Born In The Wrong Body (What Is The True Meaning Of Identity?)

[Stacyzee]

There are so many different medical diagnoses that have people feeling as if they were trapped inside the wrong body. These people usually experience a great period of their lives unhappy in the body they have no choice being in.

Below are a few of the medical diagnosis I have decided to list...

Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) - Is a psychological disorder wherein sufferers feel they would be happier living as an amputee, or being "transabled." It is related to xenomelia, "the oppressive feelin that one or more limbs of one's body do not belong to one's self."

Credibility - Wikipedia

Transgender - Is the state of one's gender identity not matching one's assigned sex.

Credibility - Wikipedia

Transracial - When a person who is born of one race, makes the decision to become or represent themselves as another race.

Credibility - Urban Dictionary

Some of these people are able to live their lives (with contentment) by transitioning into who they feel they should have been born as.

Do you agree these people deserve to establish their true sense of happiness?

If someone feels they are black but are genetically white,

Should they be allowed to claim that racial background?

If someone feels they should have been born an amputee,

Should they by all measures go to extreme lengths to achieve that?

If someone feels as if they should have been born a man but are genetically female,

Should they acquire that change through gender reassignment surgery?

If we are okay with ONE of these....then why not be okay with all of them?

Why or why not?

As time progresses there are more and more medical diagnoses that are coming to surface where one as a feeling of inadequacy because they have no control of which the way they were born.

If all of these are accepted in society (and we allow people to live the way they want to live without questioning it) then how would the word "identity" truly be defined?

Does ones true identity lie within the way they see themselves?

Or how our society percieves them?

Identity cannot be found or fabricated but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.

[gotc147]

Anybody with any of these conditions should be ridiculed and given the help they need for their obvious mental illness.

Accepting things like this drags us down as a society, it blurs or even eliminates every single line humans have to guide them in life concerning what is normal and what isn't. It would be one thing if it simply changed the lines but it doesn't, it simply makes them difficult or impossible to see.

One of those lines is the one between attention and affirmation/validation. When people who have problems see society not only accepting, but applauding people like Bruce Jenner for being "brave" for embracing what is so blatantly obviously a severe mental defect it makes them believe that they would be seen the same way if they embraced their problems. That means more Dylann Roof's, Adam Lanza's and Elliot Rodgers' will surface and commit horrendous atrocities in search of attention, taking it as affirmation.

For those people with less dangerous problems, this same line blurring could very well encourage them to take on more problems to seek more attention, all while society cheers them on.

Nobody is ever truly happy with who they are, there is always SOMETHING we want to change (usually something to do with the body), but the vast majority of us simply come to accept who we are and live with it. This is another issue that arises with accepting these kinds of people with their problems. Kids, especially girls, have a hard enough time finding who they are and accepting themselves, why would we want to encourage them to think it's better to go and mutilate themselves?

What about those who do not fall into the trap? The ones who do manage to accept who they are? We teach them that it's better to let their friend destroy their life than risk offending them, this breeds entire generations of close-minded, hostile drones not capable of thinking for themselves.

I'm only 27, but when I was a kid I was frequently told "life isn't fair", we desperately need to get back to that way of thinking lest we flush what is left of salvageable society down the toilet.

[SilenRose]

I believe these are all mental illnesses. However, I find it hypocritical for people who support transgenders to dismiss transracial.

[PerdantRoi]

How is being transgender a mental illness?

[ThisIsAUserNameFact]

There is a lack of alignment with the assigned gender and the gender identity, I haven't read enough scientific publications to know if there is an actualy physiological or anatomical lack of alignment, perhaps someone else could look it up. If there is a lack of physiological or anatomical alignment is it an ailment of the mind or of the body, is it even an ailment at all?

Some may feel it's an ailment of the body and transition, though in the UK (and I'm not sure if this has changed now) transitioning is a form of treatment for GID, gender identity disorder; GID can lead to forms of depression and it tends to arise from the stress caused by an extreme discontent with assigned gender.

N. B
GID is not the same as transexualism, though transexualism may lead to GID if a transexual becomes increasingly unhappy with his/her assigned gender.

[GlamFelix]

My thoughts on each:

first, body integrity disorder. If a person wishes to amputate, to me, that is their decision. I don't think I can understand it, but if they can do it without harming others, safely, well, perhaps that might actually be useful--perhaps one day, otherwise healthy limbs amputated from such people could be used on those who were amputees because of an accident. It's a strange idea but either way, I'm going to mostly be pro choice about this, neither for or against. I would think it's a bad idea, but it doesn't hurt others, only themselves, and maybe it doesn't hurt them, I don't and can't know.

transracial... this is hard. I think the main issue I have, specifically with this, is that Rachel lied. It's not that she wanted to live life as a black woman but that she lied.

