Transsexualism 101

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Transsexualism 101

• Crossing the Gender Line

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What is Transsexualism?

• A persistent sense of inappropriateness about
  ones physical gender coupled with a desire to
  assume the role of and to have ones primary and
  secondary sexual characteristics altered to match
  those of the opposite sex.
• Incidence of transsexualism is about 1 in 10,000

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Gender Identity v. Gender Role

• Gender Identity
• The internal sense of identification with one sex
  or another.
• Gender Role
• A persons sense of what is appropriate behavior
  for a given gender based on cultural, familial or
  personal norms.

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Varieties of Transgender Experience

• Fetishistic Transvestism
• Non-erotic Crossdressing
• Gender Identity Disorder of Childhood
• Transsexualism
• Transgenderism
• Bigenderism
• Intersexuality

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Terminology

• TS
• TG
• MTF
• FTM
• Standards
• En femme
• GG

• RLT
• Stealth
• Out
• Pass
• Read
• Transition
• SRS

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What is Transition?

• Transition is the process whereby one integrates
  into the new gender identity socially,
  psychologically and physically.
• Transition does not necessarily end with surgery.

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Process of Transition

• Innocent Acceptance
• Concealment
• Denial
• Resistance
• Exploration
• Surrender
• Commitment

• Therapy
• Hormones
• Personal Testing
• Real Life Test
• Surgery
• Integration
• Transcendence

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The Dark Side of Transition

• Innocent Acceptance
• Opposition
• Running Away
• Hiding in the Gender
• Addiction
• Sexual Acting Out
• Recovery

• Therapy
• Hormones
• Personal Testing
• Real Life Test
• Surgery
• Integration
• Transcendence

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The Standards of Care

• Proof that GID has persisted for 2 years
• Three months therapy prior to Hormones
• One year full time living prior to surgery
• Two letters from different therapists from
  different disciplines

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The Real-Life Test (RLT)

• Sometimes called Real Long Time
• Minimum of one year living entirely in the new
  gender role
• Monitored by a therapist
• Must work or be a full-time student
• Social interaction required

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Myths about Transsexualism

• Transsexualism is a form of Homosexuality
• Transsexualism is an extreme form of
  crossdressing
• Transsexualism is a response to societal
  attitudes about gender roles
• Transsexuals are promiscuous

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Myths (Cont.)

• Transsexuals have low IQs
• Lots of transsexuals regret surgery
• Incidence of mental illness is high among
  transsexuals
• Transsexuals have dysfunctional lifestyles
• Transsexualism can be cured

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What Causes Transsexualism?

• Lots of Theories
• Freudian
• Absent Father, unresolved Oedipal complex
• Behavioral
• Feminine (masculine) Behavior Reinforced
• Cultural
• Biological

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The Dutch Brain Research
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No Ordinary Moments
When Youve Been Through the Fire, The Sparks
Dont Hurt So Much!