Half the time I am honestly tempted to say i'm bi-sexual instead of bi-curious just so I can feel as if I am not only doing more to the feel more accepted by those whom I support whole-halfheartedly. Ah, well. I'd probably not do well either way. So I'll just continue holding Gay Pride signs while knowing that while I may not be a part of the community physically (so to speak) I am there spiritually.

Awww, Midi... I'd love to speak for the whole community and say you're accepted without having to FEEL accepted - unfortunately, as you're aware from the Tyra show, acceptance isn't always universal, even if you're a member of the community. But, I can certainly speak for myself, and I'm pretty confident I can speak for the other members of the community contributing to this board.

But on a related point, it's a shame that people feel obliged to take a position. What should be happening is that there should be no division, no boundary line, between our community and the rest of society. We should all be born, eat, sleep, work and play together with no regard for who we choose for our partners, or whether the gender we are born with is not the gender we choose to remain. Don't get me wrong; I'm not one to reject love and support, especially from people I respect and care about. But to me, the sad thing is that it is necessary for people to have to do so.

Nonetheless, thank you!

Oh trust me, I understand. It would be easier if people didn't have to label things or things simply were without need for explanation, etc...sadly it's not like that, but I do wish it were.

It is quite sad because how in the heck do we expect to make progress and change minds, when those within the community cannot even come together. Just a couple weeks ago one of the heads of a East Coast Equal Right's group, that is supposed to be fighting for various rights like non-discrimination in employment, called transsexuals a bunch of "circus freaks".

Perhaps some of the worse offenders have to be lesbian women who have a scary consistent tendency to demean transgender women and treat them like "men in dresses". Seriously with friends like that how can one expect to make any progress?

http://www.transadvocate.com/mclaurin-apologizes-for-circus-freak-comment.htm

I'm glad to see that Mark McLaurin has been forced to eat crow. If what he's saying is anything to go by he may have been quoted out of context, but at the same time recognises that the words he used were wrong. It's good to see that some members of the community are accepting the apology, but the fact is that surely a person of that level of experience and responsibility in the EQUAL Rights movement should have realised that the phrase was potentially inflammatory, and just not used it in the first place.

On your other point... Ouch. Speaking for myself, I'm truly sorry if you, Zoe, or any other member of the Trans community has been on the receiving end of the attitude you mention from members of my section of the community. That's an awful attitude for them to be taking, and I hate that they're not engaging brain and being more inclusive. You're absolutely right - the community can't move forward if it's eating itself from within this way, especially at a time when every word spoken, or put into print, can instantly be scrutinised worldwide - not only within the community, but also by our detractors.

Hugs back to all you wonderful, precious people. You deserve to be treated so much better than you are.

Awww... That's a wonderfully positive thought for the thread's 500th post!

And thank you, everyone, who has contributed over the past year. I'm very grateful to all of you.

I am just glad you made a thread like this where we can talk about these issues!

Here is a disturbing article written about Chaz Bono who as some of you know, is a Female to Male transsexual. Yeah I know it is Fox news but it represents the mentality of way too many people.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/16/inside-mind-chaz-bono/

"Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team."



Mind you, I am not judging Keith Ablow. But there is nothing substantially different from a member of the (*snort*... *giggle*... *gufFAW*) "Fox News Medical A-Team" (hahahahaha!) dispensing medical opinions than there is about Mr. T. of the original A-Team doing same.

Seriously, should any of us be surprised by the opinions of neo-conservative Keith Ablow? Considering that this teevee psychiatrist also happens to be an associate of Glenn Beck, I'm not surprised in the least by his views.

-- Nephele

I agree with Nephele.

Heres another psychiatrist on the subject, unfortunately she's not part of an A-Team

Chaz Bono looks pretty happy to me.

I pity the fool (Keith Ablow)

You would be shocked how many "professionals" are just like Keith Ablow. It is quite disturbing. I know way too many girls going to professional therapists/psychiatrists and are treated with the same mentality that this guy has.

Being transgendered is simply who a person is. To my knowledge this as well as homosexuality was taken out of the DSM-IV as a disorder to be replaced with the condition it is only a disorder if it they feel it is such (I forget exactly what it says) and with good reason- because there is nothing wrong with them!

People can be idiots, no matter their education or professional trade. Bias will always hinder true knowledge.

This Keith Ablow (whoever he is) needs to get a life.

Someone doesn't feel their body represents them - and they change it. As long as everything's alright and they're adjusting okay (both to transition and to society's fucked up attitudes) then what's his problem?

When it comes to transgender people, I believe it's how a person feels on the inside, not the outside.
I'm sorry if I'm repeating this, but sexual orientation and behavior depends a lot on which and how much hormones does a child receive in the early stages of development in the womb. If a girl receives more testosteron (or vice verca, if a boy receives more estrogen), they're almost bound to act more like the opposite sex or be attracted to the same sex. It's all biology and just the way the human body works.

What Dr. Ablow says is too constricting. Human nature isn't to be constricted and doesn't work as such. I can't believe he's giving such examples - a woman believing she's being followed by the CIA. That's clearly paranoia.. feeling like a man or a woman isn't a mental illness.