I would say that since transgender people are much more depressed, presumably due to being trapped in the wrong body (which, as we both mentioned, doesn’t apply to all trans people) then GID is a mental illness because it causes depression and suffering.
Although some of the depression could be caused by that, it seems pretty likely that a large portion of it could also because by being treated by society as a gender they aren’t, as well as more targeted transphobia. GLB people also have much higher rates of depression, which is probably for that reason and not some third link.
Furthermore, I think we need to go back to diseased thinking about diseases. When we call something a mental illness, it’s because we are trying to treat it in some way, or alleviate the effects. This is not something we want to do with trans people, the effects that we’re talking about are all other mental illnesses that we do want to treat the symptoms of.
Although some of the depression could be caused by that, it seems pretty likely that a large portion of it could also because by being treated by society as a gender they aren’t, as well as more targeted transphobia.
I’ve heard trans people say that simply having breasts is really disturbing, enough to require unconfortable breast-binding. I’ve also heard a trans person say that they enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, because they are turned on by their own body.
Incidentally, are there separate words for ‘non gender identifying transgender’ and ‘trapped in the wrong body transgender’?
Anyway, clearly transphobia is going to make the problem worse.
When we call something a mental illness, it’s because we are trying to treat it in some way, or alleviate the effects. This is not something we want to do with trans people, the effects that we’re talking about are all other mental illnesses that we do want to treat the symptoms of.
Well, sex reassignment surgery clearly is a treatment. And the picture isn’t clear with certain other mental illnesses either (e.g. autism).
Incidentally, are there separate words for ‘non gender identifying transgender’ and ‘trapped in the wrong body transgender’?
I think what you are going for is non-binary/agender trans people vs. binary trans people.
But, I’m not sure which distinction you’re talking about. There are people who fit the classic “trapped in the wrong body,” who have a clear idea of what body parts they would/wouldn’t like (which could be anything from having a penis and breasts to no genitalia at all). There are other people who are completely fine with their physical body but are uncomfortable with the idea of identifying with the gender they were assigned at birth.
If you’re talking about that distinction, then people in the second category don’t necessarily identify as agender or non-binary, and people in the first category don’t always identify as a binary gender.
Well, I had a transgender friend who said that at a trans meeting two types of people turned up: those that didn’t strongly identify as either gender, and those that strongly identified as the gender opposite to their physical body. This is the distinction I am trying to describe.
Sure, that path seems possible as well.
Although some of the depression could be caused by that, it seems pretty likely that a large portion of it could also because by being treated by society as a gender they aren’t, as well as more targeted transphobia. GLB people also have much higher rates of depression, which is probably for that reason and not some third link.
Furthermore, I think we need to go back to diseased thinking about diseases. When we call something a mental illness, it’s because we are trying to treat it in some way, or alleviate the effects. This is not something we want to do with trans people, the effects that we’re talking about are all other mental illnesses that we do want to treat the symptoms of.
I’ve heard trans people say that simply having breasts is really disturbing, enough to require unconfortable breast-binding. I’ve also heard a trans person say that they enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, because they are turned on by their own body.
Incidentally, are there separate words for ‘non gender identifying transgender’ and ‘trapped in the wrong body transgender’?
Anyway, clearly transphobia is going to make the problem worse.
Well, sex reassignment surgery clearly is a treatment. And the picture isn’t clear with certain other mental illnesses either (e.g. autism).
I think what you are going for is non-binary/agender trans people vs. binary trans people.
But, I’m not sure which distinction you’re talking about. There are people who fit the classic “trapped in the wrong body,” who have a clear idea of what body parts they would/wouldn’t like (which could be anything from having a penis and breasts to no genitalia at all). There are other people who are completely fine with their physical body but are uncomfortable with the idea of identifying with the gender they were assigned at birth.
If you’re talking about that distinction, then people in the second category don’t necessarily identify as agender or non-binary, and people in the first category don’t always identify as a binary gender.
Well, I had a transgender friend who said that at a trans meeting two types of people turned up: those that didn’t strongly identify as either gender, and those that strongly identified as the gender opposite to their physical body. This is the distinction I am trying to describe.
And “agender trans people” is quite a mouthful.
You can just say “non-binary people” or “agender people.” In any case, binary and non-binary are the types you are talking about.