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

a reply to: mOjOm

The difference is society and the medical establishment don't encourage the Jesus figures, the people with walking corpse syndrome, or other image/identity disorders to embrace their delusions. Society is not being asked to reinforce their delusion through acceptance. Why would you lump those together and ignore the obvious different handling of the politically sensitive transwhatevers?

a reply to: VekTorVik

You must be really tired of all this Religion being thrown in your face, every day with these religious people shoving their Personal Beliefs in our face

a reply to: NihilistSanta

Any thread with transgender in the title seems to draw you in like a moth to flame. I'm just curious what your motivation is or what compels you so strongly you feel you have to share your opinion that many find offensive and ill informed. What is it to you or why do you even give a damn?

You're argumentative, obstinate and deny scientific and medical research and literature because you feel it is all biased propaganda or political agenda and that your lay contrary opinion trumps all. Rather than even consider information, testimony or the opinion of others demonstrates a close-minded willful ignorance and your persistent crusade against all things trans at every opportunity really gives cause for one to think you've got some issues going on of some sort?

It is thought that many gay bashers etc., are dealing with or acting against their own latent homosexual tendencies or feelings and your repeated posting of snide or derogatory comments in every single thread with a trans or LGBTQ+ nature makes one wonder what's your beef anyway?

Rather than beat around the bush and spread your own misguided or psychologically driven drivel, why don't you just come out and declare your outright hate and disgust of trans folks and get it over with rather than your drive-by snippets of loathing. It might help you get it out of your system or get your own problems under control?

Just sayin', man. It is starting to look pretty sad and desperate.

originally posted by: NihilistSanta

The difference is society and the medical establishment don't encourage the Jesus figures, the people with walking corpse syndrome, or other image/identity disorders to embrace their delusions. Society is not being asked to reinforce their delusion through acceptance. Why would you lump those together and ignore the obvious different handling of the politically sensitive transwhatevers?

Well, I'm not a psychologist so I don't know all the reasons why. My guess would be that since identity isn't just psychological but also possibly biological too. Currently however it is still listed as a disorder according to official standards. Treatment is usually either psychotherapy or aiding them in there new identity. Maybe that is seen as the best treatment because it helps them through it and relieves them of having to deal with the stress it causes having to live a life feeling like you're not the correct gender. But I'm not an expert so that's just an opinion.

Again, you need to use a different word than "accept" though. Whether or not you "accept" their condition doesn't change anything. It's a fact that they exist and the condition is real. It really doesn't even involve you personally so I don't see the problem exactly. Nobody is asking you to be involved or anything. Just simply to tolerate someone who is different is all that is asked. Why is that so hard??? What do you think you're going to do about it anyway if you don't accept it??? Are you going to go beat them until they agree to act like their birth gender or something???

Do you even know any Trans person??? I do and I can tell you right now that even though he was born a she, he is a male in every other possible way other than being born without a d*ck. He is more of a typical Male than some actual men I've known. To top it all off, he's a cop too.

a reply to: Freija

You are in the same threads so what does that say? Anyways I see you resort to innuendo and projecting yet again...

originally posted by: NihilistSanta
You are in the same threads so what does that say?

I would think/hope what that says or shows is that I am someone that aspires to bring some knowledge and awareness of trans issues to the discussion, am an advocate and ally and really feel a need to not let misinformation, negativity and fear or confusion based comments go without offering a counterpoint. I would like to help people have a better understanding of these things, open their eyes and their minds and perhaps examine their own biases or preconceptions to maybe reevaluate their own opinions so everyone can get along better. That's a big ask when everything is so polarized and people are solidly locked into their mindset.

I don't always succeed and am human so do at times get dragged into emotional responses and sniping back at idiocy or when I fall victim to the baiting and trolling. Do I resort to "innuendo and projecting" at times? Sure, when addressing someone where tactics of using peer-reviewed scientific studies, current medical understanding and my own familiarity with this subject are presented as informed debate and fail due to stubbornness and close-mindedness then I do sometimes sink to the same level of response as those using opinion, hearsay and common social tropes as their platform. I'm not proud of not always taking the higher ground but sometimes responding in kind to pure crap is easier to do. So sue me.

a reply to: Freija

Yeah but then you mangle the science by adding an interpretation to it that alters how the rest of society is supposed to act to accommodate less than 1% of the population. You can care for people all you want. Hell I encourage that. You have no moral right to dictate to the rest of society however and all of your arguments in favor of your stance have been based solely on emotional pleas and the faulty logic that if you are not pro-trans-whatever then somehow that means you should round people up and put them in camps. It is disingenuous to use unequivocal comparisons.

Just today I read the story about the US marine who has been found guilty of killing a Phillipeno trans-whatever. I don't side with the marine and I think he is getting let off with a slap on the wrist by only getting 12 years. Not because I have some special hard on for transwhatever snowflakes but because killing anyone in such a fashion is amoral and unethical. About as unethical as letting a mental patient with identity disorders decide their own treatment. A treatment that immediately makes them a target and creating this self-fulfilling prophecy of victmhood.

More and more people are becoming accepting.

The more people express themselves with courage and respect for others, the more people will get used to them.

If you're not hurting others (respect for others) and you're not hiding who you are (courage), then eventually, the only choice will be for people to accept you or leave you alone.

Change is happening.

Things will (and are) getting better [even if it sometimes seem to be happening slowly].

a reply to: arpgme

More and more people are not accepting they are being bullied and brow beaten/shamed into just keeping it to themselves. As these groups gain more special protections criticism will be criminalized. That isn't acceptance that's coercion.

originally posted by: NihilistSanta
More and more people are not accepting they are being bullied and brow beaten/shamed into just keeping it to themselves. As these groups gain more special protections criticism will be criminalized. That isn't acceptance that's coercion.

