Hi
First I would like to thank you for a comprehensive note you have sent in reply.
There are two issues for me. One is related to the psychology of feeling or not feeling aligned with your sex (to shorthand that discussion for now). Of course it goes without saying that any psychological distress a person is feeling needs recognition …
First I would like to thank you for a comprehensive note you have sent in reply.
There are two issues for me. One is related to the psychology of feeling or not feeling aligned with your sex (to shorthand that discussion for now). Of course it goes without saying that any psychological distress a person is feeling needs recognition and some sympathy. But obviously various people (medical, psychiatric or those from a sociological background) may then argue about what the best remedy for relieving that distress may be. I’m sure it’s different for many people that share similar distress about their sexuality. Having worked in mental health for many years it became obvious that whereas people might present in similar ways, it was only after careful analysis with that particular individual that you could understand that problem in any context. You do highlight some of the complexity in the subject, but complexity I fear that at least some people don’t seem to want to acknowledge.
Anyway thats a hugely complex set of issues and thanks for the references (as there is always more to learn.)
But I’m equally (perhaps more) interested in the dynamics of those that involve themselves in the vitriolic arguments that ensue over this particular issue.
The trans voices (I have sought out-are some of the quieter voices) and they seem to be more moderate and sane and acknowledge lots of the potential conflicts of interest between various groups of people involved (women’s rights versus trans rights etc). But there certainly are some voices that will not even allow for any discussion to take place at all. Which really makes me think there is something else going on for those individuals other than any anger about the issue they profess to be angry about. But maybe I’m wrong on that.
But I come back to a point I have made before to many other folk.
(Actually it’s a set of questions.)
Is there anyone out there (maybe I will read something in the links kindly sent) that can tell me ( a 67 year old man that should know by now) what it ‘feels like’ to be a man?
Or a woman that can tell me what it feels like to be a woman?
Or what it feels like not to ‘feel like’ the sex assigned at birth?
If any of those questions appears insulting to anyone reading I apologise beforehand. But nobody I have ever spoken to (Male or Female) has ever given me the answer to any of those questions. (up till now anyway.)
Thanks again for the links I will certainly take a look.
My interest in the trans movement is because I have a dog in this fight: I'm a natal woman who focuses and writes about women and others taking back their power, and I'm trying to figure out where the misogyny is coming from with the loudmouth extremely male 'transwomen' activists.
I got kicked off the Medium platform last fall because i criticized the trans community too much, and that is verboten to the far left mindset that seems to have infected the editorial staff there. I was also at the time in an argument with one of the Regressive Left feminists who writes reams on 'patriarchy' and 'misogyny' yet argued to me that if a man says he's a woman he's a woman, and who didn't want to acknowledge the extreme misogyny in some of these TRAs (trans-rights activists, the loudest of all being almost exclusively 'transwomen').
Where TRA misogyny comes from seems to be a subject most trans movement supporters aren't much interested in, most mystifyingly of all from 'feminists'.
As for your questions, I have no idea. I don't think anyone really thinks about that question except those who truly were born that way, a small percentage, and those who've been encouraged to think that way after trans became fashionable.
Hi
First I would like to thank you for a comprehensive note you have sent in reply.
There are two issues for me. One is related to the psychology of feeling or not feeling aligned with your sex (to shorthand that discussion for now). Of course it goes without saying that any psychological distress a person is feeling needs recognition and some sympathy. But obviously various people (medical, psychiatric or those from a sociological background) may then argue about what the best remedy for relieving that distress may be. I’m sure it’s different for many people that share similar distress about their sexuality. Having worked in mental health for many years it became obvious that whereas people might present in similar ways, it was only after careful analysis with that particular individual that you could understand that problem in any context. You do highlight some of the complexity in the subject, but complexity I fear that at least some people don’t seem to want to acknowledge.
Anyway thats a hugely complex set of issues and thanks for the references (as there is always more to learn.)
But I’m equally (perhaps more) interested in the dynamics of those that involve themselves in the vitriolic arguments that ensue over this particular issue.
The trans voices (I have sought out-are some of the quieter voices) and they seem to be more moderate and sane and acknowledge lots of the potential conflicts of interest between various groups of people involved (women’s rights versus trans rights etc). But there certainly are some voices that will not even allow for any discussion to take place at all. Which really makes me think there is something else going on for those individuals other than any anger about the issue they profess to be angry about. But maybe I’m wrong on that.
But I come back to a point I have made before to many other folk.
(Actually it’s a set of questions.)
Is there anyone out there (maybe I will read something in the links kindly sent) that can tell me ( a 67 year old man that should know by now) what it ‘feels like’ to be a man?
Or a woman that can tell me what it feels like to be a woman?
Or what it feels like not to ‘feel like’ the sex assigned at birth?
If any of those questions appears insulting to anyone reading I apologise beforehand. But nobody I have ever spoken to (Male or Female) has ever given me the answer to any of those questions. (up till now anyway.)
Thanks again for the links I will certainly take a look.
Regards
Derek
My interest in the trans movement is because I have a dog in this fight: I'm a natal woman who focuses and writes about women and others taking back their power, and I'm trying to figure out where the misogyny is coming from with the loudmouth extremely male 'transwomen' activists.
I got kicked off the Medium platform last fall because i criticized the trans community too much, and that is verboten to the far left mindset that seems to have infected the editorial staff there. I was also at the time in an argument with one of the Regressive Left feminists who writes reams on 'patriarchy' and 'misogyny' yet argued to me that if a man says he's a woman he's a woman, and who didn't want to acknowledge the extreme misogyny in some of these TRAs (trans-rights activists, the loudest of all being almost exclusively 'transwomen').
Where TRA misogyny comes from seems to be a subject most trans movement supporters aren't much interested in, most mystifyingly of all from 'feminists'.
As for your questions, I have no idea. I don't think anyone really thinks about that question except those who truly were born that way, a small percentage, and those who've been encouraged to think that way after trans became fashionable.