Friday, February 19, 2010
Transsexual Empires and Transgender Warriors
Paying particular attention to the historical details Sullivan offers throughout her chapter, has the phrase "living in the wrong body" become outdated within the contemporary Trans community? Why or why not? Is there a better phrase you could think of that would seem to provide a stronger awareness for the identity issues centered around the umbrella label Transgender?
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I thought that this article was very informative and intriguing. I’ve always found the transgender/sexual/vestite community fascinating, mainly because I don’t quite understand it. I personally never understood the need the dress like the opposite sex, because personally I’ve never had that desire. I’ve never had a problem with anyone else in what they want to do with their gender identity, but I now feel like I understand them on a higher level. I think that “living in the wrong body” is a good phrase in the sense that it kind of shows others how it would feel to be a transgender person. Just trying to wrap my mind around the idea of feeling as though I am in the wrong body is dizzying. However, I don’t think that it can be used as an umbrella for the entire transgender community, just because not everyone feels the same. Also, I don’t think that “transgender” is a term that can be used to umbrella all that it is used to identify, particularly because of the various gender identities that we kind of bulk together. A transsexual vs. transvestite vs. drag queen vs. intersexed, all wrapped up in the “T” of “LGBT” but I also don’t think it’s necessary to add a letter to the acronym every time we find a new label for a different genre of gender bending. Eventually we’d get to “LGBTTDIPA Community” (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transvestite, Drag Queen, Intersexed, Pansexual, and Asexual) Because that’s just ridiculous. I personally think we’re just going to end up calling everyone Non-heterosexuals.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I want to say that this was honestly one of the most interesting things I’ve read (in addition to chapter 7 as a whole) in such a long time. It was extremely thought provoking and enjoyable. Now, on the meat of the matter…
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I think the phrase “living in the wrong body” is appropriate. Although, I would imagine that the feeling of being mis-sexed is deeper than just a bodily construct. In addition to feeling that you were born the incorrect sex, from birth you have societal pressures that attempt to shape your mind to your assigned gender role. I must say I feel very fortunate even as a gay man to have had a real sense of my own gender and sex. I couldn’t fathom how difficult it must be to look at the world through what feel like the wrong set of eyes. As I said before I feel the definition of trans (“living in the wrong body”) is appropriate, though just as I have had the personal privilege to define and redefine who I am I feel like it’s up to trans individuals and those who are a part of the community to define who they are.
I think the phrase “living in the wrong body” is the best way to explain it even though it may not be the exact feeling that every trans individual personally feels. It serves as a fair umbrella term, though no term accurately labels every person in a group. The mentality behind feeling like your in the wrong body is difficult for most people to wrap their minds around simply because I feel that from a young age we have all been taught to accept ourselves and love our bodies and our specific and varying qualities. I can remember very distinctly getting speeches about how everybody’s body is different and you have to learn to be comfortable in your own skin all throughout middle and high school. Everyone has their own insecurities, but to actually feel like your body was alien is a terrible thought, and it is sad that so many judgments are passed on these people through a lack of understanding.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not feel that the phrase “living in the wrong body” has become outdated. I think it is a good phrase to help people better understand the trails and tribulations that trans people today feel. I am sure the way they feel is hard to try and explain to someone who has not been exposed to things like that before, and I think it is the perfect way to make it seem more concrete. Many trans people describe their experiences as feeling like the opposite sex since they were children, with some even going as far as describing their given genitals as awful and disgusting. I myself have never had these sorts of feelings, and after reading this essay I gained a much greater understanding of what trans people go through their entire lives and how much of a struggle it is to try and be acceptable to society. I do not feel that another phrase would really do them justice of describing their struggle any better than this one.
ReplyDeleteI think "living in the wrong body" is the best way to describe someone in this situation. But of coarse, as many people said in class Thursday, it's hard to describe what it's like if it isn't you. The T in LGBT should be used to describe everyone close to this group. I'm sure someone would be offended if we just left it at T, but you can't please everyone. This is probally the topic that intregues me the most. I don't know anyone who is openly a transgendered person, but I would love to have a conversation with someone who is.
