Completely missed the blowup of the transgender issue regarding Manning...

[Humanist_Activist]

and the transphobia and ignorance displayed on this board. Not to surprised about that second part, but what I don't understand is the difficulty people have in calling transgendered people such as Chelsea Manning what they want you to call them. Some going so far as to insult her by using "s/he" or "it".

Now, some background, for clarification, and anyone who wants to correct me on my terminology, but I'm a straight oriented cisgendered male(born male, feel male), I believe that's the most accurate way to describe me. I have yet to knowingly meet a transgendered person, IRL. I would like to, wouldn't mind expanding my circle of friends, but the opportunity never arose.

So, that's me, a stereotype for ignorance, and insensitivity, to complete this, I'm also so white I blind myself in the mirror when I wake up in the morning, and I don't tan, I burn.

But despite this demographic stack against me, I don't understand why people find it difficult to call people what they identify with, and what they ultimately are. Maybe its because I grew up in a household where "normal" whether related to mental or physical well being didn't really apply, or where discussing mental and physical issues wasn't verboten.

Or maybe it was because I remember my lessons from High School Biology and realize that biology is extremely messy, and despite our best attempts to make everyone and everything fit in a neat place, nature comes up with exceptions that defy the rules. This is why, to be frank, but physical genitalia and bodies is probably the poorest way to determine gender identity, because there are so many fuck ups to it, and variations within.

Ultimately there is a physical difference that does matter, the differences in the brain itself, all studies up to this point have demonstrated strong evidence and correlation with brains being gendered, and those genders matching what transgendered people feel about themselves. Someone who identifies as female has a female brain, and someone who identifies as male has a male brain, what they have in their pants is independent of this. This isn't pop psychology, but physiological differences that can be measured by some of those fancy machines doctors use to diagnose illnesses, and also dissection.

To me, this is truly the only gender identity and physical difference that matters, we ARE our brains, to put it simply, most people are born in bodies that match the gender of the brain, but some are not. It would be best for us cisgendered people to demonstrate some sensitivity and understanding, and recognize that transgendered people have a hard rode ahead because biology is messy, and we should do the best of what current and future technology can offer to treat them and help them transition physically whenever possible.

Sorry, just took about an hour looking at post that infuriated me in their inaccuracy. Also, I welcome criticism in my use of terms, I'm not kidding when I say I don't know many transgendered individuals, and I really am guessing as to the proper terminology for some things, but the pronouns people want to be called is NOT one of those.