Dedicated to the acceptance, medical treatment, & legal protection of individuals in the process of correcting the misalignment of their anatomical sex, & supporting their transition into society.
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Springfield, VA, USA. As we all know, at least those of us who pretend to have a well rounded education, one who asks a question is a fool for five minutes, but one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. We must question with boldness even our gods, even our most revered theories and deeply personal self-rationalizations: gender theory, transgender, crossdressing, fetish transvestism, gender identity disorder, Harry Benjamin Syndrome (HBS), and neurobiological research.
Questions are like locked rooms or books written in a foreign language: it takes effort to find out what answers may lie inside. I have some questions for you to consider. A quest, if you will, for the true nature of things.
1. Gender Theory suggests the Sex Binary (male and female) does not exist other than as a social construct.
Transgender men and women support that position but then generally describe themselves in terms of the sex binary
“I am a mixture of male and female”
or
“I am neither male nor female, I am both.”
Defining themselves in terms of the sex binary while at the same time denying that the sex binary exists is both internally contradictory and ludicrous to an outside observer.
On the other hand, if the sex binary does not exist (go away intrinsic male- or femaleness), all gender theory itself is discussing is clothes and social presentation.
What’s the big deal?
Dress however you want (but be prepared for comment if you chose to costume yourself outside societal norms). Change your name to whatever (within reason you can do that today). Be yourself! (It’s a U. S. constitutional right as long as you don’t violate any laws).
Who the frak cares? What’s stopping transgenders from being transgendered?
Perhaps it’s the internally contradictory definition of transgender.
So here’s the question that needs an answer:
Can the transgendered state be defined without reference to either the physical sex binary or the theoretical societal sex construct?
What would that definition look like?
Given the non-binary definition, what aspects of human behavior would be implicitly predicted? (How would the transgender postulate be empirically tested?)
A prediction that assumes the physical sex binary would predict that most subjects would be either male or female with a probably statistically small percentage of those with developmental sex variations that occur prior to birth (HBS, Intersex). It is a testable prediction that can be proven or disproven by the scientific method.
What would a comparable transgender prediction look like?
2. Are cross-dressers a more limited, closeted variation of fetish transvestism?
If not for societal pressures and cultural restraints would the behavior patterns of crossdressers and fetish transvestites be much more similar?
If crossdressing and transvestism are merely two forms of the same behavior pattern, it makes little sense for the DSM to classify one as a disorder and the other as a paraphilia. If they are identical except for degree, neither should be classified as a paraphilia and only treated if the behavior is disrupting a patient’s life to such a degree that they can no longer function in society.
Question: Is there an actual, testable distinction between crossdressing and transvestism or is the DSM distinction merely a matter of personal values and morality. What is that distinction?
If there is no actual, testable distinction between crossdressing and fetish transvestitism, should fetish transvestism be removed from both the DSM and criminal law?
Implicit, of course, in the last question, is an additional question: if crossdressing and fetish transvestism are merely different forms of the same behavior pattern (and fetish transvestism remains a paraphilia and a criminal violation in public in many places), how should society and the DSM treat crossdressing?
3. The diagnostic criteria for Gender Identity Disorder (GID, gender dysphoria) have been broadened to include virtually anyone who is uncomfortable with their assigned gender or their expected societal role.
Butch Lesbians are now described as having GID. Same for anyone who says they are transgendered. Same for that girl down the street who likes to climb trees rather than play with dolls or that boy who would rather read than be outside playing football.
Transgender and GID have become almost identical in the broadness of their definition and the vagueness of their specificity. Transgender gender theorists have even proposed that gay and lesbian are merely specific cases of being transgender.
Seriously.
GID is no better. Anyone who deviates in any way from the exact societal expectations for a person with their birth identified genitals can now be diagnosed as having GID. GID, like transgender, has become the perfect instrument for extracting money from both patient and insurance company.
Question: How can GID be better defined so that it has some actual medical meaning and so inclusive as to include anyone who might wish to be included?
If GID is, by definition, about GENDER and societal expectations, it follows that HBS, by definition about physical, binary SEX, cannot be included under GID. Should HBS be specifically excluded from the GID diagnostic descriptive?
Does GID actually have any medical meaning? What is the efficacy of retaining the diagnosis? As it is, GID seems to include crossdressing and transvestism.
4. Scientific research strongly suggests that Harry Benjamin Syndrome (HBS) is a birth condition that misaligns innate neurobiological makeup and external genitalia.
If HBS not rooted in physical causes (e.g., if there is not a physical neurobiological basis for HBS), what makes HBS women and men so sure of who they are and that their genitals are wrong?
Separating the autogynephilic from those truly HBS, why are HBS men and women driven to bring their outward physical body into conformance with who their brains insist they are? Why not just a pretty frock (it works for transgenders)?
If HBS men and women are really only autogynephilic, why do the vast majority of post-ops report never being sexually aroused by the thought or image of themselves as a woman (the critical determinate of autogynephilic)? How likely is it that they all have repressed those memories?
How crazy are post-op HBS men and women and how did we fool so many shrinks, therapists, GYNs, and surgeons?
If we were to assume HBS is not rooted in physical causes, how do we explain the growing body of scientific evidence that suggests it is? Can all the researchers in all the various disciplines be making the relatively the same mistakes?
If HBS is a physical birth condition, should it remain in the DMS or would it be better described in medical and science texts dealing with neurobiology?
There. Some questions. Have some coffee and discuss.
Film at Eleven.
Bring a bluebook on Friday and a number 2 pencil.
This will be on your permanent record.
Ms. Lisa Jain Thompson is the Co-Founder & President of TS-Si, Inc. She also serves as a Contributing Editor and columnist for the TS-Si website. Ms. Thompson's signed articles contain her own opinions and do not necessarily convey an official position of TS-Si, its partners, or affiliates.
Lisa welcomes your comments. You can use the public form below or send private correspondence via her TS-Si Contact Page. We will not divulge any personal details or place you on a mailing list without your permission.
Ms. Lisa Jain Thompson
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