this post was submitted on 27 Mar 2024
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I don't agree. It's ok to say "dysphoria is central to my trans experience, though I understand this isn't universal." That doesn't gatekeep anyone. In fact it's the opposite. But it's not ok to tell others that dysphoria or medical treatment is required to be trans.
Sure, in many locations, having a diagnosis is required before doctors will allow you to even begin HRT or consider having surgeries if you want them. But that's just a symptom of a broken medical system that enforces cisheteronormativity, and prevents self-ID and informed consent. It's not what actually defines what being trans is all about. It's just a hoop people are forced to jump through.
There's a difference between having honest and good-faith discussions about the role dysphoria, surgery and HRT play in the overall trans experience, and making broad definitive statements. That's what actually erases others' experiences.
You are collapsing too many ideas into one here.
There are people who through some combination of nature and nurture find themselves wanting to be treated in a way which aligns much closer to how one gender gets treated in a particular society. They may choose to transition to get this treatment despite having no dysphoria about themselves or their body. Being upset about how someone treats you is not necessarily dysphoria. There are also individuals who don't experience their gender negatively but experience another gender more positively. They do not have dysphoria yet may choose to transition to maximize their happiness. Do not erase these individuals.
Arguing that dysphoria is central to the trans experience is a trans medicalist (truscum) viewpoint and exclusionary rhetoric isn't nice and therefore isn't allowed around here.
You're literally erasing me, lol. I'm agender and trans. I did not start transitioning because of gender dysphoria. I don't even experience gender dysphoria. If you don't think I have the right experience to identify as trans, that's on you my friend, but I'm not going to change my labels because you don't think that I exist. I'm sorry if you feel that my existence jeopardizes your existence or invalidates it in any way, because there are many compatible world views in which it does not.
Ultimately it doesn't matter either way - I only intervened here because you got reported for not being nice. So please, stop it.
Are you sure it's because of that particular philosophy, and not of some people's philosophy stemming from some "sacred" book, or a desire to control the sexuality of others?
At no point am I arguing that it is a made up social construct. I'm just letting you know about my existence. If my existence threatens you so much that you must throw me into a box that is not you, then go ahead and do so. I'm not out here shouting at the world about how people like me exist, I'm merely replying to your attempt to erase me. There are compatible world views which don't erase me - which many other people have pointed out here.
I'm sorry that your country is taking away your right to life saving medical care. The same thing is happening in my country. I'd rather spend my time and energy on preserving access to medical care for everyone than fighting with folks online. Best of luck, I hope things improve for you. 💜
this just sounds like a skill issue on your part, i'm sorry--this is not an issue if you have a postmodernist understanding of gender, which most trans people (myself included) subscribe to.
at the end of the day when you drill down? there really is not a material difference between the "real" and "fake" genders--gender is entirely socially constructed, and the designations of "male" and "female" that most people fall into are as arbitrary as any xenogender (real or frivolously created by right-wingers). you only "lose" by entertaining frivolous designations if your understanding of gender is already so narrow that you can't conceptually accommodate anything beyond a handful of stock gender identities to begin with.
So you're not only transmedicalist, but somehow also a gender essentialist?