Transexuals

[SirPostAlot]

I have been curious about this...are you born a transexual? Like w/ both boobs and a penis? Becuase all transexuals, or she-males, seem to be female, and doctors can tell if your baby is a girl or a boy besides what is below the waist...so if you are born a transexual what would the doctors say?



So, can you be born a transexual or do you become a transexual from surgurys??



P.S. is transexual the right word or is it a transgender?

[She]

Hermaphrodites are born with both male and female 'parts' and nobody's born with boobs, if that's what you're thinking. People become transsexuals when they change gender (hence the change)--like in surgery.



According to Dictionary.com, a transsexual is:

1. One who wishes to be considered by society as a member of the opposite sex.

2. One who has undergone a sex change.



It has nothing to do with you physically, except that in transsexuals the brain often appears to resemble more closely the brain of the opposite sex (a male transsexual's brain will look like a female. S/he is born with the 'wrong brain'--a developmental error.) But otherwise nobody could tell by looking at a person that they were a transsexual unless they'd undergone surgery (or were dressed in drag and that like )--and then it's hard to tell that they weren't that way to begin with.



It's far more common for guys to want to become girls or feel that they are girls than the opposite, but both do happen. People get surgery when they sincerely feel like the opposite gender. It's a complex prodecure though--you have to go through counseling and live an entire year as the opposite gender in order to make sure it's what you really want.



I can explain the male-to-female surgery process a little, though I'm not as clear on the female-to-male procedure. I know transsexual males (that is, males who are surgically made females) can have sex--the surgery creates an artificial vagina which I'm pretty sure she can feel during sex though maybe not as intensely. And again, I'm not sure about female transsexuals.

[Abbi]

[Pepper-Tech]

I know this is a really old post but I thought I would add a little to it. I myself am a male to female transsexual and have started some hormone treatments.



One of the medical theories behind transsexuals is during pregnancy. At 6 weeks there is a hormone bath that goes through the placenta and determines the gender of the growing fetus. At that time anything disrupting it can cause male, female, MtF TS, FtM TS or hermaphrodite. Some debate it's also what causes gay/les/bi as well. A special scan of the brain can show chemical differences based on different patterns. http://www.symposion.com/ijt/ijtc0106.htm



To add to what was posted too, some are born with natural hormone imbalances and can grow breasts. I know a MtF TS in the USA who is a natural C cup but still pre-op without prescriptions. Once she did get on prescriptions she got up to a firmer D. I too was born with a natural hormone imbalace but I wasn't as lucky. I got severely teased in elementary school and jr high cause I was matching the girls in my class physically (figure & chest). 36A-28-36 isn't your typical male figure. :'(

[Exodus]

[Pepper-Tech]

Without going into details, they use muscle from the forearm for the female to male procedure and male to females can have orgasm. They do what's called a penile inversion technique on the MtF. http://www.altermd.com has more info. Dr. Toby Meltzer would be the surgeon I see in Oregon, he's closest to me. I've got a bit of a wait ahead of me though.

[Nj]

In most cases,



m - f are given estrogen as well.. [softens the voice, makes the adam's thing small.. etc etc.]



f - m are given testosterone [and they will grow a small 'cock.' Testosterone is some good shit, it also deepens the voice and sends various signals to the muscles.. etc]



the surgeries are complex and dangerous, moreso then other vanity type sugeries..



Transsexual is as defined up there ^^

Transgender is:

1. Appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex.

2. Of or relating to a transgendered person or transgendered people.



however they have separate meanings.. I'm not sure anymore its been months since we covered the topics, but there is a difference.. I think one has to do with a straight female wanted to become a man [which would make 'him' gay]... i'm not sure..

[Pepper-Tech]

MtF's are given 3 estrogens and a testosterone blocker. It softens the jaw line, helps with breast growth and can help with a little weight gain to soften the hips.



FtM's do get testosterone but they can't grow their penis. They use muscle from the forearm for that. The testosterone only gives facial hair growth.



Here's more information on transsexuals and other forms of transgenderism.



