Hi Ladies, I'm just beginning my transition at 63. No I didn't cross dress when a boy, too chicken sh#$. I remember the violence against blacks, gays and women in the '60's and '70's. I digress, I was just thinking further along your lines Brina. About the y chromosome. If you look at the physiology it pushes out the same sex organs and changes their chemistry. The ovaries become testes, which are outside of the uterus. Which turns inwards encasing the " balls" and becoming the scrotum. Do I need to continue? My point is in agreement. Does the y chromosome do the other altering or is it the various hormones produced by the chromosome that make changes. We all have the same emotions, to various degrees, it's the chemistry with a huge input from society on how we each express them. For example, I've noticed an increasing need to cry, with an equal depth of emotion over the last 20 years. Even tried to keep a tear diary. I was spending more time writing than watching the boob tube. I tear up from reading as well. ANYthing can cause me to well up. But as a " guy " I'm not allowed to go on a crying jag. And as a woman reasons are needed.
Excellent points! Thank you for responding and commenting 🙂 I'm there with you on the crying. It only seems to be getting more so the older I get. Happy, triumphant, sad, empathetic to be sure, but boy (sorry-girl) they flow easily. I think some of that is letting go of the need to consider crying a female thing. Society has long tried to program us, and the real question we need to ask is, "Why?" How much safer, better, fairer, truer, etc would the world be if they focused on individual rights versus the labeled rights of specification?
Brina, unfortunately I can't really relate to your issue. Since I came out I've never had to play one role one day and a different one on the next. One of the things I learned in many years of therapy and more years of studying psychology is hiding things, essentially lying, will make you crazy. I'm so sorry you have to deal this it.
Regarding your comment on people that define sex solely on chromosome pairs, those same people don't understand it's possible to have XY chromosomes and bear children and it's also possible to be XX, have a working penis and be able to impregnate a female. The biology and workings of development can go in so many different ways it boggles the mind, and I find it fascinating. It's also interesting to me that the two religions that complain the most about strict gender rolls stole half their holy books from Judaism, and ignore the fact that the Talmud has recognized 8 different sexes for over 2000 years.
Elli,
Thanks for adding some more insights! I agree with you that the possibilities within genetics and biology in general are fascinating. (If we could only find a cure for the gene that creates idiocrasy and blind analysis). It really seems (throughout history) that excessive periods of narrow thinking suddenly and usually are forcibly overthrown to allow way for momentary idea expansion. Then the next war starts as those ideas are fought against. Kind of the 2 steps forward, one back approach. Change is never easy, but not impossible. I'll keep pushing for the impossible... Thanks for commenting.
Hi Brina,
They found the cause over a decade ago. It's all tied to the amygdala, the so called fight or flight center or the reptilian brain. They can scan your brain and predict with better than 95% accuracy if you are on the conservative right or the liberal left. They can do this with kids that haven''t even developed an understanding of politics or liberal vs conservative thinking. The larger your amygdala, the more fear hormones your body produces. The only thing I know of is an education that encourages you to investigate on your own and shows you how to weed out so called "fake news", which is newspeak for lies. I've always believed that the basis of all bigotry is fear of the unknown and the only way to defeat it is an education and upbringing that encourages you to learn all you can about the things that cause you to fear and the ability to change core beliefs when presented with new, verifiable information. This isn't taught in the schools today like it was in the '50s and '60s. I've heard of high schools today where you can graduate without any foreign language requirement. Unfortunately there are a lot of people that benefit when the population is well educated, and it's been going on for over a century. The average Ivy League school graduate with a single BA diploma couldn't pass the entrance exam requirements at the same school in 1890. The minimum language requirements for top tier schools back then was knowing at least two foreign languages on a conversational level and either knowing Greek or Latin. Bonus points if you knew both. The problem is, when you learn a foreign language, you you also learn about their culture, and the more you know about them, the less likely you are to believe someone spreading lies about them. It's like, the Arab name for the entity English speaking people refer to as god is Allah. I've known Egyptian Catholics and in their own language, they pray to Allah and it has nothing to do with Islam.
Information and the ability to own it, use it, or manipulate it has been at the forefront of all human history. It is the same today, only in many cases it is the ability of those to churn and misdirect the information today (social media, politics, and general advertising) away from what they wish to hide Get caught, no problem, create a new diversion. Thanks for some more good thoughts!
I don't want to be confused by this philosophical wandering, or even scientific, clinical explanations! Honestly, I just want to be a Lady; a feminine entity in love with life! I wish I were brne a girl, but I will have to make do as I am. Skirts, dresses, makeup all help, but creating a feminine soul is what I want. Let me BE a Lady, and my world will become wonderful! Let me feelings of love and care pass out of me and envelop a sweet, handsome partner for the rest of my life! Yes, let me be Roxanne, feminine, loving, caring, and cute (?) for the rest of my days! Please?
Roxanne Lanyon
I know that feeling. I wish I had a magic pill (no; many magic pills to share with others) that would make it happen! Thanks for commenting 🙂
I enjoyed reading how your journey developed, especially shopping without fear. I too went through similar growing challenges, but my congenital desires of being just another girl wouldn't fade away, thank goodness.
I ask myself the same question, looking for tidy closure. Fortunately life happens and selfacceptance creates a path. Secrets once reflexive are empty without merit. My life works as Tamara, under construction.
@tamaragrass Thanks for taking the time to comment. I believe it best that we all follow the path designed for us, and I am glad that you are happy on the one that works for you! My best to you 🙂
