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Transgaf: 'cause boys will be girls (and vice versa)

Xarudace

Banned
So does anyone on GAF actually tell minors who may have gender dysphoria not to pursue it? I've been doing quite a lot of reading about it lately and it seems like minors (ie, below 18) who start thinking about this generally turn out to be unhappy (adults are more varied). Take this video for instance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=17bYnrbrI20#!

She's tried to kill herself twice, she has no family and no friends, and has worked as a prostitute. And the kicker? She thinks the whole thing was a massive mistake and wants to turn back into a man.

It seems like people who are so young and underdeveloped should never be making such life-changing decisions. I don't know how old you all are, but at 24 I don't agree with almost any of the views of myself I had at 16. A 16 year old thinks they know everything and have their feelings and perspectives in check and they never do. Why should they be making such a decision? And frankly, why should GAF be cheering them on without a word of warning?

Just because transition was for you and worked for you doesn't mean anyone who's young and feels like they should transition actually should do that. That's insane. The "treatment" for gender dysphoria is a lifetime of hormones, surgery, and often extreme emotional damage. Some come out of it happy and free. I applaud them. But quite a few are miserable and full of regret.

I think it's rather sickening how everyone in this thread just pats all the younger members on the back and tells them how great it is. It can be great - I will never deny that. However, the way transitioning is portrayed on GAF...it's like it's some hero's journey to a mythical land of happiness. That's not what transitioning is like for a lot of people.

TLDR: I fully support GAF encouraging adults to transition. I think when a minor professes an interest in this GAF should redirect them to a place where they can get counseling and then leave the minor alone. A 16 year old shouldn't be making this choice and they certainly don't need a success story breathing down their neck telling them how great it is as if it's a guarantee.

Note: I'm sure a lot of you don't see yourselves as doing this. Take it from someone coming in here with an outside perspective: it's exactly what it looks like (and looks are all that matter in this case).
 

Platy

Member
She's tried to kill herself twice, she has no family and no friends, and has worked as a prostitute. And the kicker? She thinks the whole thing was a massive mistake and wants to turn back into a man.

Do you REALLY think the tried to kill herself because she hated her body ?

Nobody is saying "GO FOR IT !" as in "go get meds without prescription" (actualy I onde saw one person doing it ..) .... we all say to people to get in the LEGAL way, wich involves couseling and a group of prepared doctors that will take that decision based on the people.

Of course would be beautiful if worked like Argentina, but really, the only cases I see of people who regreted are the ones that look that the person regreted the TRANSPHOBIC WORLD we live or people who didn't think twice about it.

Everyone that comes here talks about having gender problems for YEARS.
It is NOT something that suddenly you decide

You don't decide to be the scum of society with low chances of jobs and being able to be fired just for who you are and chances of family rejection if you aren't SURE that this is the ONLY way.

Also, first time I saw a person who transitioned young to have problems .. it usualy rich people who transition because "their psyquiatrist said that live would be easier as a women" (true story)
 

InfiniteNine

Rolling Girl
I'm pretty sure most in here encourage the young and old members to get some sort of help first really. Going to a therapist is generally what I see shopped around for those confused to work out their feelings and see if this is what they really want to do since it's a big life decision. Considering it's a more fundamental problem with how one feels they are not what their body reflects I think one would have a better grip on how that makes them proceed with their lives and to pursue it or not and not only some dumb adolescent fever dream as you've said.

What I've seen is being encouraged to seek help and how they can approach starting to transition not cheerleading people into doing something they might regret.
 

fireside

Member
So does anyone on GAF actually tell minors who may have gender dysphoria not to pursue it? I've been doing quite a lot of reading about it lately and it seems like minors (ie, below 18) who start thinking about this generally turn out to be unhappy (adults are more varied). Take this video for instance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=17bYnrbrI20#!

She's tried to kill herself twice, she has no family and no friends, and has worked as a prostitute. And the kicker? She thinks the whole thing was a massive mistake and wants to turn back into a man.

