Transgenderism

@Galen: One thing we have to repeat many times on the support forums is that transition does not solve all your problems. It solves one really big one, but if there are others, as there seem to be in this case, they will come back and bite you. "Transgender" isn't a verb by the way, I say "transition".

Thank you very much Mary for sharing that.I am glad things on the whole are working out for you. I am also a Christian and am delighted you have been accepted by your local brothers and sisters in Christ which of course is just how it should be. Wishing you well for your future.x

I'm glad things are working for you Mary. The life of someone who has transitioned is far from easy.

My cousin has joined the Quakers and they are accepting of Lesbians, Gays, Bi and Trans people . My eyes have certainly been opened to a very different world since being back in touch with her.

IMO it would be great if we could all be accepted as somewhere on the spectrum of male/ female.

The article you posted bags was time limited so haven't been able to read it.

Interestingly I've just finished reading a book called The New Woman by Charity Norman which deals with transgender and focuses not just on the main character but his it effects their family and friends, work and career, and other issues.

It completely changed my attitude inasmuch I now realise the momentous feelings that these poor people must face throughout their lives and how lucky those of us who are born securely into our own bodies are very lucky indeed. This book makes you realise it is nothing to do with sexuality at all but everything to do with gender identity which is a separate issue. Opened my eyes.

Is this screen grab any good, anya?

Apparently you can't get a passport if you don't identify as male or female but as 'neutral' with regard to gender. I think the person I read about who is affected by this also had university applications turned down because they wouldn't tick a box declaring their gender to be male or female. I'm wondering why the gender of a student matters to a university? If the person just wants to study, why is gender important?

Thanks bags

Thanks for your helpful post Mary - I am glad that you have a positive story - but sorry to hear that your family have not been helpful.

My friend has the full support of family and friends, even though we all admit to not fully understanding what it is all about. Better to admit that I think than to pretend and be dishonest. She is about 6 foot 3 inches, so will find it hard to ever pass as a woman, and she has huge feet and masculine features. But she has a certain panache that will I hope carry her through the stares etc.

There is a programme on TV this week with Grayson Perry asking what it is to be masculine. That should be interesting.

Good on you Mary- and thanks for sharing here.

Due to the totally irreversible nature of male to female permanent transition- doctors here, and I imagine in the UK- will not want t go ahead if there are clearly other issues influencing the decision and the outcome- and quite rightly so.

Mary, thanks so much for posting. It's really helpful to have first hand information of these issues as they affect people directly. It's encouraging to learn that you have managed the transition so well. Like others who have posted, I think it would help us as a society to move these issues forward if we saw gender as a spectrum which we're all on somewhere.