Transgender Self-Identification and the Impact of Sexual Assault

While reading an article on the political hot-button issue of bathroom usage legislation in many States and municipalities, I came across some interesting stats I didn't know. While some States like Washington have enacted rules(via an appointed Human Rights Commission) clarifying bathroom "rules" to accommodate the transgender population, others have been busy in 2015 filing over 86 anti-LGBT bills, many addressing Transgender bathroom laws. Why has this topic, and Transgenderism in general become so prominent lately?

“We’re at a tipping point now where the trans community is more visible than ever before. But the opponents want to have it the other way—to move the tipping point back,” says Victoria Rodríguez Roldán, project director of the Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice at the National LGBTQ Task Force in Washington, D.C. “People are just starting to understand what transgender issues are and the types of discrimination that transgender people face,” says Shankar Narayan, the legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington. “The initial reaction is usually fear, but to change that reaction, you need to move deeper into the conversation.”

www.thedailybeast.com...

Back to the topic at hand. Some facts listed in the above and other links to be provided, it was stated that "According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 50 percent of transgender people are victims of sexual violence during their life." That statistic lead me to these thoughts: how many people who've been a victim of sexual harassment/violence have adopted the descriptor "Transgender/Transneuteral" as a result of these acts? How many have been offered that path by psychiatrists/psychologists during treatment post incident? I understand that many who consider themselves transgender have grappled with sexual-identity issues since a young age. But I believe there is a percentage that adopted the label as a direct result of professionals and others influencing their thought processes while vulnerable or at the confusing age of puberty.

Of peculiar note is the statistic of those who have taken the steps to cement their sexual self-identity:

Not many people in the U.S. who identify as transgender undergo surgery to change their genitals, according to a 2011 survey of 6,450 people by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. About 6 percent of transgender people surveyed had some type of female-to-male procedure and about 23 percent have had some form of male-to-female surgeries. Read more here: www.star-telegram.com...=cpy

www.star-telegram.com... Based on the percentages listed, it seems as if a small percentage committed to changing their sexual-identity have embraced the concept of transgenderism and acted on it, whereas the majority simply vocalize their stance. Keeping in mind the incidents of sexual harassment/violence a larger percentage of Transgenders have suffered, could there be a recognized percentage that took the label for other reasons? Due to outside influences?forge-forward.org...

I discussed this topic at length it a 19 year old Transgender. Anecdotal tales aside, she acquiesced to the possibility of professionals and outside influences prodding vulnerable people down the Transgender road as a viable alternative self-identity. She said social media played a big part in her decision making, along with friends in the LGBT community and her psychologist. These influences alone didn't change her identity, but played a big part in her final decisions.

What do you think? Is it possible to account for the percentage of post sexual violence victims who identify as Transgender due to influences during a vulnerable healing period? Is Transgenderism the Cause du Jour of many mental health professionals, a default mode if you will? Is some self-identifying Transgenderism possibly the direct result of influences upon pubescent teens during a very confusing time in their lives?

www.osha.gov...
aclu-wa.org...

I got some mixed views on the concept of trans people to begin with

First, I dont understand it, but whatever, I dont have to. I dont understand lots of things, such as peoples enjoyment of country music. My understanding is irrelevant
but
The term trans means transitioning
If a person, say a male, has no intention of transitioning to a female, then are they trans? If I put on a kilt, I am a man, but if I call it a dress, am I suddenly a woman?

I think the term should mean something. A man wearing a dress and lipstick but no plan on transition is just a feminine man.
am I wrong here?
Now, if its a financial thing exclusively...will transition once the funds become available, plan on it, but just cant spend the cash, then sure..that is a trans 100%...even if its decades of just trying to save money, but there has to be some intent there.

As far as gender issues with toilets...seriously..just make some unisex stalls already..one extra toilet for any of the above in the restroom areas isn't gonna break the bank.

As far as teen trans consideration...nothing should be allowed permanent until at least 16 (age of consent) unless there is special circumstances (say a hermaphrodite that identifies fully as one should have the other parts...fixed)

StealthAdd:
I think before any procedure is done, a very big push for therapy should be given..let the person see if its truly transition they are wanting or if they are just suffering some disorder / depression and wanting to escape themself. a lot of trans suicide rates..people thinking that would fix their problems, having major regrets after when they realized it wasn't the issue for them...always explore why you think a way before making a huge...huge...huge modifcation to life.
Once you are understanding of whats going on..go for it.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo


I was once at a campsite with a bearded lady when the owner of the site approached us and awkwardly told us there'd been complaints about a man using the women's bathroom. The bearded lady sighed and said, "The correct procedure is you call the police, the police call a doctor, the doctor confirms I'm female, and you all apologise to me". The campsite owner grovelled and left. Only a retired midwife will tell you how many transgender children are born. More than you would imagine. Bathroom usage is just one of the issues they face.