It seems like people who are so young and underdeveloped should never be making such life-changing decisions. I don't know how old you all are, but at 24 I don't agree with almost any of the views of myself I had at 16. A 16 year old thinks they know everything and have their feelings and perspectives in check and they never do. Why should they be making such a decision? And frankly, why should GAF be cheering them on without a word of warning?

Just because transition was for you and worked for you doesn't mean anyone who's young and feels like they should transition actually should do that. That's insane. The "treatment" for gender dysphoria is a lifetime of hormones, surgery, and often extreme emotional damage. Some come out of it happy and free. I applaud them. But quite a few are miserable and full of regret.

I think it's rather sickening how everyone in this thread just pats all the younger members on the back and tells them how great it is. It can be great - I will never deny that. However, the way transitioning is portrayed on GAF...it's like it's some hero's journey to a mythical land of happiness. That's not what transitioning is like for a lot of people.

TLDR: I fully support GAF encouraging adults to transition. I think when a minor professes an interest in this GAF should redirect them to a place where they can get counseling and then leave the minor alone. A 16 year old shouldn't be making this choice and they certainly don't need a success story breathing down their neck telling them how great it is as if it's a guarantee.
http://cisnormativity.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/maybe-you-should-never-transition/

Note: I'm sure a lot of you don't see yourselves as doing this. Take it from someone coming in here with an outside perspective: it's exactly what it looks like (and looks are all that matter in this case).
I don't know how much the rest of you know about being transgender (I'm an expert)
 

Xarudace

Banned
Thanks again for another lecture and talking down to, we really appreciate your expertise,baseless accusations and generalizations.

I provided a link with some proof that this does happen. Really, only one time is enough to be a cause of concern in my opinion. However, all you have to do is google something like "regret transgender mistake" and you'll find many more such stories (and some saying these stories are nothing to worry about - it's not black and white of course).

Anyway, you're one of the worst culprits and have no room to speak.

I will reply to the rest in a few hours as I need to step out for a bit.
 

yeoz

Member
She's tried to kill herself twice, she has no family and no friends, and has worked as a prostitute.
I think the big problem here really is that she transitioned without a support structure in place. I know that I couldn't do this without my friends that support me, and my job that pays well enough to keep me afloat.

Presumably she turned to prostitution because money became an issue. I assume very few people actually want to be in that line of work. It's exceedingly difficult to find work with transphobia is as rampant as it is. And it's a crying shame that programs aren't in place to assist people like her.

TLDR: I fully support GAF encouraging adults to transition. I think when a minor professes an interest in this GAF should redirect them to a place where they can get counseling and then leave the minor alone. A 16 year old shouldn't be making this choice and they certainly don't need a success story breathing down their neck telling them how great it is as if it's a guarantee.
As far as I know, the only minor here is Aiko, and as a group we've been pretty consistent with her with a specific message of "See a Therapist".
In fact, I'm pretty sure the message across the board here is "See a Therapist" for anyone at any age.
 
I provided a link with some proof that this does happen. Really, only one time is enough to be a cause of concern in my opinion. However, all you have to do is google something like "regret transgender mistake" and you'll find many more such stories (and some saying these stories are nothing to worry about - it's not black and white of course).

Anyway, you're one of the worst culprits and have no room to speak.

I will reply to the rest in a few hours as I need to step out for a bit.

Eh? All i've ever done in this thread is tell people specifically to get help, I haven't even transitioned yet so i have no idea how i could EVER have told anyone it's easy or a wonderful hero's journey or anything. I've asked people to pm me if they want someone to talk to. There are barely even any minors in this thread so , I can only see one currently who frequently posts, so I honestly have no idea what the heck you are talking about. And yes there are people who regret transitioning and people who have gone through issues,etc, I've never seen it portrayed any other way here. So frankly you coming into this thread to once again lecture and talk down and point fingers about stuff that I have not seen going on is just annoying and ludicrous.
 

yana

Neo Member
Anecdotal evidence and advice based not on a proper understanding of the condition, but emotional appeals.

The "treatment" for gender dysphoria is a lifetime of hormones, surgery, and often extreme emotional damage.

