Transgender in America

[Wolf-Pup (imported)]

This morning on MSNBC Melissa Harris-Perry show she had a TG discussion. It was a positive, progressive discussion and dealt with real issues the TG community deals with. The video is online at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp ... 4#47054424

From the main website:

In our second hour, we brought you the voices and stories of transgender Americans. #nerdland guest Kate Bornstein is an author of multiple, fantastic, highly readable and often hilariously engaging books about gender identity in America. Check out Bornstein’s "Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation" -- and Kate’s latest, "A Queer and Pleasant Danger: The true story of a nice Jewish boy who joins the Church of Scientology and leaves twelve years later to become the lovely lady she is today."

When I teach gender identity in my college courses, I often assign the bracing and revealing novel "Stone Butch Blues," by Leslie Feinberg. This text is not about transgender identity per se, but it is a brutally honest account of gender nonconformity within gay communities. To learn more about the political, social and economic agenda of transgender Americans visit the website for the National Center for Transgender Equality, where one of our guests today, Mara Keisling, is the executive director.

http://mhpshow.msnbc.msn.com/?videoDate=20120415

Sorry the subject of Eunuchs wasn't addressed.

[devi (imported)]

If we still held to three gender system as the Romans, Celts and even the Anglo-Saxons had (also other Europeans and Asians), I figure there's a lot more types of transgendered individualls than just MtF and FtMs.

Supposing that now in the modern age we had assumed the Latin word root "neuter", "neutr-" as a catch-all category represesenting that group of individuals which cannot be fully defined as either of the binary genders we have today then we have:

MtN: Matured XY person which has been either physically or chemically castrated who recieves no supplements of testosterone or masculining steroids.

MtF: Matured XY person that has become a phenotypical female through SRS and/or has recieved supplements of feminizing hormones (estradiol et al).

NtM: Not fully matured XY person that either assumes a masculine role and/or has recieved testosterone or masculinizing steroids. (So as to "fit in".)

NtF: Not fully matured XY person that either assumes a feminine role and/or has recieved feminizing hormones (again so as to "fit in").

FtN: Matured XX person that has been surgically or physically neutered who recieves no supplements of any of the feminizing hormones.

FtM: Matured XX person that has become a phenotypical male through SRS and/or has recieved supplements of testosterone or masculinizing steroids.

(This is a greatly simplified sumation.)

[purpletomato (imported)]

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the media coverage is; I suppose the host was unusually tuned into the subject though. The folks being interviewed are my heroes too; I think a Times interviewee put it well (of Mel) [ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/nyreg ... uncil.html ]

“He’s a great representative,” Ms. Sklarz said. “Many people only know of transgender, I guess, from watching Chaz Bono on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Mel Wymore brings a much different, broader experience.”

The use of "transgendered" is interesting though. I think the approach of treating transgendering as a process is good, but I worry such a concept is a little academic. I intuit "transgender" (the adjective) would better facilitate tolerance in the short term, though it does create boxes of "those who are trans-*" and "those who are not".