New Study: Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Disorder

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

The study doesn't actually address the cause for one feeling the need to define themselves as transgendered, so your headline is inaccurate. Whether their choice leads to other other factors that may lead to additional disorders is like saying over-eating isn't a disorder but diabetes is.

originally posted by: xSEEKxNxSTRIKEx
There is something wrong, we are not sea horses nor do we have more then two types of genders. XX or XY its quite simple

Except that you couldn't be more wrong. There are morphological females born with just one X chromosome and there are morphologically appearing males who have XXY and there are numerous shades in between. It's nowhere near as simple as you try to make it out to be. Furthermore, chromosomes are just one part of the equation. There are genes, such as WNT4 and DAX1 that also influence gender, testis and ovaries.

WNT4 factors into development of ovaries but these genes are present in all humans. Too much WNT4 and the person will be much more masculine, too little, much more feminine. These are just a couple of examples off the top of my wad. There are numerous conditions that are well known within the medical community and well known to geneticists who study these conditions. To say that a person can only be XX or XY with no incongruities is a demonstration of a persons unwillingness to look st the entire problem and acknowledge that they might not know as much as they think they do.

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: Raggedyman

Please keep your private lives private. I don't think you need to share it out on the streets

Please keep your heterosexual life private. My gods, do you have to share it all the time on the streets!?

I'm sorry, was someone advocating that? Nice straw, man.

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: EternalShadow

Just because you believe something doesn't necessarily make it true

but if it doesn't jive with your own, it needs to be eradicated????

Seriously? ? ?

Yes. Eradicated. Please actually read my posts to know what I mean by that! I was quite clear I didn’t mean anything about violence or coercion.

Maybe you should flip the scenario and ask yourself if that's what you would like done with your beliefs, etc.

Hey look, fascism.

a reply to: bender151

I'm sorry,

Thank you for apologizing.

was someone advocating that?

Yes, yes they were. Hence my analogy. Thanks for noticing.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

I understand, you don't have to share. But I do have a few questions if you're able to answer them.

Were you aware of a vagina at that age? Or did you just not feel comfortable in your own body?

Were you aware of transgenderism, or what it meant to be a boy or girl? Did you understand what "genders" meant?

And lastly, if it isn't too personal, did you yourself come to the conclusion, or did you have any external influences? And if so, at what age did you know for sure?

F**K it I'll share, maybe it will help some to understand or maybe not. So my earliest memory of being different would have been when I was about 4-5 (somewhere in that window). I was living in Italy at the time, both my parents were enlisted Navy. I was at a sitters house one morning and they had set me up on a bean bag in front of the T.V. while they went and laid back down. Now I don't recall what sparked my intrigue/confusion or whatever what have you but I suspect that maybe at some point I had been bathed simultaneously in the company of a little girl or maybe saw a va jay jay on T.V. but either way I don't remember the exact vagina triggered my dysphoria. I do remember however pushing my little parts into my body cavity making them flush and hidden out of sight, and I preferred that. I remember thinking why does mine look different from the other girl's (whoever that girl was I could't tell you), I don't like it. At the time I did not have the understanding or vocabulary to express that to my parents so I didn't.

Fast forward to about 12 I was dressing up in secret any chance I could get with whatever clothes I could borrow/steal. It's also at this time that I saw my first Transexual on a television program and hearing her story sparked my epiphany or p "proverbial lightbulb" if you will. That is when I knew that what I was feeling was real and that I wasn't crazy but that there were others like me and I could eventually get help and be my authentic self. Fast forwarding some more well into adulthood when I finally took the plunge and started my transition about 4 years ago. I am now happier and healthier than I have ever been.

I think I covered your questions in this post but if you need further clarification I will be happy to oblige seeing has you are able to be civil about it.

Oh and for those that would seek to put me down or rain on my parade, you can't stop my sunshine because it will continue to keep on shining. Needless to say I use the ladies room harassment free

The title is misleading. It claims that being Transgender is not a mental disorder, but the text does not address that. It simply says that the cause of distress is because of discrimination, which, as others have mentioned, is pretty much common sense. The issue of transgender being a mental disorder is not addressed. These people are delusional when they think they can take some hormones, cut off some parts, and become the opposite sex. Every cell in their bodies betrays this delusion. That they are "distressed" is a whole nother issue.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

Good for you. Brave woman....Who cares what other folk think If you are happy keep on trucking.

originally posted by: RainbowPhoenix
A new study presents evidence that much of if any mental distress that a Transgender person may be feeling has more to do with external factors such as harassment and rejection as opposed to just physically being Transgender.