Why the scare quotes? And since when is "extreme emotional damage" part of the treatment, rather than a potential consequence of both treated and untreated dysphoria? How offensive.

Note: I'm sure a lot of you don't see yourselves as doing this. Take it from someone coming in here with an outside perspective: it's exactly what it looks like (and looks are all that matter in this case).

Different people interpret things in different ways, and given your posts in this thread, I have no doubt that your interpretation is coloured by prejudices in your very own unique way. In other words, a single opinion does not have a lot of weight, especially not yours.
 

mollipen

Member
I will reply to the rest in a few hours as I need to step out for a bit.

Walk in here with a pre-determined accusatory tone to your posting, get called on it, announced that you have to "step out for a bit" when what would obvious happen happens.

And I adore the completely random calling out of Dr.Palutena. One of the worst culprits? Man, you suck at keeping up with Trans-GAF!
 

lexi

Banned
CHEEZMO™;43748322 said:
I9 why did you change your avataaarrr??

Also I'm calling "concern troll" on this dood.

Hey buddy, Xarudace just wants what's best for everyone. He thinks trans women should just 'deal with it' and not take steps to medically transition or receive any form of surgery.
 

Platy

Member
And I adore the completely random calling out of Dr.Palutena. One of the worst culprits? Man, you suck at keeping up with Trans-GAF!

l3dUH.png


IF Palutena is one of the worst .... ouch that is a HUGE worst list
 
Hey, I'm still going pretty strong in post count. Anyways re:children, the WPATH Standards of Care are always, at least, a decent place to start.

V. Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents

Phenomenology. Gender identity disorders in children and adolescents are different from those seen in adults, in that a rapid and dramatic developmental process (physical, psychological and sexual) is involved. Gender identity disorders in children and adolescents are complex conditions. The young person may experience his or her phenotype sex as inconsistent with his or her own sense of gender identity. Intense distress is often experienced, particularly in adolescence, and there are frequently associated emotional and behavioral difficulties. There is greater fluidity and variability in outcomes, especially in pre-pubertal children. Only a few gender variant youths become transsexual, although many eventually develop a homosexual orientation.

Commonly seen features of gender identity conflicts in children and adolescents include a stated desire to be the other sex; cross dressing; play with games and toys usually associated with the gender with which the child identifies; avoidance of the clothing, demeanor and play normally associated with the child’s sex and gender of assignment; preference for playmates or friends of the sex and gender with which the child identifies; and dislike of bodily sex characteristics and functions. Gender identity disorders are more often diagnosed in boys.

Phenomenologically, there is a qualitative difference between the way children and adolescents present their sex and gender predicaments, and the presentation of delusions or other psychotic symptoms. Delusional beliefs about their body or gender can occur in psychotic conditions but they can be distinguished from the phenomenon of a gender identity disorder. Gender identity disorders in childhood are not equivalent to those in adulthood and the former do not inevitably lead to the latter. The younger the child the less certain and perhaps more malleable the outcome.

Psychological and Social Interventions. The task of the child-specialist mental health professional is to provide assessment and treatment that broadly conforms to the following guidelines:

  1. The professional should recognize and accept the gender identity problem. Acceptance and removal of secrecy can bring considerable relief.
  2. The assessment should explore the nature and characteristics of the child’s or adolescent’s gender identity. A complete psychodiagnostic and psychiatric assessment should be performed. A complete assessment should include a family evaluation, because other emotional and behavioral problems are very common, and unresolved issues in the child’s environment are often present.
  3. Therapy should focus on ameliorating any comorbid problems in the child’s life, and on reducing distress the child experiences from his or her gender identity problem and other difficulties. The child and family should be supported in making difficult decisions regarding the extent to which to allow the child to assume a gender role consistent with his or her gender identity. This includes issues of whether to inform others of the child’s situation, and how others in the child’s life should respond; for example, whether the child should attend school using a name and clothing opposite to his or her sex of assignment. They should also be supported in tolerating uncertainty and anxiety in relation to the child’s gender expression and how best to manage it. Professional network meetings can be very useful in finding appropriate solutions to these problems.

