Transsexualism is when an individual identifies with a gender different from individual's sex.

Transsexualism is often included within the broader category of "transgenderism", which is often used as an umbrella term for people who do not conform to typically accepted gender roles. It includes cross-dressers, transvestites, and people who identify as "genderqueer". Transsexualism according to this view refers to a specific condition in the transgender realm.

Transgender is argued to be independent of sexual orientation; transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc; some may consider conventional sexual orientation labels inadequate or inapplicable to them. However, at least regarding activism there are associations with homosexuality, one example being the LGBT abbreviation and terms such as the LGBT community.

Hirschfeld

The Jewish sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld had an important role in creating the current politically correct views on transsexualism/transgenderism and how it should be treated.[1]

Increasing prevalence

An article 2018 stated that "the medical director for specialised services at NHS England [...] "We've got to be prepared to start thinking about designing a healthcare service that will allow somewhere around one to three per cent of the population at some point in their lives having a discussion about their gender," Based on current population estimates, this would mean 1.97m people in the UK using gender identity services", he said. [...] "referrals to adult services have increased by 240 per cent over the last five year period. "There are currently 7,500 adults waiting for an appointment with our services. No other specialist service has seen this growth, anywhere near. As a result there is absolutely not sufficient capacity in the system," he warned. [...] the age profile of people approaching services was getting younger. In one case study, the average age of patients referred to the Nottingham gender clinic, which treats people aged 17 and over, had dropped from 40 when it first opened in 1998 to just over 20 currently. [...] children and young people, said the organisation had experienced an "unprecedented" 100 per cent increase in referrals between 2015 and 2016."[2]

Causes

Many different causes of transsexualism have been proposed. Many are similar to those proposed for homosexuality, including causes such as changed sex hormone levels during development, such as by endocrine disruptors.

In 2018, a study concluded that "social and peer contagion" was a plausible explanation for "cluster outbreaks" and a high number of cases where the majority of children in a friendship group became "transgender-identified". YouTube videos and other social media were also argued to be involved. Unsurprisingly, the study was immediately attacked by transgender activists.[3][4]

In 2017, an English university rejected as "politically incorrect" an application for research on the increasing numbers of people who were changing gender and subsequently regretting this. The rejection occurred despite that the homosexual researcher had long backed transgender rights. "Some of those young women were saying they felt they'd made a mistake, but had been influenced by a kind of social movement ramped up by the internet. When I talked to colleagues about what I was finding, one said: 'I didn't think we were supposed to talk about that.' Discussion is being suppressed by a small, but vocal, minority in the LGBT community who seem to have an agenda to push the boundaries of trans rights whatever the cost. [....] Many of the younger people who present at gender clinics have a history of mental health issues such as self-harming, social anxiety, eating disorders and so on. They see transitioning as their panacea.' In addition, James says that the proportion of people attending gender clinics who are on the autistic spectrum is approximately six times higher than the general population. 'The activist line is, 'Oh that's because they're trans so if they weren't discriminated against and could just be themselves and transition they wouldn't have mental health issues.' That's far too simplistic. [....] Society is changing so rapidly that a lot of people feel uncertain of their place in it and they're looking for something. The fact is, the idea of trans identities is now being brought into the classroom and is all over the internet.'"[5]

See also the "External links" section.

Censorship

In the UK, a "Memorandum of Understanding" on how to handle transgender patients has been seen as censorship, which could in effect prevent the patients from being told that there could be mental health causes for their wish to transition and preventing the patients from being told that some later regret their transitions and try to reverse them.[5]

"Transphobia"

Transphobia is a word similar to homophobia and other "-phobia" words. It is a word which aims to associate criticisms with mental illness. It can be seen as a form of attempted guilt by association and name calling.

The politically correct sources using the word, and related "-phobia" word, apply a double standard and do not use "-phobia" words as labels for criticisms of Whites, heterosexuality, Christianity, and so on.

Transsexualism as a disorder

Unlike homosexuality, transsexualism is classified as a psychiatric disorder, if it causes negative effects for the individual (Gender identity disorder/Gender dysphoria).

Some transsexuals disagree with this. However, the status as a recognized psychiatric condition makes it possible to demand that socialized health systems should pay for often very expensive operations and other treatments, in order to alter and keep altered the body so that it matches the gender identification.

In 2014, a federal appeals court upheld a judge’s ruling that a transsexual inmate convicted of murder is entitled to a taxpayer-funded sex change operation, as treatment for her severe gender identity disorder.[6]

Changes in gender identity

A study following 109 boys who had gender identity disorder, between the ages of 3 and 12, found that only 12% continued to want to change gender, when followed-up at the average age of 20.[7]

Hormone treatments for transsexual children

Children transsexuals have been given hormone blockers to prevent them from experiencing the puberty of the gender they do no identify with and given hormone treatment to go through the puberty of the opposite gender. This has been criticized, since the gender identity often changes.[7]

Children and homosexual parents

As for homosexuals, there have been concerns regarding the well-being of children raised by transsexual parents as compared to heterosexual parents.

A transsexual who identifies as a male may still use the female reproductive organs in order to have children.[8]

Use of segregated areas

Transsexuals (including transsexuals who have not had sex change operations) have demanded access to various areas that are segregated between the sexes (bathrooms, restrooms, locker rooms, changing facilities, and so on). This has in some cases been enforced by regulations and laws and despite the distress that this may cause for non-transsexuals.

2016 review

A large 2016 review stated that "The hypothesis that gender identity is an innate, fixed property of human beings that is independent of biological sex — that a person might be “a man trapped in a woman’s body” or “a woman trapped in a man’s body” — is not supported by scientific evidence. [...] Compared to the general population, adults who have undergone sex-reassignment surgery continue to have a higher risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes. One study found that, compared to controls, sex-reassigned individuals were about 5 times more likely to attempt suicide and about 19 times more likely to die by suicide."[9]

The review also stated that "Children are a special case when addressing gender issues. In the course of their development, many children explore the idea of being of the opposite sex. Some children may have improved psychological well-being if they are encouraged and supported in their cross-gender identification, particularly if the identification is strong and persistent over time. But nearly all children ultimately identify with their biological sex. The notion that a two-year-old, having expressed thoughts or behaviors identified with the opposite sex, can be labeled for life as transgender has absolutely no support in science. Indeed, it is iniquitous to believe that all children who have gender-atypical thoughts or behavior at some point in their development, particularly before puberty, should be encouraged to become transgender."[9]

References