Body modification?

[JellySlice]

Are the physical changes trans people make to their bodies any different in nature and purpose to the other body modifications that people make to their bodies?

What did you do to that poor website?

?

Better?

I don't know!

https://m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/women-body-modification-roger-kisbynn_7612532

That link works.

They saw us coming.

I do not care about the body mods adults have done to themselves.
I care about gender and quality laws that prioritize belief over material reality and the body modifications adults, both doctors and parents, are doing to children.

I agree, but that's not what I'm asking about.

I wonder as well. Not the ordinary tattoos, piercings etc but ones like these:

www.rebelcircus.com/blog/man-obsessed-body-modification-opens-tattooed-entire-body-black-ink/

metro.co.uk/2016/03/25/man-who-looks-like-parrot-changes-his-name-to-parrotman-5775450/

At a young age, Katzen had dreams of having her body filled with tiger stripes...
www.tattoodo.com/a/2015/11/meet-katzen-hobbes-the-tiger-lady/

It's an intense discontent/discomfort with the natural given body and a longing to for it to be different; the difference desired is the choice of the individual and subject to societal forces e.g. gender. Physical changes are made accordingly.

It depends, I'm sure there'll be some overlaps in motivation (eg. some will be after sexual thrills, some will be doing it to change how others react to them), but I don't think you could generalise as the reasons behind body mods are so varied.

The biggest difference though is that people with body mods don't expect laws to change to accommodate their personal decisions.

Is it possible to have any thread that doesn't crowbar trans issues in to it?

The thread about John McLean was derailed within a few posts. Even if no one was accusing him of AGP what could have been a thread actually being nice about an eccentric and interesting individual became indistinguishable from every other trans thread.

And this one- a series of beautiful photographs of extraordinary looking people but, hey ho, ignore that and let's find the trans angle.

You've got it entirely back to front, LassWiADelicateAir. I was wonderful why (som)e trans people would want to make such drastic and irreversible changes to their bodies, and trying to find something to relate it to, a parallel. Only then did body modification occur to me.

I deliberately chose attractive images to illustrate this, not going for the most extreme examples, to avoid accusations of prejudice or bias.

Really?

This thread reads like nothing more than a new way of criticising trans people. Particularly given those members of the trans community who will have undergone the most serious body changes will be what is referred to as "old style transsexuals"

As for your question-no I don't think there are any parallels to be drawn.

Frankly if "peak trans" is a real thing this thread "peak monomania about trans"

You're looking for something to be offended about.

I neither made nor implied any criticism. I made no judgements. You are the one being judgemental with your "old style transsexuals".

Peak NoDebate.

Thanks for your replies, Hulo and GoodyMog. I don't know all that much about body modification, so am interested that you see both similarities and differences.

I apologize for my first response. It was inappropriate.
In answer to your question, no, I don't think so.
These people appear to be using their body as a canvas for artistic expression. To be even more who they are. Embellishing, if you will.

The transgender argument is that they were born in a body of the wrong sex and instead of coming to terms with the sex of the body they were born in they will change it until it looks as much like the body they want as they can manage.

Some people enjoy the power to change their body so much that they become addicted to cosmetic surgery.

You are the one being judgemental with your "old style transsexuals

I was quoting a phrase much used on here by several posters (not me) to describe those trans people they do approve of so don't lecture me about being judgemental.

I do not think this thread is in good faith. There is an AIBU at the moment about FWR's obsession about trans issues and your thread proves the point.

radfem.org/unpacking-queer-politics/
Sheila Jefferys thinks so. In this wonderful book free to read on line she has an entire chapter on how bdsm and cutting to relief anxiety became problems for lesbians and were central to queer politics and relates these to body modificaton, branding and piercing.
I find it hard not to interpret the sort of modficatons you post as anything except passive aggressive to people in general who find them repulsive and I think the people who do it know this and don't care how others feel, to me that implies deep psychological problems. Of course in rl I am perfectly pleasant to anyone regardless of how they choose to portray themselves....nevertheless...

"... don't lecture me about being judgemental."

"I do not think this thread is in good faith. "

I do not think the irony was intentional here.

I’m not sure what you’re asking, OP.

I don’t know why that article made you think of trans people at all actually

The article did not make me think of trans. I went looking for images to illustrate my thoughts.

I had been think of a youngish trans woman I know, who is partway through physical transitioning, and is hoping to alter her voice. When we talk, I hear a mellow, light tenor voice, and I also hear how much happier and more relaxed this person is now than they were when I first met them 10y ago.

Trying to understand why my acquaintance would want to put herself through it. Trying to reflect upon my own experiences to understand hers.

Most of us modify our bodies or our appearance to some degree. I have pierced ears for practical reasons: clip-on earrings hurt. I wear bras that make my boobs look 20 years younger than the rest of me. I don't have any tattoos, but I have considered getting a cosmetic one.

All these things are so normal that they escape notice. It's only when the changes caused by them become very obvious and inescapable that observers become uncomfortable about them. But presumably the people making these changes to themselves become more comfortable about themselves, whether for artistic reasons, or sexual reasons, or emotional reasons, or any of the other reasons suggested in this thread.

I have drawn no conclusions. I'm still thinking.