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How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 12:10 am
by MayheM
Ok, so as some of you know I work at a high school in the IT dept. I received an e-mail today about changing a students name in our records and changing the network ID to reflect that change. The catch is the name is changing from a girls name to a boys name. Apparently one of the female students at the school, I believe she is a Junior this year, is transitioning to be a Male. My first thought was, WOW that takes guts at that age. But then I started to wonder about how other students in the high school would react to that.

So... If a kid in your school made the choice to change gender, how would you all react?

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 12:20 am
by Armageddon
If I don't know them I wouldn't care.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 12:23 am
by iTrump
I really wouldnt care I just wouldnt talk to them. But if I did know them it would kinda suck.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:52 am
by Gradius
I have no idea, other than "badly".

Without stepping on people's toes everything about "gender reassignment" seems to indicate an underlying mental issue to me.
Want to dress up as a girl? Sure that's your choice, its only fashion after all.
Want to do it with guys? If that's what you're attracted to.
Want to sew up your vagina and get a fake penis crafted out of the tissues because you're uncomfortable with the body you were born with? The realist in me says to you psychiatric help to deal with the underlying issues as to why you don't identify with your own gender.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 3:15 am
by Sathor
It seems to be obvious you can be born in the wrong body. As you transform into male or female rather late in your mother's womb, I guess there can be the mistake that your body is formed like a male's, but your mind is stuck female, or the other way round.
If you want to define that as a issue, you might claim that, but I don't think it is anything "ill" or "wrong", or even anything you could or should cure.
In a free society, you should be able to transform, as long as you can pay for it.

It is without doubt a courages step to make while still in school. If I'd be in the position, I'd wait until later, like university, because people tend to be way more tolerant, because they have grown out of teenage angst and ignorance.

Personally, I'd react this way: Do it, if you feel like it and are sure you won't regret it. Pretty much like someone who'd get a tattoo. Its permanent. Hehe.

@Gradios: Your opinion is based on the possibly wrong assumption that your body, not your mind, defines your gender.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 9:00 am
by stoopdapoop
Heh, It was really strange when my friend "Joey" decided to become "Joanna", seeing as I've known him since early elementary school. Seemed like one day he came out of the closet, the next day he's dressing like a girl, and apparently now he's a post-op. And I don't think any less of him for it, but It's so awkward, I haven't really spoken to him since he became Joanna, not because I don't want to, but because I don't really know how to. Like what do I say to him? "sup....... Joe" I still see him (her, I guess) around town, but I guess I pretend that I don't recognize him.

So to answer your question, I really didn't know how to react, so I didn't. Which is probably worse than saying something as he probably thinks I'm judging him now. Dunno.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 12:28 pm
by Gradius
Sathor wrote:@Gradios: Your opinion is based on the possibly wrong assumption that your body, not your mind, defines your gender.


If someone wants to change which set of social expectations they want to live up to I'd think they were a bit odd but wouldn't have a problem.

But its on thing to be something and another to want to be something. These people do seem to be acting as though both define they gender (or rather that there is a physical biological gender and a mental gender identify, according to some brief reading up).

If it is just an issue with body image and "feeling wrong" then they can be counciled. However there is some base neurological cause then maybe messing with their body is for the best.

Either way, if someone isn't happy with how they are something needs to be done and I hope that this is for the best then.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:06 pm
by Vilham
Sathor wrote:It seems to be obvious you can be born in the wrong body. As you transform into male or female rather late in your mother's womb, I guess there can be the mistake that your body is formed like a male's, but your mind is stuck female, or the other way round.
If you want to define that as a issue, you might claim that, but I don't think it is anything "ill" or "wrong", or even anything you could or should cure.
In a free society, you should be able to transform, as long as you can pay for it.

It is without doubt a courages step to make while still in school. If I'd be in the position, I'd wait until later, like university, because people tend to be way more tolerant, because they have grown out of teenage angst and ignorance.

Personally, I'd react this way: Do it, if you feel like it and are sure you won't regret it. Pretty much like someone who'd get a tattoo. Its permanent. Hehe.

@Gradios: Your opinion is based on the possibly wrong assumption that your body, not your mind, defines your gender.

I was of the understanding that most things we do are based on our hormones. So regardless of what you have said, if you are a male you produce large quantities of testosterone which induces most male behaviors.

At a guess people like this probably produce only small amounts of those hormones, which thus confuses them.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 11:12 pm
by Simpletool
iTrump wrote:I really wouldnt care I just wouldnt talk to them. But if I did know them it would kinda suck.


It's this attitude right here that keeps alive the fear and spitefulness towards dissenting gender role practices. Do you have a phobia towards transgendered folk or is it just a disgust of the person that convinces you this sort of willful ignorance is appropriate? You're approaching the situation as if these people were lepers.

Gradius wrote:I have no idea, other than "badly".

Without stepping on people's toes everything about "gender reassignment" seems to indicate an underlying mental issue to me.
...
Want to sew up your vagina and get a fake penis crafted out of the tissues because you're uncomfortable with the body you were born with? The realist in me says to you psychiatric help to deal with the underlying issues as to why you don't identify with your own gender.


The governments of France, Britain, and Canada along with the American Psychiatric Associate have stopped classifying GID (Gender Identity Disorder) as a mental health disease. Further more there is nothing to indicate that someone transitioning is any less mentally stable than you or I, and in the U.S. a person is often required to receive psychiatric therapy before undergoing sex reassignment surgery. After what can be years of hormonal, surgical, and psychological therapy most if not all who have transitioned will go on to live happier lives in their new gender (far less than 1% detransition and most report they did so because of pressure from family and peers).

Those with GID will face higher rates of depression and suicide among the general population, however every report I've read indicates social pressure to conform and outright discrimination as the dominant attributing factors.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:36 am
by Ale
I would admire his courage, not a lot of people have the guts nowadays to strive to be themselves, too many people pretending to be what they are not.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 1:14 am
by Guessmyname
My only problem would be what pronouns to use. Transitioning isn't an instant process, after all, so I figure there's an 'in-between period', so to speak... I'd guess I'd just have to ask what they'd prefer, I suppose.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 8:44 am
by zombie@computer
I always wonder which bathroom these people end up in ...

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:42 am
by Saxon
zombie@computer wrote:I always wonder which bathroom these people end up in ...


I lolled XD

Oddly enough there was a court case about that here in the UK.

In reply to your question Mayhem, I guess I would feel very wierd about it if it were someone I knew. Think about it, if you know someone for a long time and suddenly they radically change, wouldn't that seem strange to you? There would be a mental conflict between the person you knew and the altered person before you.

I'm sure it must take a lot of guts to go through that whole thing (especially at school where they're likely to be bullied ruthlessly as a consequence), but doesn't it seem selfish to so radically alter you life?

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 2:39 pm
by stoopdapoop
DreAz wrote:I would admire his courage, not a lot of people have the guts nowadays to strive to be themselves, too many people pretending to be what they are not.


heh, while I agree with you, I'm going to make fun of your wording :D

In this case, it's like they have the courage to be what they're not.

Re: How would you react?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 3:52 pm
by Dionysos
Everyone who has issues with someone changing their gender has serious issues.

Seriously, how the hell are we supposed to progress as a species if we cling to this shit.