transsexualism.
“Transsexualism is definitely not a mere whim on the part of the affected person. Though ill-understood, it seems to be the end result of a combination of abnormal neuroanatomy superimposed on which are psychological, environmental & probably hormonal factors.” (Andromeda Andrology Center) There is still much to be learned about transsexualism, but we do know that it is here and it is not just an oddity that has occurred in recent years but has been happening since the dawn of man.
Transsexuals are people like any one else and deserve the same respect as any one else. Yes, a religion may count them out because it doesn’t agree with it, and a culture may think badly of it, but somewhere there are cultures and religions that accept and honor these people because of this odd behavior. For all we know transsexualism may be a result of a different brain structure, found in the study in the Netherlands. Who are we to judge a person for that? In a way it would like judging a child with autism, or some other mental disability? It is up to us all to help these individuals in any way we can. With understanding and encouragement, these people can be very functional and insightful members of our society if given the chance. After all, isn’t that what our society is all about, understanding and acceptance of our right to free will, and choice?
WORK CITED
Andromeda Andrology Center "Why some women want to become men (and vice versa)" Tanssexualism and sex chang operations http://www.andrology.com/main05.htm March 13, 2000
Benjamin, Harry " Transsexualism and transvestism as psychosomatic somato-psychic syndromes." American Journal of Psychotherapy 1954, pg. 8, 219-230
Gender Identity Project "History Perspectives" 1993 http://www.GenderWeb.org/~julie/medical/psych/gndidp.html March 13, 2000
Personal Survey, March 1, 2000
"Transsexualism" Bookshelf '98 , 1998
