Transgender

I was really glad that we had a transgender presentation because I was completely unknowledgeable in that area.  It is hard to understand how someone feels when you are not in his or her situation.  We are so quick to judge things as being weird or abnormal.  But we who defines what normal is?  I’m happy that Andie came and spoke to our class. I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say and having the opportunity to understand where she is coming from. I wish that people were more open-minded.  Andie is a wonderful girl and should be proud of who she is but instead has to endure difficult situations everywhere she turns. 

We are all humans when it comes down to it.  Who cares whether your sexual preference is male, female, or both?  Who cares what gender you identify with?  You should be accepted for who you are.  I think that the new model that they are forming is a strong starting block for how to describe gender.  It certainly should not be seen in a linear way.  I like that they are taking into considerations attributions, identity, and expression.  I am somewhat surprised that there isn’t already a model similar to this.  The nice thing with this model is that it takes into accounts several factors of gender as opposed to the linear model. 

I had never thought of gender in a fluid way, but it certainly makes sense.  Aspects of my personality are more masculine and some are more feminine.  Certain aspects change from day to day as well.  Before this class, I viewed gender in a very linear way.  I thought it was black and white, but I have come to learn that there is much more to it than that.  The only that I still have a hard time understanding is the assigning of the 0 instead of feminine or masculine.  I cannot grasp how something is completely gender neutral.  I don’t think that they are polar opposites, but I feel like you identify, express, and attribute just a little more towards the masculine or feminine side.  I wish I could get in the head of someone who does view the world in an entirely gender neutral way. 

Putting the shoe on the other foot is a difficult thing to accomplish, so it was nice having Andie there.  I wish that we had more time so we could have learned more.  Andie told me after class that in the United States if you go through a sex change, they make you sterile so you cannot have kids.  In Europe though you are allowed to have kids.  I wanted to share this on my blog because I was unsure of this so I asked, and I imagine that other people may have also been wondering the same thing.