Serious Question: Why are so Many People Afraid/Unaccepting of Transgender People?

originally posted by: honested3

originally posted by: Ameilia
a reply to: honested3

I know which thread you are upset about and it isn't about transgender people and it is certainly not about you personally.

It is about schools and government agenda.

ATS Thread

None of us are confused about what a transgender person is, which seems to be what you think, as demonstrated by your post on that thread, and the fact you felt the need to create a thread yourself to explain how unaccepting everyone is. I can't speak for every person out there but I am most definitely not accepting of the current socialist-progressive trend going on - which is what the thread was about.

Well gee Amelia I guess you got me all figured out. If you read my posts on that thread I really didn't comment much on education other than my support is for people to be taught tolerance in school for the gender non-binary. I mean the rest of that is arguing over other things. Again I don't have an agenda I just want basic human rights and to be treated equally. Also is it really so wrong to find alot of problematic statements and replies in a thread and rather than replying to each one individually I choose to make a new thread addressing some things?

See, there you go again. Taking one thing and making it into an entirely different thing.

Let's review.

1. I never stated I had you all figured out.
2. I never stated you had an agenda. I did state the government had an agenda.
3. I never said or implied you should be treated differently than another person.
4. I never said you making your own thread was a problem.

You literally did not address one thing I actually said and instead just made up crap you are attributing to me which I did not say.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
People really need to get over their delicate sensitivities and focus on more important things.

The funny part is I find the group with the "delicate sensitivities" typically more common in the gay community with their attitude towards wanting the straight community to agree with all aspects of their lifestyles, and I do not think ANY group has that luxury, but it seems they are the ones who demand it the most.

IMO the delicate ones are noticed more because they speak out more due to their delicacies.

Plenty of gay/transgender do not act like this. Plenty of gay/transgender are embarrassed by* people who do act like this, because it makes others (straights, I guess) think that every gay/transgender is that way, when they aren't.

originally posted by: seagull

I've never sat down and actually studied the issue so I've no idea whether you're right or not...

Well...

How may gay posts on acceptance are on ATS to start?

originally posted by: Ameilia
Plenty of gay/transgender do not act like this. Plenty of gay/transgender are embarrassed by* people who do act like this, because it makes others (straights, I guess) think that every gay/transgender is that way, when they aren't.

I agree, my friends are not like this and all of our sexuality is never even a topic, but there is enough that feel some need to express their gayness on others. The funny part is it is really only a western issue, in much of the world there isn't an issue either way.

When I'm in my wife's country, any time we go out in a group it is a norm to have a few gay friends along since they tend to be the life of the party there... go figure.

originally posted by: honested3

You too, good luck in all your aspirations as a bigot!

Shoutout to the supporters, I appreciate you.

That right there is when credibility is lost.

originally posted by: Ameilia

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
People really need to get over their delicate sensitivities and focus on more important things.

The funny part is I find the group with the "delicate sensitivities" typically more common in the gay community with their attitude towards wanting the straight community to agree with all aspects of their lifestyles, and I do not think ANY group has that luxury, but it seems they are the ones who demand it the most.

IMO the delicate ones are noticed more because they speak out more due to their delicacies.

Plenty of gay/transgender do not act like this. Plenty of gay/transgender are embarrassed by* people who do act like this, because it makes others (straights, I guess) think that every gay/transgender is that way, when they aren't.

This isn't all that inaccurate.

A lot of people in the transgender community acknowledge this, as well. It's also common to hear us admitting that it's a self-defeating monster since the examples that would buck the stereotypes go into stealth (or at least just casually private) and aren't "seen". This whole "cram it down my throat" thing doesn't really apply to transgender people because the last thing many of us want is to be "out and proud".

There are some incredible spokespeople out there who sacrifice their anonymity in order to help change the misconceptions people have but you rarely see them chosen for interviews or placed in a position of subject matter expert.

To illustrate that, Matthew McConnahey just played a transwoman in a movie. Not only were they afraid to have a transwoman play the role and ruin the stereotype, they didn't even bother getting a ciswoman to play the role. Why do you think they got a man to play the role of a transwoman if not just to perpetuate the man-in-a-dress cliche? He got awards and accolades for his "bravery" in playing a transgender person. Let that sink in.


ps edit - I meant the dude in the movie with Matthew McConnihayeyeyey, Jared Leto. I think.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Xtrozero

Are they really, or is that what some in the media would have you/us believe?