Transgenders teach us that we are all human. Gender is an illusion.

Like everything else, it's been hijacked for chaos causing purposes.

originally posted by: Kester
Transgenders teach us that we are all human. Gender is an illusion.

If gender is an illusion, then transgenders aren't real..after all, why move from one illusionary gender to the next?

gender is a biological norm that has grown into a society norm..plenty attached to gender is added in just based on society norms and trends (pink is feminine, blue is masculine for instance.), but overall, generally speaking, gender is based off of sex differences and inherent male or female habits

a reply to: SaturnFX
The option of unisex stalls is too much of a common sense solution to some municipalities. The fear of allowing members of the opposite sex to use locker-rooms in an effort to accommodate transgenders has opened the door to questionable motivations:
www.king5.com...

If I'm the Dad of one of the swim-team girls faced with this situation, I probably would lose some of my understanding for the cause. No one wants Merv the Perv using a ruling to access locker-rooms to satisfy voyeuristic creepiness. I am in agreement with you on making life-altering decisions at a young age.

originally posted by: Kester
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo


I was once at a campsite with a bearded lady when the owner of the site approached us and awkwardly told us there'd been complaints about a man using the women's bathroom. The bearded lady sighed and said, "The correct procedure is you call the police, the police call a doctor, the doctor confirms I'm female, and you all apologise to me". The campsite owner grovelled and left. Only a retired midwife will tell you how many transgender children are born. More than you would imagine. Bathroom usage is just one of the issues they face.

Transgenders teach us that we are all human. Gender is an illusion.

Like everything else, it's been hijacked for chaos causing purposes.

It's also been hijacked for pandering purposes for politicians during elections, at least in my home State. The cause has also been exploited by one political agenda, in an effort to satisfy it's voting base.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Glad you posted this, bc I've held that view for decades now ( the influence of sexual assault on one's adulthood choices ). And I've met plenty of opposing opinions that favor nature over nurture.

Unfortunately I can't find the article on a study I read that links adult film actors with a history of sexual abuse. I'm gonna dig further to try to find the study, but nonetheless the percentage of female porn stars that claim they were molested at a young age was over 90‰ of the sample group. That's quite significant. The male group had a lower percentage but still hovered around 50%.

While pornography and transgender lifestyles aren't related in most senses, they are related in the broad sense that they involve one's sexuality and preferences.

I don't really know if therapy plays a significant role in this. IMO i think everyone reacts to trauma in their own ways regardless of therapy. They merely offer coping mechanisms, which is treating the symptoms, not the wound.

If you think this translady should use a male toilet...




You also believe this transfella should use a ladies toilet...






In both cases I used to be torn.
Maybe their own toilet would suffice.

a reply to: SaturnFX

There's every possible variation. There is no positive point at which it's one or the other. The hardest question for a midwife to answer is, "Is it a boy or a girl?", when the only truthful answer is, "You'll have to wait and see what this individual decides". The only reason this individual has to decide is to fit in with the notion that one or the other are the only choices. Being neither one or the other is reality for some. There will never be a settling point one way or the other.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I couldn't be angrier about the hijacking of these issues for a variety of selfish purposes. It's a real issue that just needs to be accepted then fade into the background.

I don't really know if therapy plays a significant role in this. IMO i think everyone reacts to trauma in their own ways regardless of therapy. They merely offer coping mechanisms, which is treating the symptoms, not the wound.

I agree that "everyone reacts to trauma in their own ways", but offered the possibility MHPs are using the Transgender option as a explanation or default prognosis for a post sexual trauma. I further postulated that outside influences could effect a vulnerable or confused pubescent teen, and concluded it is a likely possibility.

Perhaps we should rethink "public relief facilities" altogether and make them all "private."

That way, these issues, and other associated issues (security, modesty, obsession with other people's "bits") would be avoided.

That seems much more reasonable than to debate issues unendingly ... there's a solution, let's implement it.

Let's "degender" bathrooms.

As far as gender identity ... as opposed to biological sex.

First of all biological sex is not quite as dichotomous as many choose to believe. Estimates of the Intersex population ride around 1%. (I'll provide a source if needed) Intersex means, physiologically sharing traits of both sexes.

Now, heyho, why should "we" care about accommodating 1% of the population? Well, that's a fair question, but keep in mind proportionally, that means we're talking about over 3 million Americans.

Second of all, like it or not, attitudes toward gender are changing not only here but worldwide. Gender is related to biological sex of course, but, is not necessarily limited by it. Gender has physiological bases but is also psychologically defined ... and it is possible, though hard to understand for many, that some folks have an deep-seated IDENTITY (self-ego-"soul") that just doesn't match up with the physical plumbing, as it were.

This could be a matter of a neurosis or psychosis and I do think that possibility should be eliminated. BUT, if an individual is mentally and physically fit, and they want to LIVE OUT whatever gender (or non-gender, poly-gender, etc.) they wish ...