Physical Interventions. Before any physical intervention is considered, extensive exploration of psychological, family and social issues should be undertaken. Physical interventions should be addressed in the context of adolescent development. Adolescents’ gender identity development can rapidly and unexpectedly evolve. An adolescent shift toward gender conformity can occur primarily to please the family, and may not persist or reflect a permanent change in gender identity. Identity beliefs in adolescents may become firmly held and strongly expressed, giving a false impression of irreversibility; more fluidity may return at a later stage. For these reasons, irreversible physical interventions should be delayed as long as is clinically appropriate. Pressure for physical interventions because of an adolescent’s level of distress can be great and in such circumstances a referral to a child and adolescent muti-disciplinary specialty service should be considered, in locations where these exist.
Physical interventions fall into three categories or stages:

  1. Fully reversible interventions. These involve the use of LHRH agonists or 
medroxyprogesterone to suppress estrogen or testosterone production, and consequently 
to delay the physical changes of puberty.
  2. Partially reversible interventions. These include hormonal interventions that masculinize 
or feminize the body, such as administration of testosterone to biologic females and 
estrogen to biologic males. Reversal may involve surgical intervention.
  3. Irreversible interventions. These are surgical procedures.

A staged process is recommended to keep options open through the first two stages. Moving from one state to another should not occur until there has been adequate time for the young person and his/her family to assimilate fully the effects of earlier interventions.

Fully Reversible Interventions. Adolescents may be eligible for puberty-delaying hormones as soon as pubertal changes have begun. In order for the adolescent and his or her parents to make an informed decision about pubertal delay, it is recommended that the adolescent experience the onset of puberty in his or her biologic sex, at least to Tanner Stage Two. If for clinical reasons it is thought to be in the patient’s interest to intervene earlier, this must be managed with pediatric endocrinological advice and more than one psychiatric opinion.
Two goals justify this intervention: a) to gain time to further explore the gender identity and other developmental issues in psychotherapy; and b) to make passing easier if the adolescent continues to pursue sex and gender change. In order to provide puberty delaying hormones to an adolescent, the following criteria must be met:

  1. throughout childhood the adolescent has demonstrated an intense pattern of cross-sex and cross-gender identity and aversion to expected gender role behaviors;
  2. sex and gender discomfort has significantly increased with the onset of puberty;
  3. the family consents and participates in the therapy.
Biologic males should be treated with LHRH agonists (which stop LH secretion and therefore testosterone secretion), or with progestins or antiandrogens (which block testosterone secretion or neutralize testosterone action). Biologic females should be treated with LHRH agonists or with sufficient progestins (which stop the production of estrogens and progesterone) to stop menstruation.

Partially Reversible Interventions. Adolescents may be eligible to begin masculinizing or feminizing hormone therapy as early as age 16, preferably with parental consent. In many countries 16-year olds are legal adults for medical decision making, and do not require parental consent.

Mental health professional involvement is an eligibility requirement for triadic therapy during adolescence. For the implementation of the real-life experience or hormone therapy, the mental health professional should be involved with the patient and family for a minimum of six months. While the number of sessions during this six-month period rests upon the clinician’s judgment, the intent is that hormones and the real-life experience be thoughtfully and recurrently considered over time. In those patients who have already begun the real-life experience prior to being seen, the professional should work closely with them and their families with the thoughtful recurrent consideration of what is happening over time.

Irreversible Interventions. Any surgical intervention should not be carried out prior to adulthood, or prior to a real-life experience of at least two years in the gender role of the sex with which the adolescent identifies. The threshold of 18 should be seen as an eligibility criterion and not an indication in itself for active intervention.
 

water_wendi

Water is not wet!
i used to post more often in here but usually dont have anything to add that hasnt been said. That and i dont my uncompromising views on other things to be somehow linked to anything here by association.

9cWbCs.jpg

A different wendi for a different time i suppose.
 

Xarudace

Banned
Anecdotal evidence and advice based not on a proper understanding of the condition, but emotional appeals.