I am transgender and I myself am pretty conflicted about this, I don't know too well what to think. But my being transgender does not harm another body, and Rachel's lies have. It's not so much the racial thing, and I don't really know what to think yet.

I believe transgender people should be able to live as they want, because a) everyone should be able to present their appearance as they identify (so in this way I do not oppose Rachel), and if someone assigned male at birth is truly female, I don't see how that is a problem. Perhaps gender is something the human race can grow out of--much as I hope that 'race', meaning black, white, etc., is also something we grow out of. We're the same species.

[gotc147]

See my answer for how these things hurt others.

[GlamFelix]

so, are you saying you think transgender people are doing it solely for attention? Caitlyn Jenner is a part of the Kardashian family, I'm sure you know what they are famous for. If you take a look around you at the lgbtq+ community, you might realize that transgender people are not doing it for attention. In fact, most transgender people go through a period of having to hide their identity because of abuse that is likely to stem from it. You should do some research on what is medically known about transgender people.

[gotc147]

My comment was in reference to how these things hurt people, something you seemed to not understand, I simply tried to explain it to you.

And yeah, they're trying so hard to hide their identities that they have a "pride" day, complete with parades.

[GlamFelix]

I still don't understand how you think being transgender hurts others, actually, that didn't seem very clear in your answer. And yes, pride day. A day when people who are murdered, harassed, driven to suicide and not permitted to be themselves in many places want to be, for once, in a safe, fun environment.

Shocking.

[gotc147]

As I said in my answer, it blurs or destroys the lines we as humans use to guide ourselves through life and remaining "normal".

Now, I fully understand that what passes for "normal" can vary from place to place, but there are still lines in life that you simply cannot cross. It is not normal for example, to want to kill your mother, steal her guns then go kill 20 first graders and 6 of their educators, someone who does this has a very serious problem and needs to be institutionalized do you not agree?

[GlamFelix]

yes, i agree that murder is wrong. I somehow don't see how that really equates with someone born with, say, 'female' parts and the wish to present as male. As long as they aren't murdering people, committing crimes that hurt others... I present as male, people use male pronouns for me. I'm not hurting anyone. And if my identity--something that's not a choice AND isn't hurting anyone, is something that should be classified as 'wrong', I wonder how far these views extend on your part. I'm not going to ask because I don't want to be hurt anymore. I am going to back out of this as a debate because my goal online is to remain reasonable and not lose my temper, but you've frankly upset me and I don't want to force you to deal with my anger and reasonable upset.

[RedThread]

How does one feel a race? Race is a social concept based on skin color usually. People within a race can act however the hell they want. People can be a part of whatever culture they want. There's no defining mental or physical characteristic that really distinguishes between races since we are all the member of the same species. This is why concepts like "acting black/white/asian" don't make sense and serve to only pigeonhole people within different communities.

The sex we are born with is a completely different thing entirely. Sex is not a social concept even though GENDER is. Gender roles given by society have changed throughout history with the rise and fall of different cultures. Sex is a difference on a genetic level whereas gender is just a social construct. Someone like Bruce Jenner can't just adopt a different culture to achieve what he feels he has been lacking since childhood. He can't change his attitude to stop feeling like a prisoner in his own body. Even psychologists claim that using pronouns they desire is very therapeutic to them. These things go a long way to making them feel good to live as the sex they believe themselves to be. Transitioning can finally help someone achieve peace and harmony. How can I reject that?

I haven't done enough research on body integrity disorder to really comment on that.

[KHaskins]

The first two examples are mental illnesses. One we treat with medication (as opposed to lopping off a perfectly healthy appendage), one we "treat" by surgically mutilating the sufferer and shaming the rest of society into playing along.

The last example is a political opportunist who made a career out of driving a wedge between peoples and keeping old wounds open, fostering hatred and resentment so she could prop herself up as the savior of the downtrodden. What else are we to call a white woman who lambasted black men who married whites as "race-traitors," fabricated racist abuses against herself and discouraged other non-whites from participating in the "Black Lives Matter" campaign?

There is one group you didn't include in your list: sufferers of the Cotard delusion believe they are dead. As with BIID, doctors aren't partial to the idea of "helping" its sufferers by making reality concord with fantasy.

Good article:
yiannopoulos.net/.../

[KHaskins]

*other non-blacks

[bubble_tea]

Body Integrity Identity Disorder sounds like the new buzzword for the special snowflakes who are just begging for attention since wishing to be anorexic isn't shocking enough anymore. It is really damaging to those people with actual BIID who actually go through with disfiguring themselves.
The woman in the video could just do it with a chainsaw and call 911 before proceeding with it to save her life. Money is not as big of a problem as she makes it out to be.

