Growing Up Trans

Transgender is ‘an umbrella term that refers to those with identities that cross over, move between,or otherwise challenge the socially constructed border between the genders. While this can include medical or social transition, it may not.’ There is a difference between transgenders and transsexuals. Transsexuals do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth and wish to ‘correct’ their gender through the use of medical intervention. These two terms however, are nearly synonymous in our culture and we tend to refer to people who wish to live as a different gender than the one they were assigned when they were born as transgenders, since the term is broader and more recognizable.

In her article A Boy’s Life, Hanna Rosin gives us a glimpse at what some of these transgender children go through. As she follows the life of Brandon (later called Bridget), she unveils a range of hurdles that kids like him and his parents must overcome. Problems like social rejection, gender identification, and the anxiety that all of this creates becomes the usual for a family like Brandon’s. But even so, all of this is minimal in comparison to the huge decision that the parents must make in behalf of the child. In the article, Rosin reveals to us that scientists have come up with a way to prevent a kid’s development into

The term transgender is used to define individuals who do not identify with the sex that they were assigned at birth. For example, if a person who is born female decides later on in her life that she would like to identify as a man, that person would identify as a trans-man, and would most-likely use the pronouns “he” or “him” when describing himself.

Others factors such as health and family are major concerns. In fact, according to youth.gov. “research shows that due to these environmental challenges, LGBT youth are at risk for negative health outcomes and are more likely to attempt suicide, experience homelessness, and use illegal drugs. These issues may also contribute to anxiety, depressive symptoms, and feelings of isolation” (youth.gov, 2016). Therefore, the only positive aspect regarding transgender youth is their courage to express their feelings with loved ones, opposed to undergoing such changes and feelings silently (CNN,

Transgender is a metaphorical umbrella term that covers a person whose self-identification, anatomy, appearance, manner, and/or expression is different from the sex assigned to them at birth and does not fit with societies interpretation for the norm of gender roles. Included in the transgender umbrella are transsexual people, non-binary gender identities, and cross-dressing (LGBT Youth, 2017). Transgender individuals are often the target of discrimination, injustice and social stigma that can lead to negative health outcomes.

Sex is the biological definition of the person, which is through the classification of the genitals. Gender identity is a person’s psychological belief that they are either man or woman no matter the sexual orientation. Gender has created a grand division between men and women. Discriminating women to be weak, unreliable, and irrational. While Men are to be declared as superior. The fight to become equal evolved from the industrial period where woman was no longer needed to also be a provider alongside her partner.

Parents of children who have a transgender child feel as if they should support them to be the individual they are or there are some who feel ashamed of their child. Children confront who they are and what gender they feel they are as a small child, tween or teen, and even some once after they are an adult. Transgender children have a hard time with school and what gender people call them by. Bullying occurs and some suicides happen because of how bad the bullying can get. Some children are not able to play on an all same sex team of what sex they feel they are.

According to Bockting, a Transgender means having a gender identity that differs from the sex assigned at birth. Then continues by stating, gender identity is the basic conviction of being man, woman, or other. He lastly defines sexual orientation as to one’s sexual attraction, behavior, and emotional attachments to men, women, or both. All of these are his psychological definitions, which he mainly uses when discussing the challenges Transgender people face.

A large issue facing trans women today is the violence perpetrated against them. In 2003, fourteen murders of trans people were recorded in the U.S, most of them being trans women and people of color. (Bettcher, p. 280) By mid-October of 2015, twenty-one trans women, who were also mostly women of color, were murdered in the United States, and this number exceeds the amount of trans murders in 2014. (Wilkinson, “You Know What Time It Is”) It is important to remember that these are only recorded instances that do not count the murders that went unreported. The amount of these murders is increasing as more years pass. This violence is rooted in the idea of trans women are seen as deceivers due to the vulva-vagina-uterus anatomy being seen as the “normal” anatomy of a woman. This is explained in Talia Mae Bettcher’s “Evil Deceivers and Make-Believers”, as she outlines the “rhetoric of deception” throughout the article. In the article, she states “frequently connected to this appearance-reality contrast is the view that genitalia are the essential determinants of sex.” (Bettcher, p.281) Because of this, trans women are put in a double-bind to either “disclose ‘who one is’ and come out as a pretender or masquerader, or refuse to disclose (be a deceiver) and run the risk of forced disclosure, the effect of which is exposure as a liar.”(Bettcher, p. 283) The normalization of this anatomy being linked to femaleness puts added pressure on trans women to “prove” themselves, or else be

I would start off with showing people how you didn't necessarily choose to be that way your mind did and if that's what your mind wants it will try its best to reach that destination. Also I would mention how testosterone works and how no matter what happens that person will still have the same personality it'll just be a little different. I would make sure that the community gets what it means to be transgender and make sure that they are comfortable with the topic and wouldn't feel uncomfortable or sad that there little baby boy or girl is changing and becoming a whole new person, which there not. Their mind and body just aren't matching up the way the child would like

Some people are unaware of the process for transgenders to become a different sex. Normally first they first meet with a mental health doctor and make a diagnosis, then create a plan. usually meeting with these therapists they will receive documentation to start hormone therapy with a doctor. After sometime on the hormones, they have surgery. Normally a male to female transition is cheaper, easier, and more of an efficient surgery. After this

Gender and sex are terms that are used interchangeably. Gender biology includes sex hormones, external genitalia, and internal reproductive structures. Gender identity falls under the lines of one’s internal sense of self as male, female, both, or neither. Together the intersection

Kailey (2005) started off Just Add Hormones by introducing the terms sex and gender as individual and different words in definition. He also spoke about how transgendered people take much longer to transition than what people frequently assume. Most people assume that one surgery can make a male a female, or a female a male. The book overall discusses the stereotypes transgender people have, and how those stereotype dehumanize regular people. The book shows accurate differences between being female and being male. It allows readers to fully understand Kailey’s (2005) experiences in every aspect of life in both a male and female lense. The book is going to be helpful because it compares and contrasts life as a male to life as a female. This perspective is going to support all three of the themes: gender socialization in the workplace, gender roles in relationships and gender socialization in family, because it contains Kailey’s perspective in

The most obvious challenges I have faced living as a transgender male have been physical, but the hardest I have faced have not only been personal, but emotional. I have encountered countless overly personal inquisitions, questioning looks, and awkward introductions. Existing as a biological female for a large portion of my life imbued that period of time with many challenges. As a child, I fought passionately with my parents to shop in the “boys” section of the store, to play hockey and lacrosse, and to never step foot in a dress. I often wondered why other children would point and snicker at my choice of clothing. I even asked my distraught mother why I was “put in the wrong body” at the age of three. I had to grow up and not only learn, but understand and accept that I am not the same as everyone else. I had to come to terms with the fact that most people do not face the challenge of waking up every day and overcoming the feeling that something is fundamentally “off” that cannot truly be “fixed”. “Average” is a description I often longed to be labeled in the past, but over the years I have discovered that striving to be above average is the true key to success.

There are distinct differences between Sex and Gender. Sex is divided up into two divisions, male or female, based upon their reproductive system. Gender is the notion set by society on what social behaviours are acceptable for males and females, for example the expectation that females are more caring or nurturing than men. Gender can be further divided into two subcategorise: identity and stereotype. Gender identity is the concept that your sex and gender do not have to be the same but can different, i.e. a male at birth can identify as a female. These notions of acceptable behaviour set by society create gender stereotypes for both male and female, which can cause a person to reject their gender identity if they do not conform these gender stereotypes.