I've never sat down and actually studied the issue so I've no idea whether you're right or not...

I do think the younger generation is more accepting which is.actually the point I was getting to. I haven't done much research.eithet TBH but I think we as humans are on the right track to understanding and accepting things like transgender people.

Well this thread has made me dislike my second transgender person.

When a weird smelly 50 year old man I have never liked becomes a weird smelly 50 year old woman, guess what?

My friends play netball with a transgender they went to school with, a boy at school. Most people wouldn't even know she used to be a he, let alone discriminate against her.

I think you have got a chip on your shoulder about the hand you got dealt, get on with your new life.

originally posted by: honested3
a reply to: Legman

"The population of the US is 318 mill. buddy. Hell Im bored( and still awake)... Ill do the percents for you. Thats .22 percent of the population is transgendered."

First off "transgendered" is a slur, it is akin to saying "Bob is gayed, or June is lesbianed, or Mary is straghted." But great work on your percentages but you are missing a factor. That is a known consensus and what you fail to understand is that most transgender people when given the oppourtunity will not identify as transgender due to people like yourself. These trans people are called "deep stealth" these are the "passable" trans people. That is another story though.

What I am saying is that there is a far far greater percentage of trans people or at least genderqueer non-binary people that either haven't come out or dont have the educational access to understand who they are due to gender-binary education. It is to say there would be a higher consensus for gay people today than there were a few decades ago simply because it has become more accepted.

Lastly comparing the transgender struggle to the other ones listed is not the same, and at the same time many of the transgender people you so lack compassion for fall in thos categories, its not like all those people starving are heterosexual cisgender people. The transgender struggle isn't quantified as simply as saying "we are hungry, please feed us" and upon feeding it is resolve, it is more like "we want to be considered equal humans and it is free." It is a change of worldview not a tug on your charity purse of which I am sure is so generous.

Im assuming hes not giving.U.S. stats as hes probably from U.K. or somewhere over there. Rubbish kinda gives it away lol.

originally posted by: Cuervo

originally posted by: Ameilia

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
People really need to get over their delicate sensitivities and focus on more important things.

The funny part is I find the group with the "delicate sensitivities" typically more common in the gay community with their attitude towards wanting the straight community to agree with all aspects of their lifestyles, and I do not think ANY group has that luxury, but it seems they are the ones who demand it the most.

IMO the delicate ones are noticed more because they speak out more due to their delicacies.

Plenty of gay/transgender do not act like this. Plenty of gay/transgender are embarrassed by* people who do act like this, because it makes others (straights, I guess) think that every gay/transgender is that way, when they aren't.

This isn't all that inaccurate.

A lot of people in the transgender community acknowledge this, as well. It's also common to hear us admitting that it's a self-defeating monster since the examples that would buck the stereotypes go into stealth (or at least just casually private) and aren't "seen". This whole "cram it down my throat" thing doesn't really apply to transgender people because the last thing many of us want is to be "out and proud".

There are some incredible spokespeople out there who sacrifice their anonymity in order to help change the misconceptions people have but you rarely see them chosen for interviews or placed in a position of subject matter expert.

To illustrate that, Matthew McConnahey just played a transwoman in a movie. Not only were they afraid to have a transwoman play the role and ruin the stereotype, they didn't even bother getting a ciswoman to play the role. Why do you think they got a man to play the role of a transwoman if not just to perpetuate the man-in-a-dress cliche? He got awards and accolades for his "bravery" in playing a transgender person. Let that sink in.

Yes, all of this. Every gay person I know is more of an "I want to live my life" person than "out and proud/pay attention to me."

A problem comes in when people who have literally 0 experience with gays either because they honestly don't know any, or those they do know are in the closet, and therefore make the false assumption of "all gays act like that." So they are hating the attitude, and never actually discover if they truly dislike gays or not.

If you are interested, there is a fabulous trans role in the show Orange is the New Black (Netflix). IMO it is done mostly right.

a reply to: honested3
Maybe. But not necessarily as its not necessary. If they are not willing to fight there own fight, why should you do it for them?