ReplyDeleteThis was indeed a very interesting article. I don’t think the phrase “living in the wrong body” is outdated at all. I agree with Andrew, that the phrase is very much appropriate, although it does seem to umbrella the transgender community. This article has given me a better understanding and a more profound respect for transsexuals. I’m a fond believer of choice, and I always felt like people chose what sexual orientation and preference they wanted. I guess I never considered transsexuals as a true medical condition. I can’t fathom feeling like my mind and body aren’t in sync. To feel as though your body is nothing more than a deformity is heart-rending. I found it interesting (and now true) that gender inversion has little to nothing to do with homosexuality. After reading Transsexual Empires and Transgender Warriors, I can no longer make the assumption, and view a transsexual as homosexual. Nevertheless, I still link transvestism to homosexuality, and I can’t fully understand how it can be viewed any other way. My heart truly goes out to transgendered individuals; however, I can’t say the same for transvestites. I, like Andrew, am extremely fortunate to have a sense of my own self, sex and gender. I also agree with Dane that the “T” in LGBT seems to carry a heavy load, and though it may not be accurate for all individuals, it is, in a way, a good identifier for the bulk of their community.
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be very interesting. I don’t think the phrase “living in the wrong body” has been outdated. I believe it is an accurate reason for the transsexual community to make the decision to completely change their appearances. I can’t even imagine a person doing such a thing without feeling this way. Like Brittany said, many people from the trans community have stated that they have felt like they were living in the wrong body since they were adolescents. I have watched something on television where there were little children saying that they wish they didn’t have certain genitals and acted as the opposite sex because that was the way they truly felt, even to the point where they used the tucking method. I perceive the people of the trans community as incredibly strong people because I couldn’t imagine having to cope with this feeling.
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand that trans individuals probably hate being put into the same general "box," I agree with Dane; we can't make a nine letter acronym to please everyone. I enjoyed this article very much, and I was surprised at how much I already knew about the trans community. I don't think I can make an accurate statement as to whether or not "living in the wrong body" is an appropriate approximation, but I'll go out on a limb and say that it is. If it's not entirely spot on, I think it's the best way to make non-trans people understand these feelings. I can't imagine not being female. The outside not matching the inside is such a foreign concept to me, and these people are amazingly strong to deal with that feeling every day.
ReplyDelete"Living in the wrong body" in my opinion sounds like a fit term for the trans community, but as Sam said how can you answer that question if your not in their shoes. I and I don't think anyone else who is not part of the trans community is in any position to answer this question because you don't know how they feel on the inside. I don't have much knowledge about transsexuals, transgenders, or transvestites except for what I've read which isn't in my opinion enough info to come up with an umbrella term for the way they feel. It sucks that trans have such a hard time in this society and if anything I think they should just say they feel "different" and in my opinion different is good not one person is alike, and not all of them may feel as though they're living outside their body.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the term "living in the wrong body" is outdated. I think that is how many trans people feel about themselves. Agreeing with what some other people said, the whole T in LGBT is a very broad spectrum and is sort of confusing. Before this class, I really couldn't tell you the difference between transgender, intersexed, transsexual was. The whole "trans" concept is still a little confusing to me but the term "living in the wrong body" helps clear it up a bit. Whether a person feels like they were born the wrong sex or whether they just want to dress like the opposite sex, it seems that the T in LGBT covers everyone. Like I said about chapter 7, there will never be a big enough umbrella to fit everyone in the gay community, so I think trans is the best way to describe it.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, the phrase "living in the wrong body" is still the best phrase to describe what the Trans community feels like. But when talking about the Trans identity, I agree with Dane when he talked about the “LGBTTDIPA Community” and that there is no want to encompass everyone’s identities. Now I live with a trans-man and even after he explained his situation to me and some other stuff, I still don’t understand to where I can explain it myself. I however am a drag queen, but I don’t do it for feeling pretty or feel like I am living in the wrong body. I do it because my first love has always been theater and dancing, and what is the best role a man could play? That’s right, a woman! So I mostly do it for fun, not to mention, I have the legs for it, at least, that is what I am told! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThis was one of those articles that I was mildly upset to see end at 20 pages. Sullivan put into terms something that I personally have had trouble understanding since I first heard about it. Transsexuals are not necessarily homosexual in my head any longer. I do agree that someone could be considered “living in the wrong body” in this day and age, especially because that it exactly how the person feels. If someone identifies themselves as feminine and wishes to embody what they feel, then it is their prerogative to make themselves an ideal being in their own eyes. It does not matter what the community thinks about their lifestyle, because, as Sullivan touched up, many end up dead or clinically insane if they cannot properly identify with their thoughts and emotions. If a male is 100% sure that he feels feminine and wants to physically embody a female, then the term “living in the wrong body” is absolutely appropriate. It is not necessarily that any ‘body’, per se, is wrong. It just does not feel right to the person experiencing these feelings, therefore it must to be wrong for them.
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