RE: Let’s see if we can discuss transgender issues without name calling. I think we can!
Okay, so, first of all, I do understand where you are coming from. Obviously, you are somewhat misinformed on some issues, and that is okay. You don't seem to be coming from a place of hate or wrong-doing, but that does not mean all that you have said is correct or alright. In my honest opinion, this post does come across as a bit of an attack and trying to bank on 'sensationalising' both being LGBT supportive and being called a bigot. For someone who would be truly interested in learning, I would suggest research rather than listing opinions and asking for a discussion, but I guess it pays better to be a little controversial on steemit.
There are children who know that they are trans. It's reality. There are no gender-reassignment surgeries for kids, only puberty blockers which block hormones. The worst case scenario is that a child identifies as a different gender and takes puberty blockers, and as an adult reverses their decision. It doesn't happen frequently, but if it does, I can assure you, that they would still be much happier and healthier than if they are transgender and denied the right for puberty blockers or expressing themselves in their authentic identity. This is not just for transgender kids, but all kids have a responsibility and freedom to be who they are, and when you take that, you are taking much more than just their appearance. As someone who wants to be a parent in the future, I would rather have a child who is confused and unsure of their decisions, learning that they have responsibility over their lives, rather than me deciding on them who they are and ending up harming their mental state and being forever hated for not allowing them to be who they are.
As for the 'he/she' argument, I prefer to use 'they' if I am unsure of what to use. It's a general term. We don't need to get stuck on the patriarchal 'he'. This is not just related to LGBT population, but even women. Let's say I went to talk to the manager. If I say 'he', you know I am being sexist and asserting that most likely, the manager is a male. However, it would be much more respectful to everyone if I say they, or "the manager". I heard you comment that "The old ways were certainly simpler." The old ways were women were unable to vote, they are slaves at home, servants to their men. They would not be allowed to express their opinion like you are today. Our freedom of speech comes with an increased responsibility to know what we are talking about.
I think the comparison between transvestites and transgender kids is uncalled for. If someone enjoys wearing dresses, let them wear dresses. If they only enjoy doing it periodically, they would try out other clothes as well, but if not, I doubt you will have to worry about it. Let everyone express themselves as they like.
"But if a whole generation is trans, there is probably something wrong, and it needs to be talked about."
This is the most problematic statement of all. There is something wrong with being considered as a second-class citizen or an inferior subspecies. There are no whole generations that are trans to even justify this question.
One of the biggest reasons that there are many LGBT people nowadays is that a lot of cis-heterosexual couples have a lot of babies. With such an overpopulation on the Earth, there will be increased variety. The real environmental and demographic problem in today's world is arguably heterosexual couples who have many children. Overpopulation is one of the biggest risks to Earth, and even with the introduction of contraception, these hetero people keep breeding and infesting the Earth. For those that truly care about not just our race but also our planet, please, hunt these heterosexual people and stop them from breeding so rapidly!
hi @kiwideb. Interesting discussion to raise. I agree with most of what @poetrybyjeremy has said here ^
I think one of the reasons some people raised in a heteronormative world perceive an increase in trans appearance people is because it's becoming safer now for ALL people to wear the clothes they want to wear. It's still not safe in many places of course, but it's a lot safer than it was even 30 years ago.
I also think that more people just enjoy wearing more variety of clothes, including things that express and play with gender identity. I think most people are on a spectrum of sexuality as well.
I don't know much about puberty blockers- I'd like to find out more about the pros and cons and hear from people who have taken them and those who haven't (and their families & loved ones).
I appreciate @poetrybyjeremy 's replies and think he makes some good points.
That might be why some people perceive the increase. What I'm (maybe mistakenly) seeing is nothing to do with clothes. You know me well enough to know that nobody cares less what people wear than I do. If I have given the impression this is about appearances, I've expressed myself extremely badly!
My comment was more in response to your comment,
"But if a whole generation is trans, there is probably something wrong, and it needs to be talked about."
Like @poetrybyjeremy, I didn't know why you were asking that. I thought maybe you were saying that on the surface it looks to you like our world might be becoming trans.
"Nowadays, there seems to be no talk of transvestites, only of transgender. "
I mentioned this recently to a friend. But I think it might be because the word trans does cover the spectrum of identity. But also it might be because transvestites, drag, cross-dressing as well as tom-boy style and fem-styles are all just becoming part of the way people dress and nobody really cares to comment because it's not really an issue anymore for many of us.
So maybe it's just not much in the discussion because it doesn't need the air time that people who are transitioning with surgeries and bio-chemical assistance need?
I want to make a couple of explanatory edits to the post, as I can see that some of what I thought was clear wasn't. The transvestites vs transgender is more about clarification. When I hear someone say "a trannie" I have to ask "which kind?". It's because they are so different that the clear distinction is so important for understanding that person.
As far as the whole generation, I didn't mean that it is now. There is an IF in there. My point was really that we need to start talking about it now, and understanding why it's increasing, rather than wait till it's too late. And I do think that is within the realms of possibility, at some future time.
To answer the accusation (not by you, but it could be flung back at me after what I just said) of being afraid - why would I be? I'm an cis female white baby boomer with no children. It doesn't affect me one bit. But it affects a lot of other human beings, both within and outside the LGBT community, and it affects the future of our society. And I kinda think that matters.
Thank you for your courteous response @poetrybyjeremy. Although I can see that some of what I intended to say has been misunderstood (and I accept the fault for that is mine), you have politely given me some things to think about.
That's okay, we all learn from our mistakes. As a cis-male, I admit that I am not an expert either. I am pretty sure I have said the wrong things or not known the right things, and probably still lack awareness and information on certain regards. :)