Paper October 1990 7.0
The high degree of acceptance that most people have of their gender is as central to their self-image that is extremely difficult to understand how some people have the physical characteristics of one gender may actually believe they belong to another. Individuals who feel this way are known as transsexuals. Often, an explanation of this phenomenon begins: "Imagine you He wakes up one morning and found in the body of the opposite gender. But as the author transgender Kim Elizabeth Stuart has written: "l uninvited dilemma:" You can not compare an experience with a non-experience "Therefore, while it is virtually impossible for a non-transsexual understanding how it feels that this condition may be possible to understand how this condition arises and how it can better deal with it.
misplaced in the theater of life
Transsexuals often express their feelings to something similar to be placed in a role for which they are not prepared, for example, trying to be the hero when in fact they are better playing the heroine. However. To them is necessary to adapt to survive. They have to learn their lines and act their part. Words and behaviors that are alien to their nature they are forced by reason of his physical appearance. Eventually, like any actor who maintains a role in a performance with long experience, they learn to manage their role. They learn to recite the lines, follow the directions of the stage and be very convincing men and women without having even think about it. The problem is that when they leave the stage, when left alone with themselves, and know that this role is not right for themselves. They know who they are true. They want nothing to be themselves, but You can not remove the dressing rooms and costumes and live a normal life because the costumes are really their own bodies.
A Theory of the origin of transsexualism
The physical gender of the fetus is established by the mating of a single chromosome from both parents at the time of conception. XX females and XY for men. However, it is not until later that the physical differences based on gender chrome fetus develop. These differences are stimulated by an infusion of hormones. At the same time, fetal gender identity (the gender of the brain) starts its development. According to one theory so widely accepted that attempts to explain the origins of transsexualism, whether the timing of this hormonal influence is inadequate, or mixture of hormones is defective, a gender disparity between physical and mental gender may occur. It is for this reason that transsexualism is often described as a birth defect.
Unfortunately, the transsexual is to gain acceptance of others, this birth defect has no visible effect. The tranny seems to be a man or a perfectly normal woman with primary and secondary sexual characteristics normal. Unlike the facial features that distinguish Down syndrome, or lack of muscle control caused by cerebral palsy, transsexualism can not be detected visually or in other media. Because others can not see anything apparent, come to the conclusion that transsexualism is not a physical defect, but rather a mental / emotional. It is a common belief wrong while that with a little self-discipline, or counseling, a transsexual person can act normally and accept their place in life.
There is no cure, but treatment
After decades of trying, the psychiatrists have had to admit defeat to solve this dilemma. In all the years that psychiatry has tried to "cure" transsexualism, there was no single case that has responded positively and permanently. It was not until 1950 when a psychiatrist and pioneer endocrinologist Dr. Harry Benjamin decided to apply both of their specialties to the treatment of transsexuals. If the mind can be changed to fit the body, he thought, would then have to change the body which combines with the mind. For the first time, transsexuals were able to live at ease with their bodies. But gender reassignment is not a cure, it is simply a treatment that can prevent other more serious problems such as suicide or substance abuse.
Transsexuals undergo intense psychological evaluation and counseling. This process is not to convince the subject to renounce their transsexualism, but to determine the feasibility of the dramatic and irreversible process of gender reassignment. For example, if the person is not really a transsexual, but instead is suffering from a picture of ego-dystonic homosexuality, treatment effects can be devastating. An ill-advised bad transvestite, who is normnalmente happy in the role of their physical gender, but has the compulsion to work occasionally in the role of the other gender, be very very unhappy because a permanent gender reassignment. Therefore, a transsexual should be evaluated by a counselor experienced to be sure that transsexualism is the real issue.
Once the diagnosis of transsexualism is confirmed, he begins the medical part of treatment. The person who enters this phase of treatment is usually called "pre-op transsexual." Hormone therapy is gradually helping to shed their transsexual "disguise", which will help you delve into his "dime and adapt to the society in which she / he considers to be the right place. (Dual gender is used here to recognize the existence of both transgender male to female and female to male, and NOT to imply a dual gender identity by these individuals). After a time can be several months to several years, the public accepts transsexual their new gender role. Psychological counseling services continue throughout the period of hormonal therapy to help the transsexual unlearn the role it has had for many years. There are many traumatic situations involved. The tranny needs to not only learn the new role, but also learn it's OK to be in it.