Why the scare quotes? And since when is "extreme emotional damage" part of the treatment, rather than a potential consequence of both treated and untreated dysphoria? How offensive.



Different people interpret things in different ways, and given your posts in this thread, I have no doubt that your interpretation is coloured by prejudices in your very own unique way. In other words, a single opinion does not have a lot of weight, especially not yours.

Extreme emotional damage is not a direct result of the treatment. I did not mean to imply it was. It's a potential result of treatment, yes.

I'm glad you can identify all the prejudices I have without knowing anything about me. One of my good friends from high school transitioned recently. I'm happy for him - it doesn't matter to me that he chose to do this and I don't think less of him at all. I don't really care what any adult does as long as it's not going to affect me.

Regardless, of course my opinion does not weigh more than yours or anyone else's to people who don't know us. Does that mean I should never post anything? Isn't that the point of a message board? Why are you posting?

Hey buddy, Xarudace just wants what's best for everyone. He thinks trans women should just 'deal with it' and not take steps to medically transition or receive any form of surgery.

Yeah because that's exactly what I said. I said All trans women should deal with it and not do anything about it. OH WAIT. I pretty consistently have supported transgenders throughout almost every post I've made here. If you think otherwise, you're foolish and don't read what people post.

I think that some trans women should transition and I'm happy for them. If you're happy then I'm glad you're taking that process. I don't really give a fuck if an adult decides to do that or not - it doesn't hurt anyone but themselves and it doesn't help anyone but themselves. It's your choice.

My issue was the treatment of minors in this thread (and really, anyone who's not fully out of puberty which happens well after 18yo). Everyone's so nice about all of this. Rarely do you see people mentioning any of the bad things that come with this. If one were to read only this thread, they'd think that transitioning was some perfectly normal thing to do with no negative side effects. The fact is...it's not. It's an extreme treatment to a clinically-diagnosed mental issue.

But no one says that. It's misleading.
 

yeoz

Member
Does that mean I should never post anything?
Quite frankly a few of us would prefer that you voluntarily stop posting in this thread entirely.
It doesn't matter to me that he chose to do this and I don't think less of him at all. I don't really care what any adult does as long as it's not going to affect me.
My issue was the treatment of minors in this thread (and really, anyone who's not fully out of puberty which happens well after 18yo).
We've consistently advocated for people to *SEE A THERAPIST*. Even with Aiko, the only apparent minor, the thread has consistently presented this message.
And for anyone thats over 18? People over 18 are adults right? Why do you care? You just said you don't really care what any adult does as long it doesn't affect you.
 
Extreme emotional damage is not a direct result of the treatment. I did not mean to imply it was. It's a potential result of treatment, yes.

I'm glad you can identify all the prejudices I have without knowing anything about me. One of my good friends from high school transitioned recently. I'm happy for him - it doesn't matter to me that he chose to do this and I don't think less of him at all. I don't really care what any adult does as long as it's not going to affect me.

Regardless, of course my opinion does not weigh more than yours or anyone else's to people who don't know us. Does that mean I should never post anything? Isn't that the point of a message board? Why are you posting?



Yeah because that's exactly what I said. I said All trans women should deal with it and not do anything about it. OH WAIT. I pretty consistently have supported transgenders throughout almost every post I've made here. If you think otherwise, you're foolish and don't read what people post.

I think that some trans women should transition and I'm happy for them. If you're happy then I'm glad you're taking that process. I don't really give a fuck if an adult decides to do that or not - it doesn't hurt anyone but themselves and it doesn't help anyone but themselves. It's your choice.

My issue was the treatment of minors in this thread (and really, anyone who's not fully out of puberty which happens well after 18yo). Everyone's so nice about all of this. Rarely do you see people mentioning any of the bad things that come with this. If one were to read only this thread, they'd think that transitioning was some perfectly normal thing to do with no negative side effects. The fact is...it's not. It's an extreme treatment to a clinically-diagnosed mental issue.