Bruce Jenner has looked female to me years before she came out. She looked more like a woman dressed in a suit than a man dressed in a suit to me.

Rachel Dolezal can tan herself as much as she wants, curl her hair as much as wants. What's wrong is that she lies about being biracial (or so I read) and thus denies one parent of hers. I'd be hurt if I was her mother and she claims a black woman was her mother, not me.

[Bonnie12I27I12]

how could you possibly feel black, white, Asian, or Latino? im sorry but it just sounds stupid. i love rap and the majority of rappers are black. does that mean i feel black? no. race isn't something you can feel. its not even possible to say that people may want to be another race because of the way they are being treated. in all fairness some whites are total assholes to other races. should those people change their race? no. absolutely not. the whole amputee thing is pretty stupid too. those people should just see a therapist. im fine with trans people.

[YourFutureEx]

If it's labeled as disorder then how can it be right? I don't oppose anything. Do whatever it's good for your survival.

[Stacyzee]

What about the rest of these?

[Stacyzee]

The others aren't disorders.
Anyway thanks for the response.
so you agree people should live however they want

[YourFutureEx]

Do you agree these people deserve to establish their true sense of happiness?
-Yes

If we are okay with ONE of these... then why not be okay with all of them?
Why or why not?
-I shared something on a myTake :-
"I don't support this because "transgender" is about 'gender' which is NOT based upon biological difference between 'sex' ie. visible difference between genitalia. It's about the 'masculinity' or 'femininity' of the person. While, "transrace" is biological thing. The difference between person's race. It is fact, not the person's feelings. It is sheer "identity disorder".
BUT who cares? I think soon there will be BS like "Transcitizenship" where an American will say that he/she was born in Kenya ; "Transorganism" where a person will say that he/she feels like that he/she is a chimpanzee or amoeba.
Do what you wanna do and survive, that's all!"

[YourFutureEx]

Does ones true identity lie within the way they see themselves?
-No. Everybody wants to become something/someone but reality depends upon several factors set-up by society.

[Stacyzee]

Good answer.
I don't think people will look at these diagnoses as closely when they hear them and specify exactly whether they are biological or an identity issue. All they will see is someone not wanting to be what they were born.
I agree that i think the "trans" prefix is getting out of control and I stated this somewhere else on this site.
I feel solid identity will not remain if we all become accepting of each and everyone of these.
the line has to somehow be drawn between what is acceptable and what is not.
And yes survival is what matters the most.

thanks for ur answer :)

[YourFutureEx]

Exactly! (Y)

The pleasure is all mine :)

[vishna]

Great take.
I think when it comes to transracial type situations, it's best, if the person truly admires another ethnicity, to say so. It's possible to fully immerse yourself in something and not lose yourself.

Transgender people have every right in the world to take actions to be happy and complete. I support the fact that being transgender is not a choice and is biological.

[Takada]

I can't understand BIID and transracial people. Mostly because it's a fairly new concept to me. But I recognize that all of these should be taken seriously. If people want to look different or change their body, then what business of ours is it what they do with themselves?

[Bandit74]

They can identify as whatever they want but to me Rachel is white and Caitlyn is a man who spent a lot of money on cosmetic surgeries and a new wardrobe.

People say Rachel can't identify as black because she never experienced what it's like to be black or faced the challenges they have.

Well Caitlyn spent over 60 years as a man, never had a period, can't get pregnant and faced any of the challenges a typical woman would have

[PinkT15]

I agree.

[Azara]

gender and race are bullshit categories. yeah a person should live as whatever they want long as they are not stepping on others to do so. inversely prejudice is stepping on others just to stray ass you are.

[ObscuredBeyond]

It is impossible to deny the difference between male and female without eventually stepping on someone. Case in point: Italy forcing boys to dress and girls for a class exercise, completely without foreknowledge nor consent from the boys nor their parents.

And make no mistake: consent is the next thing that will come under attack. Sexual elitists will now make a philosophical argument to eradicate age of consent laws. They are already doing it. Using similar twisted logic to how Sadean Nazi politics got so popular in the first place.

As for race: we are all one blood. There is no "better monkey." Darwin was a fairy tale.

[Azara]

stay as not stray ass.

[apexalpha]

Are transexuals mentally ill according to your take?

[Stacyzee]

Transgenders is also known as "gender identity disorder" . In order for something to be a disorder, it must interfere with your every day life and natural functioning. Because these three things I have listed interferes with these peoples every day lives, then by definition they are known as identity disorders by Wikipedia.
Whether I agree with these are not is a different issue.
All I will say is I have a transgender.
But however, I feel the line must be drawn somewhere because there are many coming out with different identity issues. They too feel they should be accepted also.