Most reassignment protocols require the individual to live and evolve in this new role for a minimum of 12 to 18 months before the gender reassignment surgery will be authorized. This phase is called "real life test" or TLC (for its acronym in English) Both the patient and the psychological counselor must be convinced that surgery will be helpful and not harmful. It is then that the primary therapist referred the patient to a second doctor, usually a psychiatrist for further assessment to confirm that surgery is appropriate. Just then a reputable surgeon will accept the patient.
The gender reassignment surgery is irreversible. Should be undertaken with extreme caution. The American medical profession has taken a conservative position that transsexualism is treated with hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery. Without a competent psychiatric evaluation and spicológica, no doctor or psychiatrist prescribe competently and ethically hormonal therapy. Without both of which were evaluations, no doctor would perform the prestigious gender reassignment surgery. These stringent requirements are designed to secure that those individuals who change their sex do it for mental instability, but this person has fully demonstrated his mental stability in the desired gender role. Notes
personal relationships
Because of its extensive experience in acting "normally" For example, in the manner determined by their physical gender, many people find hard to believe that the person they have known for so long as miermbro of certain kind, is actually a member of another. In almost every case, the discovery of this condition and physical changes that accompany this treatment come as a surprise. The common reaction from family and friends is puzzling, to feel that they have been deceived, and rejection. One might wonder why a person would enter a relationship under a false front, knowing that they will most likely lead to high degree of suffering to others.?
While most transsexuals know that are different from an early age, they also feel intense pressure to adapt to the role that society dictates as suitable for men and women. As a result, the tranny sometimes denies that he or she it dont really different. This process of adaptation and denial often involves the formation of friendships, and colors closest personal relationships. Eventually assume a gender identity by the trasexual and start a treatment marks a severe in these relationships. At first, familieres, friends or spouses try to make the tranny is "healed" through analysis or therapy because they are unwilling to accept the inevitable result. But when they begin to realize that they crave a cure is not possible, the relationship comes under great pressure. When the relationship is based on other characteristics besides gender, the relationship can continue with the obvious changes. For example, a good child can be as good as a child, a male colleague can be as competent and bearable as a woman. It is a sad that many of these relationships dissolve, some kindly, but also sad, while others fall apart with recriminations. But what about those relationships that are based on gender, marriage, for example? Many surgeons suggest that the transsexual is divorced before undergoing surgery. In rare instances, spouses who are both friends and couples can stay together in a platonic relationship. In several cases, courts have granted custody or visitation rights to transsexual parents.
And what with the form relations after gender reassignment? Most post-operative transsexuals are not required to inform new friends and lovers they were once the opposite sex. This is particularly true if the consumer finally broken transsexual past. However, after surgery, some transsexuals return to their lives in the same Pount where they left off when they began to change. They retain the same name, working in the same business, and even keep the same friends. The sex may be problematic for even the most open and daring of transsexuals. For example, knowing that this woman was before man can threaten a heterosexual relationship. But not all want a heterosexual transsexual after surgery. It is not uncommon for a male to female transsexual post surgery on declared lesbian, or a transsexual woman gay man declared. Such relationships can also be difficult for transsexuals because some lesbians and gay men harbor deep prejudices against transsexuals, as do many heterosexuals. Finally, many transsexuals are not sexually active at all. This range of orientation is possible due to sexual orientation and libido are different from gender identity. While an individual's sexuality is often expressed through gender, sexuality is not determined by it. Conclusion
Transsexuals sometimes express their feelings of being different in terms of "living a lie." If there is fraud involved in being a transsexual, is the fraud perpetrated by the same transsexual before treatment. The person completing the treatment is itself the real thing. He or she has left behind a life of deceit and unhappiness. Despite the large obstóculos, he or she has flourished as the person who always has been. When you meet a transsexual, is knowing the person who knows how to love, know how to value themselves and as a result, he knows how to love and value others. How many "normal" people can demonstrate this distinction? -------------------------------------------------
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