"Science Teacher" TransCult

"But with hormone treatment a male cannot become female, because "female" hormones work on female sexed bodies in a different way to male bodies."
Excellent point!

Apart from rereading 'Testosterone Rex' by Cordelia Fine (winner of a major Royal Society book prize this year, hurrah!), but being a professional scientist (not in a biological or medical area but when has that ever stopped us pontificating at length :-)) -- I'm pondering when this testosterone=maleness=aggression=intellectual capacity, ability to do maths, and knowing how to use a lawnmower and appreciate steam-engines, and oestrogen= pink and fluffiness and inability to read a map stuff came in. A quick google and we have the 1880s, where people already believed that males and females were fundamentally different, so went looking for the 'vital male essence' (some combo of sperm and/or extracts from testicles I presume) that caused all of the wonderful male abilities. Hence the 'monkey glands' referred to in a Sherlock Holmes story, where an aging man took them to try and recover his youth and 'vitality' (think victorian viagra), and instead became more like a monkey (does monkeys a disservice BTW, it was "The Adventure of the Creeping Man", 1923).

Hence the still-prevalent idea that tesosterone=essential maleness, and lack of testosterone (plus maybe some oestrogen)= essential femaleness. The whole complicated hormonal stuff in humans is ignored. Was also used BTW, to supposedly 'explain' homosexuality, although seems to have swung between extra testosterone equals ultra-male equals male homosexuality, and lack of testosterone equals more feminine equals gay man. Plus a bit of butch lesbianism a la Stephen Gordon in 'The Well of Loneliness' is obviously caused by excess testosterone somewhere (hence finger length ratios and prenatal testosterone exposure and people measuring dykes finger lengths at gay pride -- stop sniggering at the back there!).

Hence why trans advocates still sticking to the swap the hormones and the brains will feel better (since they actually have a 'female' brain in a male body so obviously need the proper hormones to feel right!), that trans is some hidden intersex condition and so on.

All of which rests on the basic ideas that men and women are fundamentally different in the head, that wanting to do things that are usually associated with the other sex (like love women, appreciate steam engines, read maps, be able to do maths and physics) means that I must have some testosteroney nonsense in my past, or that some discomfort or friction between your physical body and your social role and expectations can be sorted by a hormone swap job.............

It clearly isn't a real vagina but a poor facsimile. Just goes to show you how they view a vagina though, as a hole for penetration.

I've actually read some pretty disturbing stuff suggesting that TIMs who have had their penis inverted thing that their "vagina" is superior as it is cleaner. It's pretty messed up being so misogynistic and yet trying to transform into a facsimile of what you despise so much.

Apparently this science teacher decided to write this after she saw someone post a 'transphobic' (which wasn't actually transphobic at all imo) meme on facebook.

I'm not sure how listing a bunch of intersex disorders is defending people from transphobia but I do know that as someone with an intersex disorder that I found what was written downright offensive and ignorant.

I am not a third sex or a variation or whatever other offensive BS the TRA's are trying to claim we are. I am still a woman...a woman with a chromosomal abnormality who doesn't have a womb, is infertile and has never had a period and with several health issues as a result of my disorder...but still a woman regardless.

The comments on that post also made me want to smash my head against a keyboard too. How can so many people just willingly accept something a stranger on the internet says without applying any critical thought at all?

I suspect they aren't a biology teacher. Or surely they would have stressed that.

Yes obviously socialisation and culture play a role. I just wanted to state my view that biological differences = hormonal differences = things like testosterone linked to higher levels of aggression.

Infinity, so would you say the idea of aggression and dominance/competitiveness in men linked to testosterone etc is part of sex?

I would agree with infinity, to a point. Just look at male horses and bulls. I think the way we minimise, excuse and accept male aggression is down to nurture though.

to go back to the OP....just because someone says they are a science teacher, doesn't necessarily mean they are. Even if they were and their area was, say, chemistry, that doesn't give them any authority to speak about biology.

There's no need to say sorry. I respect differing views, I just give my own to add to the discussion.

I was very lib fem myself up until a few years ago. Im more and more concerned at the impact of trans issues on women though and my eyes have been opened to a lot of concerning developments.

I just can't get on the Blaire appreciation team for the reasons I've outlined.

Sorry my post above should read Blaire's views on gender are inextricably linked to her views on trans issues

Infinity, so would you say the idea of aggression and dominance/competitiveness in men linked to testosterone etc is part of sex?

Yes it is a result of their biological sex. We don't need the concept of gender to describe/understand this.

lilac Blaire's views on gender are obviously inextricably linked to her views on gender and she also buys into the whole 'TERF' nonsense which is part of her views on feminism.

I can sometimes separate out someones views on one thing and look at them overall, depending on the significance of the issue, but in this case, no Blaire's views on transgenderism aren't as refreshing as you are suggesting.

I agree with infinity. It's not all about hormones but they are a major part of it. It is definitely (IMO) not about a magical gender essence.

But with hormone treatment a male cannot become female, because "female" hormones work on female sexed bodies in a different way to male bodies.

Hormones are a function of biology though, so my view is that they impact on the different sexes in different ways. Doesn't have to have anything to do with gender and you don't have to accept gender as a concept to acknowledge those differences.

Lilac you are perfectly entitled to hold whatever view you like, as is Blaire.

However Blaire's views on gender are in opposition to what the prevailing view is on the feminism board though, so it's a safe bet she wouldn't be hailed as someone to admire and her views on feminism would clearly have an impact on that too.

Excellent meme! I call cuttlefish...

It's not you.

Lilac

Blaire is an anti-feminist who, whilst she doesn't believe she can change biological sex, does buy into gender nonsense.

I've even heard a transgendered woman claiming that as she can have sex with her neo-vagina, then it is a functioning vagina. No, it's a surgical wound that can be penetrated, it is not even a vagina - let alone a 'functioning' one. If you have to dilate your "vagina" just so the skin won't sew itself back together then how is it a real vagina?

It clearly isn't a real vagina but a poor facsimile. Just goes to show you how they view a vagina though, as a hole for penetration.