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There seems to be quite a bit of discussion on the Psychological aspects of transsexualism. It should be remembered that the standards that are applied to Science are seldom applied to Psychology. (scientific studies are repeatable, have a reasonable number of test subjects for meaningful statics , researcher keeps a scientific detachment in relation to the subjects, and they have a random selection of test subjects)

Much of the teaching on gender identity is still based on Dr. Money’s fraudulent research in the tragic case of David Reimer. Feel free to Google them.

If we follow science and what actually happens in the brain and fetal development, we can better understand this condition so let’s look at some of the science.

Sexual Identity seems to be set prior to birth, with the most likely cause is the timing and the proportions of the sex hormones the fetus is exposed to.

This actually has quite a bit of evidence:

First we know that the sex hormones can greatly influence mood, aggression, etc. (males that are castrated are less aggressive, men taking Testosterone to build muscle are frequently very aggressive (roid rage), Women frequently have great emotional fluctuations during pregnancy and even sometimes on a monthly basis.) Emotion, aggression etc. are all brain functions.

Next studies have shown that estrogen is required for neurons to make connections with other neurons. (can be produced locally to the neuron and not have to be present to any extent in the blood) Tests have also shown that in the lab, neurons in a high estrogen environment make more connections than those not in a high estrogen environment. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume that the timing and the proportions of the sex hormones the fetus is exposed to could play a part in how the brain develops.

To see if the above assumption may be correct we can look back 40 to 70 years. Due to an out of control drug and medical community between the late-1940s and early 1970s, a very powerful artificial estrogen was frequently prescribed to pregnant women. It was Diethylstilbestrol (DES). In lab tests with both rats and monkeys, the “Male” offspring were much more likely to engage in female sexual behavior. A survey of the “Sons” of mothers that were prescribed DES during pregnancy showed a very high incidence of Transexuality (36.5%) and Trangender (14.3%). The same survey showed a very small percentage for Straight Male (17.5%) If exposed to DES prenatally.

Another interesting fact: The physical brains of Male to Female transsexuals more closely resemble female brains than they resemble male brains. This is true in both the central part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc) and in the proportions of Gray matter to White matter.

It is therefore evident that Transexaulism is not some whim; there is actually something physical that can be pointed to (but only after an autopsy and cutting open the brain)

Now let us look at a more reasonable model of what is going on in a young transgendered child.

The brain is set at birth with some preferences. Around the age of 2 a child tries to find where they fit in . (boy – girl) but with only a child’s understanding of what sex is. I know that I was not told much about the biological differences until around the age of 12.

So from a young child’s point of view there is boy stuff and girl stuff (toys, games, entertainment). And the hard wiring of a person’s brain will influence their preferences on this. So if I like all the girl stuff and none of the boy stuff, I seem to fit the category of “girl” Being social creatures, we want to fit in with “our” group and this will mean wearing the clothes they wear, same kind of haircut, etc.

As the child grows older, their understanding of the world increases. Now maybe they know of more than the binary boy –girl. Maybe they will see that they fit the category of “Gay” better. This would be why many children that believe they are transgender “change their mind” and decide they are just gay. In reality they knew all along that they did not fit the category “boy”, they just have more categories to pick to best describe themselves.

We as human beings are by nature a social animal. Being isolated from others can be devastating. This is why solitary condiment works as an additional punishment in prison. The transsexual child that is forced to live as the sex assigned to them at birth is in a permanent state of social isolation. Rejected by both boys and girls, but being able to see others enjoy what they so desperately want. Always outside looking in, but never welcome to join in.

When the young transsexual is allowed to live as the gender they best fit, they are frequently accepted by others, and no longer a social outcast. This is unfortunately not typical.

Because transgendered people are treated as social outcasts, ridiculed, called sinners, etc, the overall suicide rate is around a 25% .

Finally for the people pushing their religion….. I seem to recall that Jesus said something to the effect “…how you treat the least of my people is how you treat me” Maybe I am here as God made me as a test to see how you will treat the “one of the least” So, Is this how you would treat Jesus? Are you passing the test?