Transgender Student Runs for Prom King

[Nova]

When I lived in Jersey many years ago, I worked with and became friends with a person who was born with both sex organs. The doctor and the family decided that the child whould be a he. The operation was done and the child was transferred into a he.
That was a mistake on the family and doctors part. He grew up knowing that he was in the wrong body.
He was not "gay", even though he had a male partner (he said this to many of us).
He later had surgery to become a woman and he felt that he was never a man or gay to begin with. He took the step to correct what he felt was primal to him, even though a others made an identity choice for him.



Respectfully,
dark_shadows

I understand what eve meant when she wished these things could be straightened out (pun intended) at birth.

But you make a good point that the history of forced gender assignment in children is not a happy one, despite the good intentions of doctors and parents.

 

[eve]

The only simple answer is that sexuality (and perhaps even gender) is really a spectrum, not two, mutually exclusive poles.

Sometimes an MTF (male-to-female reassignment) is oriented sexually toward men, but sometimes not. My partner's ex-sister-in-law's ex-husband (confusing enough?) is getting sex reassignment surgery next month. "She" (the ex-husband) wanted to continue in the marriage to the sister-in-law, but the sister-in-law couldn't picture herself married to a woman. (Fair enough, I think we'll all agree.) They divorced amicably and remain friends.

So "she" (the ex-husband; I'm only using quotes to distinguish between the former husband and my partner's sister-in-law) now lives with another woman.

I suppose you could say that when "she" was a man, she was straight, and now that she's a woman, she is gay. But I'm not sure those labels have any meaning to her.

The bottom line is that humans are more complicated and variable than our language sometimes indicates.

Very good explanation Nova. Sometimes people probably appear intolerant when the trouble is - they just don't get it! The spectrum idea helps me understand. Thanks

Eve

 

[Jules]

LOL.

I recently saw that All My Children has a transgendered character.

Not anymore. The storyline didn't go over well and he was let go.

 

[dark_shadows]

I understand what eve meant when she wished these things could be straightened out (pun intended) at birth.

But you make a good point that the history of forced gender assignment in children is not a happy one, despite the good intentions of doctors and parents.

Dear Nova,:blowkiss:
I appreciate your post. Thank-you.

Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[Masterj]

Not anymore. The storyline didn't go over well and he was let go.

Really? Why do think it didn't go over well? Do you think the audience wasn't ready for that story or was the story poorly done?

 

[Jules]

Really? Why do think it didn't go over well? Do you think the audience wasn't ready for that story or was the story poorly done?

I'm not sure. Here's what I found:

Carlson first appeared as Zarf during a one-day stint on August 2006. The actor was brought back when the show decided to tell daytime's first storyline about a transgender person. He was signed to a short-term contract and first appeared on November 29th, 2006.

Carlson has not issued a statement regarding his exit from All My Children and a rep for the actor did not return requests for a statement by post time.

 

[Nova]

Very good explanation Nova. Sometimes people probably appear intolerant when the trouble is - they just don't get it! The spectrum idea helps me understand. Thanks

Eve

True, eve.

What we (and I mean "we" including myself -- this isn't directed personally to you) have to remember is that no one is obligated to fit into our labels for them.

We all get frustrated by things we don't understand; we just have to be careful not to direct our resentment at people who are just trying to be themselves and live their lives, whether or not we understand them or have a "word" for them.

 

[IrishMist]

The only simple answer is that sexuality (and perhaps even gender) is really a spectrum, not two, mutually exclusive poles.

Sometimes an MTF (male-to-female reassignment) is oriented sexually toward men, but sometimes not. My partner's ex-sister-in-law's ex-husband (confusing enough?) is getting sex reassignment surgery next month. "She" (the ex-husband) wanted to continue in the marriage to the sister-in-law, but the sister-in-law couldn't picture herself married to a woman. (Fair enough, I think we'll all agree.) They divorced amicably and remain friends.

So "she" (the ex-husband; I'm only using quotes to distinguish between the former husband and my partner's sister-in-law) now lives with another woman.

I suppose you could say that when "she" was a man, she was straight, and now that she's a woman, she is gay. But I'm not sure those labels have any meaning to her.

The bottom line is that humans are more complicated and variable than our language sometimes indicates.

Well, I feel better... my daughter and one of her friends once told me I was a gay man stuck in a woman's body! I took it as quite the compliment!

 

[Nova]

Well, I feel better... my daughter and one of her friends once told me I was a gay man stuck in a woman's body! I took it as quite the compliment!

I don't know about "stuck." I always you assumed you were just visiting.

 

[IrishMist]

I don't know about "stuck." I always you assumed you were just visiting.