Chastity Bono's Coming Out again . .

[daleduke17]

Why begrudge them the surgery they require to be themselves?

Because we can't have everything we want. A sex change is not a requirement, it's a want (there may be isolated incidents where it is medically required).

I want to have 20/20 uncorrected vision. I don't have the money for it, therefore I can't get it. It's not a requirement for me to live. I want to have the vision, just like they want to change sexes.

[the_std]

Sex and gender are two completely different things. I personally believe that it is entirely possible to be a female, biologically speaking, but a man as the gender you identify with. The mind is much more complicated than the body. Why is it so terrible to think that there are people who do not fit into the lines their bodies have set for them?

And as to the implication that there is nothing wrong with these people? That there is nothing broken? They are broken because the person they are does not match the body they have, so they're trying to make it right. It is a terrible feeling, not to match your body. Why begrudge them the surgery they require to be themselves?

[daleduke17]

Don't go there...what this kind of surgery does for transgendered people is allow the outside to match the inside...so yes he WILL be male in mind, body and soul.

"He" would only be male on the outside. The internal workings (DNA and all) would still be female.

[Flyndaran]

I just don't get that.
If it ain't broke don't fix it.
My changed into a functional woman's body wouldn't need fixing.
I'm comfortable being a dude, but I don't see anything wrong with women's bodies that need surgery.

[Boozy]

If I woke up a woman, I would not demand expensive dangerous surgery to change back.

I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume that the majority of men would at least strongly consider the surgery, in that situation.

At the very least, they would not start living life as a woman. They would continue to identify as male, as they have their whole lives.

I put forth this thought experiment to my husband. He said that he wouldn't immediately go for the surgery until he did the research, but he would "definitely seek a way back" to having male body. At the very least, he'd do the hormonal sex change (testosterone injections).

[Flyndaran]

Don't go there...what this kind of surgery does for transgendered people is allow the outside to match the inside...so yes he WILL be male in mind, body and soul.
....

That mentality requires this sentence to be accurate.
He has a fully functional vagina.

I don't understand the whole idea of gender identity anyway.
If I woke up a woman, I would not demand expensive dangerous surgery to change back.
It's simply a mental illness which is far easier to treat through surgery than therapy.

[telecom_goddess]

She will never truly be a he, regardless of what kind of surgeries happen. It will just be a woman with mutilated genitalia. Why people refer to this as changing the person's sex, I have never been able to figure out. Her sex will not change. She will just have a doctor mutilate her to appear more male.

Don't go there...what this kind of surgery does for transgendered people is allow the outside to match the inside...so yes he WILL be male in mind, body and soul.

I have never had the desire for a sex change myself but can't COMPLETELY understand the desire....it's like making a wrong into something right. It's a correction.

[anriana]

It

Very classy!

[JuniorMintz]

If the area they live in still does blood tests, I don't think so. As long as the DNA shows the person is female, it would still be a same-sex marriage.

I was married in the same state and we were not required to have our blood tested. To the best of my knowledge, those states that *do* require blood testing/physicals do so mainly to screen for STDs. http://www.usmarriagelaws.com/search...ts/index.shtml

Then they don't get the procedures done.

Well, yeah, that was kind of my point. How is it fair that a person can only marry their partner if they undergo major surgery like gender reassignment, but not if they are unable to do so?

[BlaqueKatt]

Why people refer to this as changing the person's sex, I have never been able to figure out.

they don't, Genital surgery is often referred to as "sex reassignment surgery", genital reconstructive surgery, or gender reassignment surgery. Differences in terminology can depend on the preference of the surgeon or recipient, or the nature of the surgery involved. Some consider “sex change surgery” to be disrespectful.

From WIKI



Transsexuals can have difficulty maintaining employment. Most find it necessary to remain employed during transition in order to cover the costs of living and transition. However, employment discrimination against transpeople is rampant and many of them are fired when they come out or are involuntarily outed at work. Transsexual people must decide whether to transition on-the-job, or to find a new job when they make their social transition. Finding employment can be especially challenging for those in mid-transition.


gender has nothing to do with biological sex-it was originally a linguistic word only.

gen·der

1 a: a subclass within a grammatical class (as noun, pronoun, adjective, or verb) of a language that is partly arbitrary but also partly based on distinguishable characteristics (as shape, social rank, manner of existence, or sex) and that determines agreement with and selection of other words or grammatical forms b: membership of a word or a grammatical form in such a subclass c: an inflectional form showing membership in such a subclass2

a: sex <the feminine gender> b: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.

[Rubystars]

She will never truly be a he, regardless of what kind of surgeries happen. It will just be a woman with mutilated genitalia. Why people refer to this as changing the person's sex, I have never been able to figure out. Her sex will not change. She will just have a doctor mutilate her to appear more male.

[AFPheonix]

That's funny, a visit to several main news sites including Time and CNN have the Iranian election as the top story. I didn't even see Chastity's name on the front page at all. Hell, it wasn't even top news on What Would Tyler Durden Do, currently the top story on there is Megan Fox being single.

What media are you watching?

[daleduke17]

Why not? Surely today's media can carry multiple stories.

Most every cause usually needs someone with some pull to stick up for them, and although Chaz is a C-list celeb at best, he can at least put a very human face on a segment of society that isn't always well understood by the general public.

The problem I have with it is that the media is making this their main focus. She isn't even a D-List celebrity. What's her claim to fame? Singing on a television show a handful of times 30+ years ago and attempting to lose weight on a "reality" TV show.

On a related note, how unfair is it that Chaz can *finally* get married to his partner, but only after undergoing a major medical procedure?

If the area they live in still does blood tests, I don't think so. As long as the DNA shows the person is female, it would still be a same-sex marriage.

Good thing he comes from a wealthy family. What of those who can't afford to have the same treatments?

Then they don't get the procedures done.

[AFPheonix]

I'm with daleduke. Why is this news? She wants a sex change? Go for it. But there's thing to talk about that's actually important. Like the war that's being completely ignored. Prop 8. Stuff that greatly affects the country.

Why not? Surely today's media can carry multiple stories.

Most every cause usually needs someone with some pull to stick up for them, and although Chaz is a C-list celeb at best, he can at least put a very human face on a segment of society that isn't always well understood by the general public.

[JuniorMintz]

But there's thing to talk about that's actually important. Like the war that's being completely ignored. Prop 8. Stuff that greatly affects the country.

On a related note, how unfair is it that Chaz can *finally* get married to his partner, but only after undergoing a major medical procedure?

Good thing he comes from a wealthy family. What of those who can't afford to have the same treatments?