trans without dysphoria

... because that’s how I feel

 

A good video in my opinion... scroll to the ending.

And another one that hits the point:

 

Trans gatekeepers are no better politically than TERFs. Can you imagine if people needed approval from a tattoo council before getting a tattoo. I'm sorry if that comparison offends anyone, but this respectability politics is no good.

 

Thank you for your support. The fear of gatekeeping is real. It stops many trans folks from seeking care, because we feel like our stories don't fit a small set of "acceptable experiences," so we conclude we're not trans, and transmedicalism is not helpful for us.

I understand your position, and I have heard the argument before, but I still reject it. I think it is a mistake to essentially be strategic about the degree to which transness should be pathologized so that we can "work within" the medical system. The root problem, in my view is capitalism and the fact that people are kept away from medical resources they need. Not only should transness not be pathologized, but we could also make transition care more accessible by spreading the informed consent model.

It is only because of that model, and the fact that my practitioner is herself a trans woman, that I am able to get care. On the WPATH model, I'm totally screwed.

 

If someone goes on HRT without dysphoria they will likely GAIN dysphoria from having the opposite sex attributes from hormones. This "non dysphoric" movement of "transpeople" is demeaning to the trans community and also dangerous to the people who transition without being transgender.

 

Soft transmedicalism is still transmedicalism, and it's still trash. It's really harmful to people who are questioning or unsure of their gender.

 

If you identify as trans and don't feel dysphoria, good on ya. I will still respect you and use your name and pronouns, but personally I don't really understand how people can identify as trans without having any kind of gender dysphoria.

 

Isn't dysphoria one of the things you just have if you're trans? How would a person be trans if they feel just fine with their birth gender and body, by definition? Honest curiosity here!

 

trans = identifies as a different gender than assigned at birth... this includes non-binary individuals too.
when it comes to those who desire to transition medically and don't feel bad per say... that's self-explanatory, I think. They'd feel better with a different packaging. Simple.
I think the whole outrage is just inaccurate thinking put into practice. I'm not particularily sure what the author of the thread meant, tbh. If this was about transitioning medically, socially, about invalidating non-binary people? Idk *shrug* Maybe they were just looking for a scapegoat.

 

Folks, I'm not saying I don't have dysphoria. I'm saying this kind of discourse really hurts for trans and genderqueer people who don't understand what their dysphoria feels like (which is a topic Zinnia Jones does a wonderful job discussing) and for people who feel some dysphoria, but not enough to identify as trans. (In their own estimation.) This can really delay the treatment process for people, because we spend years agonizing over whether to start HRT or take other steps we feel is appropriate. So my point here is not that I don't feel dysphoria; my point is be mindful of the impact that discourse has on others, because I'm sure that I'm not the only one who lost three years to you guys.

There could be questioning people or eggs right now on here who are probably looking at this discussion and going "oof."

 

Ah okay. I think @Pret Allez Allez also has a really good point, the line between not enough and enough dysphoria can be arbitrary anyway.

 

Oh of course. Thanks!

 

You can feel trans with a little smidgeon of dysphoria or a lot.