A woman is sitting in her gynecologist's waiting room, and a man walks in and announces to the secretary he is checking in for his pap smear. The woman looks around at all the other women scattered about in the waiting room and stifles a giggle. "He must be joking," she thinks to herself, "the Candid Camera people should be stepping out from behind a plant any minute now." Even the secretary looks confused. But an awkward silence ensues.
It appears that perhaps America needs a little primer on transgender issues. Glancing at the side of Psychology Today's homepage, the "Most Read" and "Most Emailed" sections always include at least one sex, relationship, or pornography-related article. We are clearly enthralled by who's doing it, how they're doing, it and how to do it better. Despite the allure of the kinky and erotic, start talking about a man who identifies as a woman, and people appear to become squeamish.
Granted, in no way will I aim to provide an inappropriate (and let's be honest, tacky) "Transgender 101" for interested audiences. But I strongly believe that if there is dialogue to be had, let us at least speak from an informed point of view. Below you will find what I believe to be 5 of the most common myths about transgendered individuals, as well as a listing of further resources.
Myth 1: Transgender Issues Are a New-Age "Problem"
Myth 2: There Are Only Two Genders: Male and Female
In actuality, for those who are still in the process of exploring their identity, they may not feel comfortable identifying with either gender, and instead endorse a third gender. The appropriation gender neutral pronouns are he/she/ze and him/her/hir.
Myth 3: It's Just Another Way to Get Attention
The transition from male to female or female to male is not one that is taken lightly or one that comes easily. Transgender individuals face a host of problems including hate violence and denial of access to public accommodations, jobs, and housing among others. Imagine a college student who determines that he was born into the wrong body and completes his transition into a female before the start of the new semester. If the dorms are sex-segregated, where is she supposed to live?
Myth 4: Transgendered Individuals Suffer From a Psychiatric Disorder
Yes, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR has a category entitled, "Gender Identity Disorder." The official criteria is as follows:
A. A strong and persistent cross-gender identification (not merely a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex). In children, the disturbance is manifested by four (or more) of the following:
repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that he or she is, the other sex
in boys, preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; in girls, insistence on wearing only stereotypical masculine clothing
strong and persistent preferences for cross-sex roles in make-believe play or persistent fantasies of being the other sex
intense desire to participate in the stereotypical games and pastimes of the other sex
strong preference for playmates of the other sex
B. Persistent discomfort with his or her sex or sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex.
C. The disturbance is not concurrent with a physical intersex condition.
D. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Yet, consider this. Another diagnosis once featured in an earlier version of the manual was "Sexual orientation disturbance [Homosexuality]." As one of the Stanford seminar presenters joked, one morning she had a psychiatric disorder, and by that afternoon she was miraculously cured.
Myth 5: Only Those Who Undergo Gender Reassignment (Gender Confirmation) Surgery Are Considered Transgendered
Individuals may choose to express their sexuality in any number of ways that may or may not include surgery and the use of hormones. The decision and extent to which these are utilized vary on an individual basis, and there are no "rules" that determine whether or not one has fully immersed themselves and transitioned into a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth.
Issues surrounding transgender populations can be initially uncomfortable to talk about. Few know the terminology, what to say, and what not to say. I would consider myself a novice in such terrain. Yet, compassion and willingness to learn go far. In viewing each person as an individual, we find that treating each other with humanity, care, and sensitivity is by no means too much to ask. We can have open and thoughtful dialogue that is respectful and affirming. Hopefully when viewers tune into Dancing With the Stars, they will be watching Chaz for the quality of his Rhumba, rather than to judge him for his sexual identity.
*Special thanks to Stanford University for hosting this highly informative workshop, as well the presenters: Willy Wilkinson, Dr. Sue Rankin, and Dr. Dan Karasic.
Resources:
genderspectrum.org
projectoutlet.org
willywilkinson.com
Family Acceptance Project
Documentary Films:
Transgeneration
Breaking the Silence: LGBTQ Foster Youth Tell Their Stories
diagnosingdiference.com
Goal Auzeen Saedi is a doctoral student at the University of Notre Dame. She is the student chair of the APA Division in Media Psychology.
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