GLBT Breakdown

Hopefully you'll indulge my curiosity a little more.

The question now is, of the GLBT members of the forum, how do we break down into categories? Again, I'm aware of some limitations and another poll may be needed later on.

Now, I'm not trying to out anyone, but if you want to post about it that would be great.

Since I already said it, I can repeat it here: I am transgendered.

Exactly what this means to me right now is a little hazy. I've swung between positions for the past 25 years, and repressed everything for the last 7 of them. I "awoke" recently from all that when I started getting story ideas involving transsexual characters. Not so much for the story ideas in themselves, but for how easily and how deeply I identified myself with those characters.

I think this is enough for now. But feel free to ask either here or by private message. As I said I'm not trying to out anyone, so all PMs will be treated as confidential.

Thanks for reading this far.

I have been wondering if these polls get vandalized by inappropriate responders. I am not voting in this poll myself.

Funny you should mention "transgender" as that to me is a mysterious category to create for identity so separately from just "gay" or "lesbian". I mean, I understand not all homosexuals feel they were born in the wrong gender, but that is as far as I "get it". Am I right that "transgender" is assumed to be a male who feels he should have been born female? More than once I have heard of the bizarre-to-me claim that this is the case, yet the sexual desire of such a person is not toward males in all cases.

Perhaps you can explain, if you feel like it.

Quote: odiousgambit

Perhaps you can explain, if you feel like it.

I will. I actually want to. but I can't say just when I'll find enough time to give it the attention it deserves. I'll have to ask you to be patient.

Quote: odiousgambit

I mean, I understand not all homosexuals feel they were born in the wrong gender, but that is as far as I "get it". Am I right that "transgender" is assumed to be a male who feels he should have been born female? More than once I have heard of the bizarre-to-me claim that this is the case, yet the sexual desire of such a person is not toward males in all cases.

And vice-versa.

You're right: Gender, as well as transgendered gender identity, has no correlation to sexual preference or lack thereof.


For what it's worth, this poll is missing choices for bi-curious, which may have been the source of the 'Not sure' votes in the other poll.

Man, I'm addicted to voting in polls. Something about clicking a button and voting I really enjoy. But this one I can't vote in. Man it's frustrating.

I'm still trying to find time for posting an explanation. It's a complicated subject, plus one I know a lot about and I like to ramble (as you may have noticed).

Meanwhile I'm bumping up the poll to fish for fresh responses.

Quote: odiousgambit

I have been wondering if these polls get vandalized by inappropriate responders. I am not voting in this poll myself.

Funny you should mention "transgender" as that to me is a mysterious category to create for identity so separately from just "gay" or "lesbian". I mean, I understand not all homosexuals feel they were born in the wrong gender, but that is as far as I "get it". Am I right that "transgender" is assumed to be a male who feels he should have been born female? More than once I have heard of the bizarre-to-me claim that this is the case, yet the sexual desire of such a person is not toward males in all cases.

Perhaps you can explain, if you feel like it.

Here goes. I'll try to keep it brief.

First you're right that homosexuality and transgendered are not the same thing nor are they related. There can be overlap, but they're not the same thing.

Next there is an important distinction to make between sex and gender. Sex is physical, pretty much what genitalia you have and what reproductive equipment. Gender is mental, how and what you think, feel and, to some extent, perceive things. For sex the terms are male and female, while for gender they are man and woman.

Usually sex matches gender. When it doesn't the result is a transgender person (I'll use TG for short).

TG runs across a spectrum. By far the most common instances are cross dressing fetishists and straight cross dressers. The first are people who cross dress and/or act as the opposite sex in order to get aroused. The latter are straight people who like to cross dress and/or act as the opposite sex from time to time.

On the other end you have transsexuals. These are people whose gender clashes with their sex. What they want is known as sexual reassignment. There are several ways to go about it, too.

Secondary sexual characteristics are not immutable. Give a man female hormones, like estrogen and estradiol, and he will grow breasts. Add prolactin and he will even lactate (produce breast milk). Give a woman testosterone and other male hormones, and her clitoris will enlarge, she will grow body hair, including a beard, and her voice will grow lower in pitch.

Sometimes such things can happen as a result of medical conditions. Trauma to the male breast can cause growth there, for example. And a tumor in a woman's adrenal glands can produce excess testosterone (actually women do produce some. This hormone is largely responsible for libido).

Among transsexuals the most common route is to take hormones and later have plastic genital surgery. But there are some who are content only with hormones and don't want surgery. Still others don't even take hormones. For some merely dressing and acting according to their gender is enough. For others a full transition is needed. To complicate matters a little more, the term TG started by being applied to non-operative transsexuals.

There is a spectrum of intensity, too. Primary transsexuals are dissatisfied with their birth sex from a very early age. Secondary transsexuals are more mixed as regards to gender and sex. They can act according to their birth sex, but are usually not very good at it (this describes me rather well). They may even be ok with some aspects of their birth sex, such as intercourse or more gender-oriented actions. They can also repress their feelings of dissatisfaction with their sex (me again), sometiems for many decades.

It all gets more complicated when you take sexual orientation or preference into account. Some male-to-female transsexuals prefer women, therefore they are lesbian in addition to being TG, for example. With cross dressers you can say they oscillate between being straight men and lesbian women.

I'd suggest finding other sources if you want more information, but feel free to post here or PM me, too. I don't always have time to reply, but I'll do my best.

Later I'll post about myself.

Meantime I'll go get a flame-proof outfit for what's surely about to rain down next <sigh>.

Quote: Nareed

Meantime I'll go get a flame-proof outfit for what's surely about to rain down next <sigh>.

I really hope its not as bad as I am expecting. I would hate to see a witty intelligent poster driven away by the ignorance and predjudice of people here.

Quote: Croupier

I really hope its not as bad as I am expecting. I would hate to see a witty intelligent poster driven away by the ignorance and predjudice of people here.

Ditto.

It was a well written post. While it can evoke questions, I don't see it evoking ridicule.


I think you're safe -- at least until JL's suspension ends.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Ditto.

It was a well written post. While it can evoke questions, I don't see it evoking ridicule.


I think you're safe -- at least until JL's suspension ends.

Thank you both.

I'm not worried about JL. No one takes hims seriously anyway. As for the rest, I don't expect I can be easily driven out.

Quote: Nareed

Here goes. I'll try to keep it brief.

Thanks, I did ask. I consider myself open-minded, but also do not feel compelled to automatically accept new notions about things on the basis of the idea we must accept the "brave new world." There's much I prefer about the old world view! I won't say anymore about it as I still don't much feel I understand it and don't feel I could intelligently discuss it; certainly I wouldnt want it to get personal.

Currently my feelings about homosexuals are quite tainted from seeing some youngsters I care about go into that lifestyle, choosing the most destructive way available. If I post something further about "GLBT" phenomenon, and I'm still trying to decide if I will, it'll be about male homosexuals and not about TG issues. I think I'll have to accept I don't understand the latter. Thanks again.

Quote: odiousgambit

If I post something further about "GLBT" phenomenon, and I'm still trying to decide if I will, it'll be about male homosexuals and not about TG issues. I think I'll have to accept I don't understand the latter. Thanks again.

No. Thank you. It actually takes a lot of good judgment to refrain from commenting on things one doesn't understand. And I'll grant you a lot of what TG is about depends on feelings, which can be simply too alien when you haven't experienced them yourself.