But no one says that. It's misleading.
K. You know what the very first step of transition is?? Talking to experts on the matter. Only after a person if found to actually have gender dysphoria are they allowed to begin the "extreme treatment" that pretty much the entire medical community has agreed is the best treatment. So it actually is the perfectly normal thing to do if you are transgender. If telling a minor to talk to someone about their problems is too much of an issue for you then I'm not sure what to tell you.

Also, have you read the entire thread? There have been many, many posts about the hardships of transition. It is by no means portrayed as an incredibly easy thing to go through.
 
My issue was the treatment of minors in this thread (and really, anyone who's not fully out of puberty which happens well after 18yo).


Hmm in that case I guess "one of the worst culprits" is also the person you are trying to "protect" since I'm probably one of the only ones here who isnt over 20/21 .
Also, that last paragraph makes it pretty clear where you are coming from. Mental issue? Just go away, no one is buying your bullshit and no one is interested, it's clear you don't have anyone interests at heart or have even read this thread in any way other than to confirm your bias.
 

yeoz

Member
Rarely do you see people mentioning any of the bad things that come with this. If one were to read only this thread, they'd think that transitioning was some perfectly normal thing to do with no negative side effects.
If you read through all the posts in the thread, there are quite a few posts that throughly discuss "bad things" happening to trans people, various shitty situations, and things that happen to trans people that shouldn't happen in civilized society.

But, shit happens. And shit happens to trans people probably signficantly more often than other groups, because of bigotry, because of transphobia, because of own gender dysphoria, and what not. There is a lot of talk about various negatives (and really our own fears about them, and experiences with them) that happens in the #transgaf IRC channel, and over PMs or IMs, or even in other threads. I wish that would spill over into this thread more often, but, most of the time these problems are intensely personal, and as such, are difficult to share on the relatively open space of a public message board.

But in fact, some of these very personal issues do spill into the thread. There are quite a few posts with people describing the various fairly negative problems they face. You are free to peruse the thread for them.
I will not link to any specific posts out of deference to those who have chosen to speak about the very difficult problems they face themselves.
The fact is...it's not. It's an extreme treatment to a clinically-diagnosed mental issue.
This is insulting, to be blunt. Gender Dysphoria is not mental disorder, and for you to claim such shows how out of touch you are with trans health care. Allow me to copy and paste from the Transgender Primer thread:
the American Psychiatric Association now recognizes that the problem lies with the body not appropriately lining up with the mind, rather than the opposite. The APA is updating the DSM to reflect its modern stance that being trans is not a mental disorder. (Homosexuality, which also used to be considered a mental illness, was itself completely removed from the DSM in 1986 after progressive improvements.) When the new revision of the DSM is released, it will instead contain Gender Dysphoria.
Please do yourself a favor and read the Transgender Primer thread. You might find some answers you are looking for there.

You don't understand. That's exactly what it is. You're an ignorant person with regard to medical procedures.

I used to do medical research and Asia (with the exception of South Korea and Japan), especially countries like China and Thailand where there's a lot of corruption, has very high numbers of unnecessary surgeries.
You don't actually seem to be a doctor or any other kind of medical professional yourself.
Yet you've discussed actual medical issues before in this very thread, claming knowledge to to specific "medical procedures", which in fact has been shown to be wrong in previous instances.
You claim knowledge that "transitioning" is an "extreme treatment"? Well, what actual medical training do you have that allows you to speak with any authority at all on this topic? You've already shown yourself wrong before. From your previous posts, you've only demostrated that you've done "medical research", which is a far cry from being an actual doctor or other medical professional. Please provide actual credentials or GTFO.
 

Jintor

Member
Doctor Palutena claims to be a licenced medical professional.

But Doctor Palutena isn't over 21 years of age.

Can you really trust Doctor Palutena? With your children? With our video games? With her hair?

[paid for by the Hades for President SuperPAC]
 
hey everyone, what's going o--
Doctor Palutena claims to be a licenced medical professional.

But Doctor Palutena isn't over 21 years of age.

Can you really trust Doctor Palutena? With your children? With our video games? With her hair?

[paid for by the Hades for President SuperPAC]
*looks at own username*
*exits thread slowly*
 
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