Trans-sexuality and it's natural history
Transsexualism describes the condition in which an individual identifies with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their assigned sex, i.e. in which a person's assigned sex at birth conflicts with their psychological gender. A medical diagnosis can be made if a person experiences discomfort as a result of a desire to be a member of the opposite sex, or if a person experiences impaired functioning or distress as a result of that gender identification. Transsexualism is stigmatized in many parts of the world but has become more widely known in Western culture in the mid to late 20th century, concurrently with the sexual revolution and the development of sex reassignment surgery (SRS). Discrimination or negative attitudes towards transsexualism often accompany certain religious beliefs or cultural values. There are cultures that have no difficulty integrating people who change gender roles, often holding them with high regard, such as the traditional role for "two-spirit" people found among certain native American tribes.
History
There is no definite history about transsexuality, it has been maybe not been seen before, religions often don't support it and old cultures often have nothing written down. Yet I dare to say, that transsexuality must be as long existing as homosexuality. Traditional religions in ancient times mention transsexuality or at least transsexual performance:
„The gods of the antique and ancient cults were one of the figures stated as transsexual – be it Astarte and Ischtar from the middle east or Artemis and Aphrodite from the old Greeks – all these peoples belonged to the group of transsexuals. Women found ways to reduce or remove their breasts, going as far as not just to wear men clothes but to add a penis of phallus and stop their menstruation. Men wore women clothes and practiced emasculation or castration.
Trans-sexuality appeared within the Native Americans. There is a documentary about this fact:
We´wha who lived from 1849 till 1896, „was one of the biggest and strongest men of the Zuni in the South – West of North America, biologically a man, and clearly to identify as such. Yet in daily life We´wha turned to house hold activities, wore female clothes, was doing pottery and weaving; thus she was a woman. As a boy he was a part of the ko´tikili, a religious male society. He even stayed among that society after receiving the Iha´mana status that he accepted later. Years later We´wha became somehow famous, as he visited the American capital Washington, meeting the former President Crover Cleveland, and he was treated as an “Indian princess”. After his death he was buried along with the men of his Native Americans, but as sign for his special status, he was dressed up in women clothes, yet with a men trouser or pants under them. So what or who was We´wha then? A man or a woman? He/she showed signs of both, not clearly one, that’s why the status of “Iha´mana”.
Norman Haire announced in 1921, that a person called Dora-R, a citizen of Germany, was under the care of Magnus Hirschfeld. Dora-R began surgery starting from 1921 and ending in 1930. This was resulting into a successful genital reassignment. Norman Haire (Born 21st January 1892 in Sydney and died on the 11th September 1952 in London) was an Australian medical practitioner and sexologist. He has been called "the most prominent sexologist in Britain" in those days. In 1930, Magnus Hirschfeld supervised the second genital reassignment surgery to be reported in detail in a peer-reviewed journal on Lili Elbe of Denmark. The German term “Transsexualismus” was introduced by Hirschfeld in 1923. Magnus Hirschfeld (14 May 1868 – 14 May 1935) was a German physician and sexologist. An outspoken advocate for sexual minorities, Hirschfeld founded the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, which Dustin Goltz called "the first advocacy for homosexual and transgender rights." The neo-Latin term “psychopathia transexualis” and English “transsexual” were introduced by D. O. Cauldwell in 1949, who subsequently also used the term “trans-sexual” in 1950. Cauldwell appears to be the first to use the term in direct reference to those who desired a change of physiological sex. The term transsexual was included for the first time in the DSM-III in 1980 and again in the DSM-III-R in 1987, where it was located under Disorders Usually First Evident in Infancy, Childhood or Adolescence.
What is going on?
Many peoples go through their early age life, thinking or feeling that something is wrong with them, or at least different. Some feel their nature very early and some later, and then they ask themselves if they may be in the wrong body, or if they feel more comfortable with the ways of the other sex, the biological obvious showing sex.
Sadly things are not as easy as they seem, as knowing or feeling what one is, a man or a woman, does not result in an appointment for surgery, giving ones inner the outer complimentation.
Many suffer a long way, being accompanied with many experiments how to fit best into society, often with the help of a psychiatrist. Going through the time of realization and transition often results in depression, alcohol or drug abuse, personality disorders and even suicide.
What are the next steps?
After being diagnosed with a “Gender Identity Disorder”, in Europe that person will have to go to a psychiatrist, who will identify if the person really is transgender, or if it's just a phase. Now one may ask why it is called diagnosed. The reason for that is, because in Europe, specially in Germany, this has to be stated so, to approve an operation later.
What types of transgender have been identified?
Biological women with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Gynephilian biological women with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Androphilian biological women with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Biological men with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Androphile biological men with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Gynephilian biological men with transsexual “Gender Identity Disorder”
Androphilia and Gynephilian (or gynecophilia) and ambiphilia are terms used in behavioral science to describe sexual orientation, as an alternative to a gender binary homosexual and heterosexual conceptualization.
Sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld defined Androphile as ones who are most attracted to persons between the early twenties and fifty. Psychiatrist Anil Aggrawal explains
Androphilia as the romantic and/or sexual attraction to adult males. The term, along with gynephilian, is needed to overcome immense difficulties in characterizing the sexual orientation of trans-men and trans-women. For instance, it is difficult to decide whether a trans-man erotically attracted to males is a heterosexual female or a homosexual male; or a trans-woman erotically attracted to females is a heterosexual male or a lesbian female.
What is not defined as transgender?
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Anxiety, and difficulties going conform with the gender roles expected by society.
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Partial or temporal dissociation with ones gender identity, for example during puberty.
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Difficulties with ones gender identity, resulting out of the rejection of a homosexual orientation.
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Psychological rejection of ones gender identity and personality disorders resulting in having problems with ones gender
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Gender fetish, transvestite or cross-dressing
Situation in The Philippines
Transgenders are one of the most marginalized and neglected peoples in the Philippines in terms of human rights protection, promotion and fulfillment.
Transpinays and transpinoys (transgender/transsexual women and men of Filipino descent) face barriers and restrictions in legal recognition, education, employment, health care and public accommodations. They are often victims of violence and hate crimes. Transgender Filipinos remain vulnerable to discrimination, based on their gender identity and gender expression. Filipino transmen and transwomen experience human rights violations perpetuated both by transphobic State and non-State actors, such as the religions, the communities and the families.
Many transwomen face biggest difficulties in getting an employment.
In a 2007 study by Dr. Sam Winter, from the University of Hong Kong, it is observed that transgender women in the Philippines face a high percentage of unemployment.
The same trend was found in an earlier research by Brenda Alegre, from the University of Santo Tomas, with the title “Phenomenological Case Study on Male to Female Filipino Transsexuals”. Section 4.1.2 of Alegre's paper, which details respondents' work and educational background, confirms that transphobia (negative attitudes towards gender variant and transgender-identified people) is pervasive in the corporate world.
Many transwomen in the Philippines are forced into illegal activities, like prostitution, cybersex and drug dealing. Few manage to engage in industries that traditionally employ them for the purpose of entertainment. Fashion and beauty salons employ many transgenders. The disaster about this is that a certain goup of transgenders hold college degrees, that normally would over qualify them for such work. Some are able to secure jobs in Call Centers. Call Centers are considered as a so called sunshine industry, as the companies leave their employees free with their gender identity and expression. Many Call Centers have no-crossdressing policies even anti-discrimination policies. Maybe the only restriction is not allowing transwomen employees accessing facilities of the gender they identify as (e.g., female toilets, changing rooms, etc.).
In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9048.
This act authorizing the city or municipal civil registrar or the consul general to correct a clerical or typographical error in an entry and/or change of first name or nickname in the civil register without need of a judicial order. It is also called the Clerical Error Law.
RA 9048 expressly prohibits change in the civil registry of any person’s nationality, age, status or sex although it allows for name change based on three reasons alone:
“(1) The petitioner finds the first name or nickname to be ridiculous, tainted with dishonor or extremely difficult to write or pronounce.
(2) The new first name or nickname has been habitually and continuously used by the petitioner and he has been publicly known by that by that first name or nickname in the community: or
(3) The change will avoid confusion.”
Step by step, required in Germany and a healthy guidline for other countries
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The every day life test
First of all it is required to live for one year in the role of ones felt nature. This will be observed by psychologists. This is also a big change for the transgenders community and surrounding (fellow citizens have to learn to think out of the box).This can lead to great conflicts, the more others have difficulties in dealing with the concerned person. This is yet the best situation for the transgender to see if he or she can deal and live in that way, thus if it is really his or her nature.
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Change of the first name
After succeeding the every day life test, the transgender person may request for the change of his or her first name. This requires two independent medical opinions for the court to decide. Even if one report is negative the court has to wait for a second medical opinion on the matter. Only if both reports are negative, the court can rule out the request.
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The hormone therapy
Again another medical report is required, stating that there is no form of Inter-sexuality. Inter-sex, in humans and animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male. Only then the hormone therapy can be started. . For Trans-women it will be estrogen and progesterone. For Trans-men the hormone testosterone will be given.
Estrogen are offered in a form of gel and progesterone in tablet form.
Testosterone will be injected.
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The sex changing operation
Now another year will have passed, and the transsexual person can now think about a sex change operation. Again two medical reports are needed. Both have to be submitted by professional psychiatrists. Only if approved by the court, an indication for surgery can be given. On top of that, there must be another medical report, stating that the patient is healthy and fit for such an operation.
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Chance of the marital status
After the operation, it is required to change the marital status. The operation has to be proven as successfully for-filled. In this change, all papers will be corrected, including the birth certificate.
Through out all phases mentioned above, the transgender person is accommodated by a psychologist. This specialist will remain with the person until the last step is done.
„Now I am what I have always been!“
Done, all administrative steps and requirements can be put aside. Now the transgender is what he or she was already anyway. Now the outer appearance fits to the inner being.
Reasearched for ARose by Thomas Fleckner
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