Not much of a content post this time around, but some links to chew on. At Pam’s House Blend, Autumn Sandeen and LenaD discussed “Real Life Experience” and detransitioning, in this case focused on the public de-transitioning of LA Times sportswriter Christine Daniels back to her original name, Mike Penner. I find this paragraph of Autumn’s post especially interesting:
I know there are other reasons than the ones my therapist cites. Sometimes the reason is relating to faith, where one becomes an “ex-transsexual” or “ex-transgender” (the trans equivalents to “ex-gay”). Sometimes it’s because the person really isn’t a transsexual, and an unsuccessful RLE catches them before they experience transsexual regret. Since my therapist doesn’t practice conversion (or reparative) therapy, she wouldn’t see those who are detransitioning for reasons of faith. But, it is interesting that in all the years of her practice, she’s never seen a transsexual who has detransitioned due to because the detransitioner has figured out that he or she really wasn’t transsexual — all of her detransitioners have detransitioned due to external pressures.
I’m not really sure what I think on all of this and don’t feel qualified to comment; I’m more in the “listen and process” stage. However, this did strike me as interesting in light of Lisa’s post at Questioning Transphobia on “I wouldn’t wish transsexuality on my worst enemy.” If nothing else, the assertion that ‘those who detransition do so due to outside societal pressure’ matches up with her belief–a belief I agree with–that “being trans is just like being cis, except, well, for not being cis. It’s not worse or better.”
5 responses so far ↓
jayinchicago // October 26, 2008 at 1:49 pm |
I don’t think many trans people even do a real life test anymore, as far as I’ve heard. Though, I guess since I had a “male presentation” since the age of 15, I wasn’t changing my ‘presentation’ and in fact had been living a part time RLE for ten years. I wish Autumn would have included that the RLE is a totally optional part of the SOC (well, of course the SOC are totally optional themselves) and it’s listed as *therapy* and/OR *RLE*. If I’m remembering right.
I never lived as an adult woman, so I find a lot of the other things she is saying not to pertain to me.
jayinchicago // October 26, 2008 at 1:56 pm |
Also, I’m working on a comment over there–but I am really uncomfortable with this idea a male assigned person who is “detransitioning” to a male presentation “can never go back to being a ’standard issue hetero guy.’” as one of the commenters over there said. Does that mean a trans man can never be a standard hetero guy either? That would be news to some men of I know.
averydame // October 26, 2008 at 2:20 pm |
I never lived as an adult woman, so I find a lot of the other things she is saying not to pertain to me.
This, in part, is why I hesitate to comment and would rather hear others’ reactions. I don’t know or have any related experiences, so I’m not sure what some of the context is here.
I am really uncomfortable with this idea a male assigned person who is “detransitioning” to a male presentation “can never go back to being a ’standard issue hetero guy.’” as one of the commenters over there said. Does that mean a trans man can never be a standard hetero guy either?
Hmm, I’m not entirely sure. Part of me feels that statement ties into how trans men can be more “accepted” due to their relation to butchness and are seen as transgressive, but trans women are somehow reifying the gender binary (i.e. the hypocrisy of MWMF); thus, it’d be okay if he just went back to ‘being butch’ or such. But then again, looking at that statement keeping such things in mind, it also presumes that any “standard hetero guy” who, I dunno, ‘crossdresses’ (I’m not sure if he did, but I presume people will make such assumptions) is irreparably marked for daring to step outside the narrow societal confines of masculine gender presentation.
It is, if nothing else, a very unfortunate statement.
jayinchicago // October 26, 2008 at 3:58 pm |
avery, it’s possible i’m misunderstanding what the meaning is behind the “standard hetero guy” statement. What I thought they meant had to do with possible surgery/surgeries, and the effects of female hormones–and maybe the effect of a segment of one’s life “as female” or believed to be female. All of which obviously have interesting parallels with some ftm experiences.
Lisa Harney // October 26, 2008 at 4:05 pm |
It reminds me of something else I came across years ago, that a man who has sex with another man is permanently gay and can never go back – bisexuality didn’t exist, apparently, nor could men who are trying to figure out their orientation. You had to be rigidly heterosexual or you were gay forever and always.