107 replies to this topic

[Beefster]

It's long, but interesting
I found it while looking through TV Tropes.
I used to think there was something wrong with transgenders, but when it happens in one twin and not the other, it makes you wonder. It's a lot more complicated than genetics, especially when it surfaces at such a young age.

I'm willing to accept this from a religious perspective. Sure God never makes mistakes, but perhaps he really does occasionally assign female spirits to male bodies and vice-versa, as a test to them and everyone around them.

[ShadowTiger]

I have a surprising amount of transgender friends who have gone through the same story, plus or minus the "twins" aspect. They've definitely grown to be wonderful people, relative to those around them, I suppose.

I'm willing to accept this from a religious perspective. Sure God never makes mistakes, but perhaps he really does occasionally assign female spirits to male bodies and vice-versa, as a test to them and everyone around them.

They're not assigned to them. They're given a choice. They have a choice to help them choose a life lesson that will provide them effective advancement. (Though god does arrange and present to them this choice.) They get an opportunity to learn equality, or, better yet, as a karmic equalizer from a possible past life experience harassing people. If they spend time as both the harasser and harassee, they learn from that. (Concept Source: Dr. Michael Newton.)

[Fabbrizio]

There's a transgender kid in my school's Junior class right now, but his story is much different. As someone with Asperger's syndrome, he has trouble communicating through traditional methods. What he eventually discovered was that, if he immersed himself in a female mindset, he could effectively communicate without exhibiting any of the classical Asperger's-type impediments (several of which I still suffer from). For that, I truly envy his ability to see the solution and his bravery in trying it.

Edited by DavidReinold, 06 January 2012 - 01:38 AM.

[Radien]

To me this actually says more surprising things about identical twins than about transgenderism. I had always assumed that the difference between identical twins had more to do with the differences in their personal experiences, but if a difference this major appeared while they were living and going to school together, it's hard to believe that they were both traveling from the same point, so to speak. It really seems as though Wyatt/Nicole possessed some major differences from the very beginning.

There's a transsexual kid in my school's Junior class right now, but his story is much different. As someone with Asperger's syndrome, he has trouble communicating through traditional methods. What he eventually discovered was that, if he immersed himself in a female mindset, he could effectively communicate without exhibiting any of the classical Asperger's-type impediments (several of which I still suffer from). For that, I truly envy his ability to see the solution and his bravery in trying it.

That's very interesting. I'm going to presume that it helps him because he feels more comfortable in that mindset? (After all, it would be rather bizarre if he didn't feel transgendered but it helped him anyway...)


P.S. - I don't want to sound overly sensitive here, but I wanted to point out that these days, a more desirable term for people such as this is "transgendered." That term can be used to refer to anyone on the spectrum who has an unconventional connection to their gender, whether or not they've forcefully affected their body in any way.

Or to quote a transgendered person I met: "Sex is between your legs. Gender is between your ears."

[Fabbrizio]

P.S. - I don't want to sound overly sensitive here, but I wanted to point out that these days, a more desirable term for people such as this is "transgendered." That term can be used to refer to anyone on the spectrum who has an unconventional connection to their gender, whether or not they've forcefully affected their body in any way.

Or to quote a transgendered person I met: "Sex is between your legs. Gender is between your ears."

Huh. And here I'd just started using the term "transsexual" because I thought "transvestite" was too offensive. Not that I won't start using the word "transgendered" instead, I mean, I'm willing to say whatever is the least offensive...

On a side-note...looking at the list of "signs" Nicole showed, I vaguely recall going through a phase like that when I was six...and now here I am, back again, asking for My Little Pony brushables for christmas and using voice changers to make music as a female vocalist...

[Sheik]

Doesn't transvestite mean - dressing up as the opposite gender, instead of having a sex change(transexual)

Transsexual has nothing to do with having a sex change or not. You can use transsexual and transgender interexachangeable.

I also wanted to point out that transgenderism is not only a mental phenomenom (where you feel in the "wrong" body). In Germany, for example, every 2000th child born has both, male and female primary sexual organs. Another argument in favor of a "born this way" position on the matter.

[Sheik]

Google's transexual definition:
Definition for transexual:
Web definitions:
transsexual: a person who has undergone a sex change operation.

^^ google disagrees with you my friend.

Also I thought if you were born with both reproductive organs, you are also known as a "hemaphrodite"?

Huh, that surprises me! I always used them synonymous. Thanks for the input, I guess!
A hermaphrodite actually is a term used for a very masculine woman. It's a reference to ancient greek myth to a person that was born with both reproductive organs, but it is used rather metaphrocial nowadays.

[Fabbrizio]

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Transsexual

As it would seem, Transsexual is a pretty generic term. It can refer to any number of things.

Edited by DavidReinold, 24 December 2011 - 10:30 AM.

[Fabbrizio]

I don't think this is a situation where dictionary definitions can be effectively employed. Sexuality is a bit of a grey area when it comes to creating a single term for something. Dictionaries can say whatever they want, but for every dictionary definition you find, you'll find three other dictionary definitions that contradict it.

Dictionary.com:

trans·sex·u·al
noun
1.
a person having a strong desire to assume the physical characteristics and gender role of the opposite sex.
2.
a person who has undergone hormone treatment and surgery to attain the physical characteristics of the opposite sex.

With transgenderism as the primary definition, and your idea as the secondary.

Merriam-Webster.com:

trans·sex·u·al
Definition of TRANSSEXUAL
: a person who strongly identifies with the opposite sex and may seek to live as a member of this sex especially by undergoing surgery and hormone therapy to obtain the necessary physical appearance (as by changing the external sex organs)

Listing your idea as taking transsexualism one step further.

Edited by DavidReinold, 24 December 2011 - 10:47 AM.

[Eddard McHorn Van-Schnuder]

Hmm, well on the google definition

No results found for hemprahodite definition

Search Results
her·maph·ro·dite/hərˈmafrədīt/
Noun:
A person or animal having both male and female sex organs or other sexual characteristics, either abnormally or naturally.


^^ so according to the dictionary it's with both reproductive organs; so I'll just say that... so no one can say I'm incorrect.

Cause google is always right. Always. Ahem.

Anyway, transsexuals scare me. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against them, heck, I applaud them for going their own way, but what scares me is that one day I could meet a cute girl and find out that she used to be a dude. That would totally freak me out. Either way though, this story was a good read.