A transsexual person, born to all appearance within a given physical sex, is aware of being of a gender opposite to that physical sex. This conflict, between gender identity and physical sex, is almost always manifest from earliest awareness, and is the cause of enormous suffering. It is common for transsexuals to be aware of their condition at preschool ages. (source http://www.transsexual.org some adult link buried on site)



Transsexualism has three criteria:

1. The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by the wish to make his or her body as congruent as possible with the preferred sex through surgery and hormone treatment;

2. The transsexual identity has been present persistently for at least two years;

3. The disorder is not a symptom of another mental disorder or a chromosomal abnormality

(source http://www.hbigda.org/socv6.html)

quote:

________________________________________



The history of transsexuals goes back many years, yet it wasn't until the 1900's that they started dealing with it. The modern classification of transsexuality and the medical intervention of sex reassignment was first attempted in Germany in 1930. Einar Wegener sought treatment and was operated upon. Afterwards, she lived as Lily Elbe, but alas not for long...the surgery had tragic complications. The first well known, surviving post operative transsexual was American ex-G.I. George Jorgensen, who became Christine Jorgensen in 1953. Christine became the center of a whirlwind of publicity despite an effort to avoid it, and had little choice but to capitalize on the misfortune. Christine became the first 'Media Transsexual' - or as some transsexuals put it 'Transie Martyr' , and suffered both the benefit and curse of fame. Christine starred in several hollywood movies as a result, and became celebrity enough to bring transsexualism out of the closet and into view of post-industrial society.

________________________________________

(source http://www.transsexual.org some adult link buried on site)

quote:

________________________________________

Dr. Harry Benjamin was one of the first physicians to work with gender dysphoric persons. Benjamin was born in Berlin, but, as a young physician, left Germany in 1913 for a research project on tuberculosis in the USA. Trying to return one year later, his ocean liner was intercepted by the Royal Navy and diverted to a British port, because WWI had broken out. As a German "enemy alien", Benjamin was sent to an internment camp, but managed to obtain his release on the condition that he return not to Berlin, but to New York. There, in 1915, he began his private medical practice (starting in the forties, he also practiced in San Francisco during the summer months, thus, for many years, establishing a bi-coastal professional presence). His special interest was hormonal research, and thus he became a disciple of Eugen Steinach, whom he visited in Vienna every summer through the twenties and early thirties. On these occasions, he also took frequent side trips to Berlin, where he visited both Magnus Hirschfeld and Albert Moll and also participated in their congresses. He also knew Alfred Kinsey quite well and, through him, became acquainted with a young patient who was anatomically male, but insisted that he was really female. This led to Benjamin's interest in what he himself later described as "transsexualism". In his long and distinguished career, Benjamin came to know many famous American and European scientists, scholars, and artists. From his earliest youth, he was also an ardent opera lover (the legendary soprano Maria Jeritza was a patient and close friend). He always retained a great love for his native Berlin and hoped that it would, once again, become a center of sexology.

________________________________________



(source http://www.hbigda.org)



With all the research that Dr. Harry Benjamin did, a new field of medicine started and people who are dealing with the hormone changes and stuff can finally get the help they needed. It's still a very controversial subject in some areas, especially amongst the churches, and some doctors don't believe in it. It's those who study in the field and deal with it daily who accept it and acknowlege the existance of such interesting people.



Crossdressers and transvestites are grouped together in the TG community. As mentioned in the GLTB area, they are those who dress in the clothing of the opposite gender. Sometimes you can see the difference, sometimes if their makeup and stuff is done right, you can't tell the difference. I've seen professional pictures of a guy dressed up as a girl and I didn't know until I saw another picture of the same person.



Movies like The BirdCage and Mrs. Doubtfire are examples of crossdressing and transvestites.