But like I said you would have your answers in this thread, though you can wait a day or so for other more favorable answers as many more people who are less distraught and all emotional about this are likely sleeping at this time and as such they can not write on this thread.

But for the most part you cant change people you know, it is futile to try, people have been arguing for even more meaningless things since time was invented some 500,000 years ago. But what I am trying to say. The best one can hope for is to keep the monkey # throwing to a minimum. But on second though ya you can change people, though it generally involves having an army, and likely many many deaths and just as many more thinking of there folly on the tree of thought. And even then its kind of redundant and pointless. The question should be is why would you want to even be around people who do not like you or agree with you or anything? Seems like just pointless to me, so only people who like to engage in pointless things should do that.

But hey, I have no problem with you living as an equal. Go ahead and do that. Though I do not necessarily thing any of us are really equal and the word may not even apply to anything but weighing produce. Not in anything really, I mean you say transgenders have lost there job because of them being so. Well and like others have said many have done so for stupider reasons, anything from the company wanting to maximize profits to just because they can and we life in a society were workers are cheap commodities. # I have walked into job interviews were there was nothing but assumptions about me purely based on some preconceived notion in there heads which they seen on TV once in a show or something.

Your likely to lose your job for being perceived a thread to the established order of things much more then if you were transgender. And the whole right to work thing? Well is just corporate psychobabble lingo for we got you by the balls and can do as we please as you cant do anything about it, they tend to communicate in backwards talk and nonesense because people tend to believe them instead of hanging them from the nearest tree.

In fact some would even fire you if they think you could be a possible threat to there job in the future. The list could go on for a long time even on something as simple as a job application. Not to mention all the other thousands of other things out there were we are not equal in anything.

And if you think straight men are equal or have it easy. What can I say, just depends on who your talking about.

So ya! Apples and Oranges are fun to compare but the only thing they have in common is there kind of round ball shaped and eatable. And well you know. Monkeys will be monkeys.

a reply to: PeachesNCream


I gave links to the numbers... you people give hyperbole and drama.

My links say that this thread pertains to .22 percent of the US population crying over injustice and a hard life... boo hoo.

Prove me wrong. what is your percent 1%?

lol

I. Still. Don't. Give . A . Care.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Ameilia
Plenty of gay/transgender do not act like this. Plenty of gay/transgender are embarrassed by* people who do act like this, because it makes others (straights, I guess) think that every gay/transgender is that way, when they aren't.

I agree, my friends are not like this and all of our sexuality is never even a topic, but there is enough that feel some need to express their gayness on others. The funny part is it is really only a western issue, in much of the world there isn't an issue either way.

When I'm in my wife's country, any time we go out in a group it is a norm to have a few gay friends along since they tend to be the life of the party there... go figure.

This is what boggles my mind. Op is talking about people being fired from jobs and stuff, and I'm thinking why is your sexuality/gender preference even in the workplace? Unless those fired are the ones bringing it to everyone's attention...

a reply to: Legman
Well dude. Obviously you don't care enough or you would be not posting about how much you don't care about it on this thread. Why! I for one care even less then you because I have less replies then you on this thread.

I think we should all just agree that none of us give a # pertaining to things outside ourselfs and move on. Though before doing that they should be made to sign a none disclosure agreement, which states, that if at any time, anywhere, for any reason, they, or there group, has a problem or issue they should not be given the time of day on it, as its not anybody's problem but theirs.

You know people like things written down in contract form. It makes them fell better and much safer about things.

When you are able to carry and birth a child, then i will accept you.

a reply to: honested3

I'll try to make it quick (yeah right).

1. Many people don't have a problem with others unless they feel threatened by them or don't understand them. So dealing w/those people usually just requires communication.

2. Some people may have had bad experiences with a transgender person or scenario (maybe they saw something they didn't want to see, etc). So they may have started blaming all transgender people for it. Oh & some equate cross-dressing with transgender, which presents its own set of issues.

3. Upbringing. Many different cultures & religions teach rejection for anything different from their "norms", even though the scenarios of transgender people aren't actually mentioned in their Holy Books or laws. The closest you'll find may be things about "men dressing like men, and women dressing like women", but that doesn't actually touch transgender people. It takes time for people to rethink their upbringings, and that's assuming they even want to.

