Can some one please explain something for me...

[HST1948]

Clarence,
I'm glad to see that you are trying to understand this complicated issue. I think Nathan really hit the nail with this his posts.  I wanted to add that in medical school I did a psychiatry rotation where I got to interview some transgendered patients and have a lecture on sexuality, including transgenderism. What I learned, which is such poorly understood and in my opinion very sad, is that these individuals feel like they are a woman trapped in a mans body (or vice-avers). Most people psychologically understand and accept their sex around age three and begin to play into and fall into expected social roles.  For the individuals that you are questioning, they "accept" the gender that is counter to their, for lack of a better term, genetics. These individuals often struggle through childhood and adulthood not being able to formulate a complete sense of self because of their own confusion about their sex. This confusion often manifests its self in depression and psychological distress.  The patients I spoke to told me that it was like "being trapped in someone else's body with no means of escape".  The transgendered people I have had the opportunity to interview in my rotations honestly fell like they have been born into the wrong body, and when they look in the mirror they either do not see themselves or they see someone of the of the sex that they psychologically perceive themselves to be looking back at them. I would like to stress that the people you seem to be asking about to not choose their lives, rather all evidence seems to suggest that there is a combination of underlying genetic, environmental and societal factors influencing their lives. These are just my observations, and please take them for what they are worth: a medical student who has had a couple semesters doing rotations in various psychiatric institutions. 

As for the issue you presented with allowing them to use the bathroom of their choice, I agree its a complicated issue. I can see arguments for both sides of this issue, and I guess the argument essentially comes down to the psychology of a person's sex verses the physical characteristics that are associated with sex.  I hope that this post helped you understand the issue a little bit better, and again props to Nathan for his post. 

[HST1948]

Clarence,
I'm glad to see that you are trying to understand this complicated issue. I think Nathan really hit the nail with this his posts.  I wanted to add that in medical school I did a psychiatry rotation where I got to interview some transgendered patients and have a lecture on sexuality, including transgenderism. What I learned, which is such poorly understood and in my opinion very sad, is that these individuals feel like they are a woman trapped in a mans body (or vice-avers). Most people psychologically understand and accept their sex around age three and begin to play into and fall into expected social roles.  For the individuals that you are questioning, they "accept" the gender that is counter to their, for lack of a better term, genetics. These individuals often struggle through childhood and adulthood not being able to formulate a complete sense of self because of their own confusion about their sex. This confusion often manifests its self in depression and psychological distress.  The patients I spoke to told me that it was like "being trapped in someone else's body with no means of escape".  The transgendered people I have had the opportunity to interview in my rotations honestly fell like they have been born into the wrong body, and when they look in the mirror they either do not see themselves or they see someone of the of the sex that they psychologically perceive themselves to be looking back at them. I would like to stress that the people you seem to be asking about to not choose their lives, rather all evidence seems to suggest that there is a combination of underlying genetic, environmental and societal factors influencing their lives. These are just my observations, and please take them for what they are worth: a medical student who has had a couple semesters doing rotations in various psychiatric institutions. 

As for the issue you presented with allowing them to use the bathroom of their choice, I agree its a complicated issue. I can see arguments for both sides of this issue, and I guess the argument essentially comes down to the psychology of a person's sex verses the physical characteristics that are associated with sex.  I hope that this post helped you understand the issue a little bit better, and again props to Nathan for his post. 

Having gone to medical school you've spent a lot of time in hospitals and operating rooms in particular where EVERYBODY dresses the same.  There is no loss of gender identity or "depression."  An irrational fixation on clothing I would think is indicative of other psychological issues.  If a man wishes to dress in a skirt and blouse in their free time that is there business.  But even in normal work places women are barred from wearing this type of attire and it doesn't cause them to feel like they are "a woman trapped in a man's body."  Sure some of them complain but they live.

What you said is true, but as you said the type of attire and it doesn't cause people to feel like they are "a woman trapped in a man's body. My point, rather, was to state that there are underlying genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors, out of a persons control, that cause a person to truly fell like they were born into the wrong body.  The clothes that they chose to wear are just one "side effect" of these underlying factors, not a cause of of their depression or "trapped feelings". And, certainly as you point out many of these individuals also have other underlying psychological issues.