[Stacyzee]

*I have a transgender friend

[Stacyzee]

How do you feel about this topic?

[apexalpha]

OK I get your point

[Stacyzee]

Also, I'd like to add.
People that have mental illnesses need to see therapists and be treated. And this is what MOST people suffering from being transgender do.
I define illness as being "sick" but I do not look at them this way.
I treat these people normally, like I would any one else which is why I would hate to refer to it as a mental illness although some may look at it as such.

They have no control over their feelings or thoughts.

[Stacyzee]

Do you have a view on this?

[apexalpha]

If I am an earthling would I become a Martian if I painted my self green. No! I think you are what you are born as period.

[Stacyzee]

:) ok.

[Anonymous]

It's called a mental disorder, liberals. The chromosomes won't change just because you don't like them. How does Bruce feel like a woman without stereotyping what a woman's personality is to begin with? He's a woman who still has a penis? Yeah, that's normal.

[Skadouchebag]

I just submitted a mytake with the same idea: www.girlsaskguys.com/.../a11024-trans-what-how-does-that-work

[BiffWebster]

Look someone that wants to have an amputation or wants to live as a paraplegic, something is severely wrong with them.

[georgesoap]

transgender identity, search for it in google or go to read it in a scientific book.
i see those people as victims.

[kxera]

I don't believe in transracialism. You don't just wake up and feel black.

[Stacyzee]

Well It doesn't necessarily happen that way.
It happens during childhood but.. every one knows Rachel is a fraud.
Do you believe someone can feel they are the wrong race from early child hood?

[kxera]

No, you cannot feel that you're in the wrong race. Being black is not some costume. Rachel is a mockery. Being black isn't just about what you wear. We've lost sense of identity due to slavery and worldwide colonization. She can say she likes the culture black people created for themselves but she will never know what it means to truly be black. She can act or think she is black all she wants but she'll still be and be treated like a white woman like she is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRxN3HDRKD4

[kxera]

For gender, our bodies as we are developing actually release the male and female hormone and we have both genes so feeling "out of place" isn't completely stupid, but even gender roles are developed by society. Wanted to wear a dress doesn't make you trans. Several transgender people feel out of place because they don't identify with the gender roles in society which are stupid anyway.

[Stacyzee]

Like I said Rachel is a fraud. I agree with every thing you said. I don't believe her story at all.
Even her parents say she's making a lot of things up. (She said she identified with black culture as a child and would draw all of her drawings with a brown crayon instead of peach).
Aside from Rachel, You believe there's no such thing as being transracial at all?
That's what I am getting from your response.
Just want to make it clear.

[Stacyzee]

So you believe in transgender?

[kxera]

Race isn't just about dark skin. Skin color doesn't truly define people. Genetically speaking, you can't feel as though you are a race. Sure, you can get some skin darkener and do the michael jackson thing in reverse, but you can't truly change your race or feel as though you are another race. Nationality wise, if you are born African, you can be an Italian nationality wise because you have a tie to that sense of culture, but your race is still the same.

[kxera]

I'm not saying I believe in transgender. I'm just saying the idealism of it makes more sense. To be medically or pollictically correct, sex and gender aren't the same. Sure, you can be "transgender". Google's definition of gender is "the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones)" while sex is genetic so sure, you can identify as a different gnder, but your sex stays the same.

[Stacyzee]

I don't believe in transracialism either. I didn't state my actual opinion about any of this in this article
Transracial is a rather new term I believe which only came up in the case of Rachel.
I've seen people try to change their race and become something their not, but I've never heard someone say they feel trapped in the wrong skin.
I do however also believe transgenders and BIID.
Thanks for sharing your opinions.

[kxera]

Oh alright. I did have sort of the assumption that you were trying to convince me that transracial was real, but yea, lightening or darkening your skin doesn't change who you, but transgender is technically real since gender is more of how you identify yourself rather than your genetics.

[Noxifer626]

N°1 is a mental disorder, not related to being transgender or "transracial".
N°3 doesn't exist. Gender is not based in genetics. Ethnicity is. Also, I don't see any black people pretending they are white.

[SilenRose]

Back in the day they did when racism was much more prominent.

[SilenRose]

Also xx and xy are based in genetics.

[Noxifer626]

That is sex, not gender.

[ThisIsAUserNameFact]

Not sure what you mean, you have to distinguish if you are talking about social science or natural science.

[ObscuredBeyond]

Gnosticism is just as incorrect today as it was thousands of years ago.

[miserybusiness]

Say what you will but the whole "transracial" thing is stupid.

[jacquesvol]

I feel I'm a billionaire, trapped in the body of a commoner.
It really feels awful.