4. Some people are simply mean spirited, tribal or narrow-minded. They only accept people who look like them, talk like them, dress like them, like what they like, believe what they believe, think how they think, etc. And they violently reject anything different. This occurs with racism, religious bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, as well. In other words, some people are jerks & just want an excuse to be jerks. There's no point trying to gain their acceptance b/c they don't want to accept you or anything they've determined they don't like.

5. "Transgender" is too new to some people. The concept of a spirit being placed in the wrong body doesn't make a lot of sense if you don't believe in spirits. The concept of "changing a vagina or penis into the other" also doesn't make sense to many people. I'm not trying to minimize anything, but think about it. There are many people who take pride in being anti-intellectual. So why would you expect them to readily accept the concepts of hormonal imbalances and hormonal therapies to basically make a human body morph into the body of the opposite sex? It would sound more like a science fiction movie than reality.

Personally, I believe "live and let live". As long as you're not attacking me, my family, or my people, I have no problem with you.

.
We are not disliking transgenders or gay people we are disliking you going on about it. Acting as if you have the most painful situation in the world. That's the annoying part. Lots of us have issues going on in our lives we can't cope with.

It's the way you think you should have special rights that breech our rights.

The way you claim to be victimized above all other cases of this. Maybe you do get beaten up but so do a lot women who are trapped in a relationship with assholes. People of colour get beaten up. Ugly people, fat people. Bullying is everywhere and for other reasons besides you wanting to wear a dress.

Best advice if you want to be accepted as "normal and fitting in or blending in as a tax paying human" , then don't try so hard to stand out. It's so simple. Blending in requires being less noticeable, less loud. Quieten it down some.
Less is more.

I just don't get it! Here I am with a fine wife/partner whatever. Some young ones. All my life I find I have to adjust to others emotional needs, even here on ATS.

Here, have my taxes to serve their needs, have my empathy equally, have my directed sympathy take my unusual understanding.

Crikey, I get on in life and I don't give a rats who I invite to a BBQ. But it's the invite that is important. Couldn't care less about sexuality, religion, race and so on. As long as the person has integrity and won't suffer themselves upon others.

We all have weight upon our shoulders. It's how you bear that weight yourself that gets respect. Maybe I should rant..."I'm sick of being a white hetro male with a white hetro wife and white children."

It's not hard to take control of your life. Mind over other stuff mate! We're all equal in my mind here, presently, but as soon as I get amongst the public there are those that have special needs and I have to flamin adjust.

Tired of adapting to others problems. How about others adjust. Guess thats an impossibility.

Sighing, thinking,,,yep, I'll have another wine. Not a whine, but a genuine alcoholic drink.

Is it hard to reject bad thoughts? Is it hard to wake up with positive thoughts? Me,,I don't think so. It's all in the mind.

Kindest regards,

Bally

originally posted by: honested3
Hi ATS,

I am a transgender woman (meaning I was assigned a male body at birth but identify as female) I have a serious question for you. In light of some of the transgender topics that have come up I have seen a lot of unacceptance, fear, and downright hatred towards us. Why is this?

For the answer to your question, you need to trace backwards;

Gay people are still fighting for acceptance in many a place.

Before that Women stood up and said 'We're coming out of the kitchen because we've got something to say to you'

Before that Left handedness was accepted as being just a 'thing' and not something from the Devil.

See a pattern here?

Change does not come overnight, but society has come a long way in under 100 years.

A century ago, a Woman had to accept her place was as a housewife, left handed children were beaten and fored to use their right hand. As a gay person I would have been imprisoned or worse and as a transgender person, well things would have been a lot worse. For starters there was no option of a reassignment operation.

My advice is don't stress, surround yourself with positive people and walk away from those who shun you.

You will hear all manner of reasons given. There are already a few pages worth of responses. Some folks will chalk it up to hate, or ignorance, or a phobia.

In reality, its all because of the Uncannny Valley . Responses to things within the Uncanny Valley vary from person to person, and situation to situation.

Sure, it may be hate, ignorance, whatever. But there is also basic human psychology at play.