[MattMan]

Originally posted by Pepper-Tech@Aug 1 2004, 09:29 AM





A transsexual person, born to all appearance within a given physical sex, is aware of being of a gender opposite to that physical sex. This conflict, between gender identity and physical sex, is almost always manifest from earliest awareness, and is the cause of enormous suffering. It is common for transsexuals to be aware of their condition at preschool ages. (source http://www.transsexual.org some adult link buried on site)

i thought i'd ask this, since it relates closely,



how aware would one be of this? like a definate kind of awareness, or more of a subtle awareness... not quite sure how to describe it... if someone could help that'd be great

[true]

Someone I know is transgender (maybe. . unsure) but they said that it's more like a "I know something is wrong here" feeling all the time, but you can't quite place it. You just feel horrible all the time,and can suffer inexplicable physical pains as well.

[Pepper-Tech]

I guess in a way you feel out of place, not knowing where you belong. For me I was teased that I acted like a girl, was always hanging around girls, associated better with the girls and even had some physical features like a girl. In my early teen years that became more obvious with the natural hormone differences, I was matching girls in my class and was heavily teased by it so I knew I couldn't be all male if I was also growing breasts. Everyone's different but you do feel out of place.

[Smiley]

You can be born with ambiguous genitals



What are ambiguous genitals?

Babies who are born with ambiguous genitals have external genital organs that do not appear clearly male or female, or have features of both. For example, a girl may be born with a large clitoris that resembles a penis, or a boy may have testicles with female-like external genitals. An estimated 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 2,000 babies are affected.



There are many causes of ambiguous genitals, including chromosomal and genetic disorders, hormonal disturbances, enzyme deficiencies, and unexplained abnormalities of the fetal tissues that are destined to become the genitals. The most common cause of ambiguous genitals is an inherited disorder called congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) which, in severe forms, also can disturb kidney function and may cause death. CAH involves an enzyme deficiency that causes the adrenal glands to produce excess amounts of male hormones (androgens). The excess androgens cause the clitoris of a girl with CAH to grow too large, resembling a penis. The disorder, which can be diagnosed with blood tests, requires lifelong treatment with the missing hormones. Affected girls may require surgery to correct the appearance of their genitals. (CAH can be diagnosed before birth with a prenatal test called chorionic villus sampling, allowing for prenatal drug treatment that sometimes can prevent genital defects.)



Another common cause of ambiguous genitals is androgen insensitivity syndrome. Affected babies have male chromosomes (XY) but, due to genetic defects, their cells do not respond or respond incompletely to androgens (male hormones). Babies with complete androgen insensitivity have testes (which usually remain inside the abdomen) and female external genitals, although they do not have a uterus or ovaries. These children are almost always raised as girls and have a completely normal female appearance, although they need treatment with hormones to undergo pubertal changes. Babies with partial androgen sensitivity have cells that partially respond to androgens, and often have ambiguous external genitals.



A number of chromosomal abnormalities also can result in ambiguous genitals. These include gonadal dysgenesis, in which the baby has normal male chromosomes (XY), with either female internal and external genital organs, or ambiguous external genitals and some combination of male and female internal organs.



When a child is born with ambiguous genitals, various diagnostic studies need to be done in an attempt to define the baby?s gender. These will include physical examination, blood tests (including chromosomal analysis and measurement of the levels of various hormones), urine tests and, sometimes, ultrasound examination or surgery to look at the internal organs. A team of medical specialists will use these tests to help determine whether the baby is developing more like a male or female, and may recommend assigning a gender for the baby. They may then recommend hormone therapy or reconstructive surgery on the genitals. Doctors often recommended that a boy with a very underdeveloped penis and other genital ambiguities undergo reconstructive surgery and be raised as a girl. More recently, in such cases, doctors are somewhat more likely to suggest that the parents raise the child as a girl, but to hold off on surgery to see how the child is developing ? and, very importantly, whether the child feels more like a boy or girl. These situations can be extremely difficult for the child and family, so ongoing psychological counseling is strongly recommended.



from The March of Dimes Foundation



Hope I didn't repeat everything said already.

[Spitfire]

Once on the discovery channel their was a show on this, and it showed one person who was born with male and female characteristics. Not only did it have breasts and a penis, it also had female parts down there. I dont remember how extensive the female parts were, but I remember that it couldnt have babies or produce them.