This could be said for anyone, mental disorder or not: If the individual I placed in the middle of a safe space or an echo chamber, of course there will be less mental distress.

Hell, if I lived in a society full of libertarian-minded people, I would have much less mental distress than living in our current society full of differing opinions, some of which jump feet first into the pond of rudeness, disrespect, intimidation, and/or violence. If everyone treated everyone else with the same kindness and respect that I tend to do on a daily basis, life would be a lot easier and there would be much less distress.

But, alas, we live in the real world where these utopian places of 100% acceptance surrounded by an echo chamber do not exist.

So, yes, I absolutely tend to believe studies like this, but at the same time, I still hold on to the reality that I see that "gender incongruence" is absolutely not a "normal thing," considering that only 0.6% of the entire U.S. population deals with this issue, so as far as citing it as a mental disorder, I would look at the extreme deviation from the average person in our society that "gender incongruence" afflicts, and I would certain attribute it to some sort of abnormal physiological or mental manifestation.

The term "mental disorder" doesn't always have to equate to being a bad thing. Many people would consider my son, who is diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum and with having ADHD as having a combination of mental disorders, but that doesn't mean anything other than being a reason why he processes things a certain way. I'm fully convinced that, at some point, the mechanism that is the cause of "gender incongruence" in human beings will be isolated and understood, but I also don't think that it's something that needs a cure associated with it, either, as long as the individual can accept that part of them.

As for acceptance, I accept most people for who they are without malice or other issues (pedophiles and murderers are some that I do not openly accept), but I can accept people for who they are and also understand that something that drives their behavior could be abnormal and a mental disorder without seeing it as something that needs changed or treated. I don't subscribe to the notion that it must be one or the other.

Also, this is not really a "new" study--it is a year old. Also, I wish that Time had directly linked to the study, because with only 250 trans people being studied, it matters a great deal as to how random the region of participants is as to how it can skew the study. If they studied 250 trans people living in bigoted areas versus, say, San Francisco, for example, the study will reveal completely different results. It would be nice to have a direct link to the study.

originally posted by: RainbowPhoenix
A new study presents evidence that much of if any mental distress that a Transgender person may be feeling has more to do with external factors such as harassment and rejection as opposed to just physically being Transgender.

This happens to all of us. Transgender has nothing to do with it. The term "transgender" is just another label.

We all "feel different" inside.

However, society has many "norms" and "conventions" for behavior, that we conform to in order to be "accepted", and when we deviate too far we get "rejected."

Go to a "black tie dinner" wearing T-shirt and short pants, and get immediate "rejection."

Is it ok then to complain, they won't let me in, because I look different from all of them?

It's fixable, I can just go home and change my outfit to suite the occasion.

So, regardless of how we "feel inside", we can "choose" to "cooperate" with the world around us, or "reject" the world's conventions.

It's fine to reject the world, and it's silly conventions, but realize that our own chosen style and projection is just as silly.

So, transgender-ism is nothing but the desire to "reject" the world, and be "accepted" for it.

It's a desire for power over others. To make others accept your style, rather than accepting their style.

Naturally, like any kid, when we don't get our way, when attempting to exert influence over others, we get depressed.

That's when the mental problems start.

But, when we accept the conventions imposed by the world on us, we're free.

There's no struggle, anymore, to make others accept our point of view.

Hey op thanks for sharing a great article, also dont let the haters or naysayers that have no clue as usual what it is to feel different.

Keep up the good fight.

originally posted by: dukeofjive696969
Hey op thanks for sharing a great article, also dont let the haters or naysayers that have no clue as usual what it is to feel different.

Keep up the good fight.

Really? We have no clue as what it feels like to be different and to be judged for opposing viewpoints. Tell that to those who get physically assaulted simply for wearing a hat.

You also have no idea how much flack Christians tolerate just for having a different viewpoint.

originally posted by: ConscienceZombie
You know all those chemicals and hormones we force feed our animals to produce more. Those insecticides and poisons we lace our crops with to keep the pests at bay. Our medications that are half ass tested and shampoos and ointments for every ailment.

This is the outcome.