... why is this any of my business, or your business, or the government's for that matter.

Any enlightened culture would provide private personal "relief" stations anyway ... and they would all be equipped with bidets (LOL, if you've never experienced one, male or female, you don't realize the barbarism you've been living with.)

originally posted by: Boscowashisnamo

I don't really know if therapy plays a significant role in this. IMO i think everyone reacts to trauma in their own ways regardless of therapy. They merely offer coping mechanisms, which is treating the symptoms, not the wound.

I agree that "everyone reacts to trauma in their own ways", but offered the possibility MHPs are using the Transgender option as a explanation or default prognosis for a post sexual trauma. I further postulated that outside influences could effect a vulnerable or confused pubescent teen, and concluded it is a likely possibility.

As we are all embedded in a culture, in which we are all subjected to millions of points of stimuli daily, how would you determine, per se, what these "outside influences" were doing, how would you identify them, etc?

Since you've concluded it's a "likely possibility" ... perhaps you could expand on this point?

a reply to: Gryphon66

why should "we" care about accommodating 1% of the population? Well, that's a fair question, but keep in mind proportionally, that means we're talking about over 3 million Americans.

If pursued as a means of protecting a minority subset of the population, I don't have a valid argument against unless the solution offered puts others at risk.(see my above post).

Any enlightened culture would provide private personal "relief" stations anyway ... and they would all be equipped with bidets (LOL, if you've never experienced one, male or female, you don't realize the barbarism you've been living with.)

I was first exposed to bidets while visiting Italy some years ago. I subsequently installed several in the home we built. It is a surprising feature to many of our local guests.

originally posted by: Boscowashisnamo
I subsequently installed several in the home we built. It is a surprising feature to many of our local guests.

We recently installed one and I feel like I've lived 50 years in a cave. I would never be without one again.


As to the "minority subset of the population" ... I know plenty of folks who are, for various reasons, extremely uncomfortable with public facilities. I realize that providing "private" facilities would be expensive, but, over time, wouldn't that be the human, logical, civilized way to address this, rather than the unending and insulting arguments about whether other people are who they believe they are ... or not?

Can you imagine, if, for some reason, everyone around you started questioning your personal gender identification, etc?

I mean, which ever way it goes, what if had folks, other members of the public, insisting that they had a right to review your genitals to verify your status as a "real" person of whatever gender.

Can you imagine how ... disgusting and invasive that is for some folks?

Since you've concluded it's a "likely possibility" ... perhaps you could expand on this point?

a reply to: Gryphon66

I based my observation on discussions I had with the person in the op, and with my 18yo daughter, self-identified as Transneuteral and an active member of the LGBT community at her university. I also spoke with a few of my daughter's LGBT friends, and using the information from these discussions and culling through similar topics on threads on sites they frequent. I began to wonder about the impact of MHPs, social media, and other outside influences and came to the conclusion it played an active part in decision making by people that self-identified as Transgender. It also brought into the picture the percentage of sexual violence experienced by this community, and wondered if the horrific incidents and their aftermath played a major role in adopting the Transgender label.

I put forth my conclusions to the members here not for affirmation of my views, but for input and different perspectives to allow me to understand this issue as it is a hot-button topic.

This question never get answered, But when was the last time you walked into a public toilet, and witnessed someone displaying their junk, male or female? In almost 56 years, I have never seen it.

originally posted by: Gryphon66

originally posted by: Boscowashisnamo
I subsequently installed several in the home we built. It is a surprising feature to many of our local guests.

We recently installed one and I feel like I've lived 50 years in a cave. I would never be without one again.


As to the "minority subset of the population" ... I know plenty of folks who are, for various reasons, extremely uncomfortable with public facilities. I realize that providing "private" facilities would be expensive, but, over time, wouldn't that be the human, logical, civilized way to address this, rather than the unending and insulting arguments about whether other people are who they believe they are ... or not?

Can you imagine, if, for some reason, everyone around you started questioning your personal gender identification, etc?

I mean, which ever way it goes, what if had folks, other members of the public, insisting that they had a right to review your genitals to verify your status as a "real" person of whatever gender.

Can you imagine how ... disgusting and invasive that is for some folks?

You are preaching to the choir, my friend. I have spent many an hour discussing this very topic with my daughter, and she was able to make this 55yo former Pub understand the depth of her discomfort. Been there, done that.

originally posted by: BubbaJoe
This question never get answered, But when was the last time you walked into a public toilet, and witnessed someone displaying their junk, male or female? In almost 56 years, I have never seen it.

I've witnessed it on only 2 occasions I can remember. Both were at clubs I played at in the '80s, and both involved men punctuating a point of their conversation with their johnson. Crude and unnecessary but vital to them at the time, I suppose.

I'd say the general public is probably 50% sexually assaulted.

I don't think it makes any difference in sexual orientation or gender identity.