Now who's playing the victim card, eh? Poor darling little snowflake.

I really doubt the majority of people are ever going to be "pro-trans" unless it has touched their lives somehow such as with a sibling, child or parent and even then that's no guarantee of understanding. I think at most trans people would wish the whole thing was a non-issue so they could live their lives with indifference toward their gender identity or expression.

What you fear is the expansion of society and culture becoming more inclusive of others different from yourself and seem to think the sky will fall if it does. How do you think people felt when the black man and then women were given the right to vote? What were the attitudes of many when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted? Did these things not advance our humanity and acceptance of our fellow man? Some people had to be dragged kicking and screaming to engage these equalities as part of modern life that only came on the heels of government decree. Others are still stuck in the past, clinging to their own little bubble hoping it doesn't burst.

Today, when we speak in blanket terms against an ethnicity, we're called a racist. You still have the right to do this, it has not been "criminalized" but it isn't going to make you real popular either except among other racists that I fully believe should be "bullied and brow beaten/shamed" into changing their attitudes or to just keeping their damn mouths shut. Most, I assume, do not feel it is okay to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age or national origin, primarily because it is against Federal law and because it is the right thing to do but this falls short of providing the same, not special protections for those marginalized or discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Clearly you wish to stifle these voices as much or more than you feel your own are being but I have a little tip for you - these people and their allies are not going to go away.

Don't worry though, racism, sexism, misogyny, bigotry and prejudice haven't gone away because there's a law. You'll still have other kids to play with in your sandbox.

a reply to: NihilistSanta

Can you go one post without purposely insulting GLBTQ+people, especially Trans people?

a reply to: NihilistSanta

Well, criticism of racism and sexism is still not criminalized, that's freedom of speech, but people also still have the right to not be around negative/unfriendly/anti-social behavior, and to exclude such behavior from social events or business (by banning them or firing them from their job).

It's legal to be anti-social/unfriendly/hostile towards others, but that unfriendly attitude usually leads to being alone because it doesn't work well for a successful business, friendly gathering, or society.

a reply to: arpgme

I agree with all that you have said but tolerance has taken on a different meaning today. I like how G.K. Chesterton put it “Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.”

a reply to: NihilistSanta

No one is forcing you to be around transgendered people or anyone you don't like. If you don't like them, if you have convictions against them, then you can walk away.

If someone doesn't like a certain race, religion, or sexual orientation and their job deals with them, then they can choose to leave and find another job.

If someone feels uncomfortable seeing gay people kiss, they can choose to not watch.

If someone feels uncomfortable with a transgendered person being in a bathroom, they can choose not to go in there.

But people can also choose to not be around anti-gay, sexist, or racist people.

a reply to: honested3

Most men identify as a man/male but now all men.Most women identify as woman/female but not all women.

When a man identifies as a women/female it is perceived as abnormal/wrong/incorrect by people that conform to classical gender roles.

They perceive this as abnormal/wrong/incorrect and respond with hate/fear. Hate is conflict resolution and a coping/defense mechanism in response to this.

I'm sorry.
Transgender people are a little different as they have changed the sex. But it of course doesn't mean they are crazy, ill or something. They are just different, but also have their right for a normal life filled with all the beautiful things.
For a lot of people this is hard to understand and realize, but if you have a friend who is a gay or a lesbian ot a transgender than you are okay.

Hope the more we live the more people will accept LGBTs and admit their right for respect and normal life.

I think the answer to this is simple yet still stupid. Humans are biologically programmed to accept male/female heterosexual relationships. It's hardwired into most humans' reptilian brain. It's hardwired into our society (although that's slowly starting to change in recent times). Anything that does not fit this 'norm' of nature provokes a gut animal instinct that says 'this person is not normal/not like me/not like most others.' and brings out a fear response. Anyone who's evolved past their animal brain is able to rationalize that there is nothing to fear about a transgendered person, they are just different. The majority of society though, is still stuck operating with their base reptilian brains and aren't able to rationalize anything past a gut reaction. So basically they are fearful of someone who is different and they feel like they need to ostracize the 'different' people. It's a purely unevolved, animalistic reaction.

What the OP is feeling I cannot relate to. Neither can the OP relate to what I have been through as a woman. Hence my question: how does the OP (or anyone) know what it feels like to be the opposite gender?

Boadicea, I appreciate your wonderful question. It was
insightful in helping me to glean the fact that some in
society basically FEEL they are in the wrong body.

They wake up every morning with a FEELING their body does
not match what's in their head. Producing a tug-of-war/anxiety
between mind & body which escalates into progressive periods
of unhappiness & depression. Which subsequently induces the
conception & crisis that maybe sexual reassignment surgery
might change how they FEEL.

I believe feelings/emotions are a poor barometer for truth.
What we are personally living inside our heads is not real,
it's just an imagination/fantasy that produces feelings,
feelings which contradict the reality of what we are physically.

Since there's a tendency to act that is implicit with every feeling
or emotion, I think their reactions, are just as valid as what they
feel. Something is driving this internal perception that leads to
their emotional responses.

We know our minds are able to think, reason, feel and be aware.
But our knowledge is limited what our minds are capable of on the
subconscious level. I find it interesting when reading the writings
of Roger Vanderdonck & Edgar Cayce, they both noted nonphysical
beings or spirits produced thoughts and feelings in their clients
Maybe it's possible on a subconscious level such nonphysical
entities pervade the mind with feelings that the subject is not who
they should be.

I'm more skeptical of transgender identify rather then having a phobia or outright disliking transgender individuals. Maybe it's because I'm more rational that I don't understand gender roles, yet alone how someone can easily identify as another gender then their own biological gender.