Peoples children are transgender because of GMOs?

Dear god, there is a conspiracy theory for everyone, I suppose.

originally posted by: RainbowPhoenix
It's also at this time that I saw my first Transexual on a television program and hearing her story sparked my epiphany or p "proverbial lightbulb" if you will. That is when I knew that what I was feeling was real

And that's the true source of all these modern self-identifying ideas...your TV set.

The same media that is used to "advertise" consumer products to the masses, to influence them to "buy" this product or service, and "adopt" these or those "ideas."

Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Disorder

I am sure you will agree that it certainly can be a mental or a physical disorder.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

a reply to: Lucid Lunacy


It has not reached the UK yet thank goodness but I am refering to laws starting to emerge in liberal loony lands (looking at you canada) where you can be procecuted forbusing innocorrect gender pronouns.

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

a reply to: Lucid Lunacy


It has not reached the UK yet thank goodness but I am refering to laws starting to emerge in liberal loony lands (looking at you canada) where you can be procecuted forbusing innocorrect gender pronouns.

I agree .. our country is getting scary with its new laws. We need Trudeau and his libs out of power before it gets worse.
Andrew Scheer for Prime Minister !

originally posted by: xSEEKxNxSTRIKEx
There is something wrong, we are not sea horses nor do we have more then two types of genders. XX or XY its quite simple

It's not, you're wrong, and it's depressing how many stars your post got.

Even ignoring the trans issue, intersex/hermaphroditism is a thing and biological sex is not strictly binary.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix


That was brave to say what you said and post your pic! You are beautiful. With that being said would you hate me for being a straight male and not wanting to date you?


I think this is the question that needs to be discussed to be honest....

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

First off, thanks for the reply and I applaud you for the bravery. It's clear that you made the right decision for yourself and have grown up to be quite the woman, so I don't want to make this about you anymore, but I would like to use your story to point out some things for further discussion.

Now I don't recall what sparked my intrigue/confusion or whatever what have you but I suspect that maybe at some point I had been bathed simultaneously in the company of a little girl or maybe saw a va jay jay on T.V. but either way I don't remember

 I remember thinking why does mine look different from the other girl's. I don't like it.

At the time I did not have the understanding

So from what I've gathered up to this point, is at that age, memories are really vague and incoherent, and a child doesn't quite comprehend what is happening yet, internally or externally. Do you remember how you felt on a regular basis, when you weren't looking at yourself in a mirror? Like maybe at school, when you looked at a boy or girl, did you recognize the difference and did you instinctively relate to one more than the other?

I also wonder if you weren't exposed to the girls at such a young age, would you still be trying to push in your little parts and wondering why you didn't look like them? Without any knowledge or awareness, I don't think it's possible for a child to mimic the opposite gender.

Fast forward to about 12 I was dressing up in secret any chance I could get with whatever clothes I could borrow/steal. It's also at this time that I saw my first Transexual on a television program and hearing her story sparked my epiphany

I played barbie and dress up with my sister till I was about 10 or so, to the point I would cry if they didn't let me. All I wanted to do was play house and dress up with her and her friends. I never had an epiphany like you did, I never thought about genders, and I don't think I've ever seen a female up until that point. So the possibility or thought of it never crossed my mind. I was just obsessed with Barbies. I did grow out of it, but I wonder had I been exposed like you were from a young age, and had I seen a transexual on TV, would I have gotten an epiphany? We'll never know.

The question for me was never whether dysphoria was real or not, some people are definitely born gay, or into the wrong bodies, etc. But rather, can a child that can barely comprehend what is happening - as we've seen with your example - be externally influenced into making a premature decision, that would've otherwise been a phase - as we've seen with my example.

That's why in my opinion, I think it's unnecessary and dangerous, exposing young children to all of these dynamics when they can barely comprehend the basics. It can easily confuse a child, and social pressure can play a big role in making a premature decision.

My main argument is that a child is incapable of understanding all the dynamics of what a "gender" entails, so it's unlikely they could acknowledge or even understand dysphoria, and that's why they should be left alone - like you were, where you eventually came to the conclusion on your own - instead of pressing the issue and bringing awareness when they don't need to be aware of anything yet. This only causes more confusion.

Thoughts?

ETA: also, are you into men? If so, were you into them at a young age? If you were, does that mean you were also gay before you made the transition? Sorry for the questions.