Author Arin Andrews, in his memoir, Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen, describes his early life and his transition between genders during high school. Andrews’ purpose is to demonstrate that accepting people and how they define themselves is important. He adopts a sentimental tone in order to extract empathy from his young adult readers. Andrews begins his narrative by comparing the outlooks upon being transgender to a more normal stance or as his girlfriend (who is bisexual) put it “‘Why can’t you just be gay?’” “‘Why can’t you be normal?’” Being transgender was still a fairly new concept at the time whereas being gay or bisexual was more widely accepted. He affirms the outlook upon being transgender by means of a quote from his current girlfriend “‘Why do you have to mess with this whole transgender thing?’” He …show more content…
He demonstrates his aunt’s willingness to help writing: “‘I know that things are bad between you and your mom right now, and I just want you to know that I am on your side.’” Her generosity made a great impression on Andrews. He extends this thought further when he writes “‘And in the meantime, if you ever need to get away, my house is always open to you. And to Darian, too.’” The trust his aunt placed in him influenced him hugely in his life. He continues to impress this point recording: “I was grateful but shocked. She and Mom were really close, and for Susan to go behind Mom’s back like that was huge.” He used emotional change in order to exhibit how moved he was by the support he received from his family members even if it was only one ally who was on his side from the start. This abundant amount of assistance from his aunt causes the audience to empathize by relating personal experiences from their own families to the
The definition of gender has become way more revolutionary and expressive compared to the twentieth century. Gender used to be similar to sex where someone would be identified as a male or female based on their biological genitals however, this day in age it is way more complex. Someone can be born a male but mentally they feel like a male. In “Sisterhood is complicated” Ruth Padawer explains the journey of different transgender males and the obstacles they face while attending Wellesley college. Wellesley is a women’s college that has been around for a very long time and is in the process of the battling the conflict of whether they should admit transgender students. Ariel Levy author of “Female Chauvinist Pigs” tackles the stereotypes and
The medicalization of transgender tendencies, under what was Gender Identity Disorder, was demoralizing to all transgender people. This resulted in a form of structured and institutionalized inequality that made an entire group of people internalize their problems, making them question not only their own identity, but also their sanity. Therefore, the removal of this disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 2013 and the newest editions was important in that it shows society’s recognition and acceptance of the transgender
Many transgender people lived in dysfunctional families when they were young. The support becomes vital for the wellbeing of kids. In her book Redefining Realness by Janet Mock, recaps the importance of support from Michelle his cousin, who kept in secrets of gender dysphoria of Charles (Keisha) by saying “‘Pinkie –swear you won’t tell your mom’…She’d keep the secret my secret because I was her favorite cousin” (Mook 76). Michelle, kept Keisha’s secret by allowing her to use her swimming clothes. Michelle shows the importance of support from relatives. This is a fundamental factor that might help with the development of her gender identity. Many transgender people may feel a relief at the time to disclose their identity. When transition is in progress the support from friends and families becomes important because, many transgender people might suffer if they lack support. Many transgender people seem depressed because they are rejected by society. Janet Mock, relates how Wendi, support Charles, by making him feel comfortable, saying “Wendi and I grew inseparable trough middle school, a bond that would link us for the rest of our lives. Through association, my class –mates learned that I was like Wendi-who hadn’t yet adopted any labels to describe her shifting self” (Mook 107). In most cases transgender people’s acquaintances can be referred as transgender people just by friendship. The association makes transgender people to gain confidence about their gender identity. The support from groups or friends makes transgender people feel that they are accepted and not alone. Support from friends might urge transgender people to come out the “closet” and reveal their gender identity to gain respect among society. The support from friends is important, but family support seems to be the most important. When families do not support transgender people it causes a hostile environment that may suppress
The article “What Makes a Woman” focuses on how transgender should not define a woman because they have not lived their whole lives as a women, have not gone through the struggles, complications and life experiences that women go through. The author also brings in the idea of women and men having different brains to support her argument. The author, Elinor Burkett, effectively uses the three appeals of logos, ethos and pathos to get across her message. The first appeal is ethos that mentions other people’s opinions. The second is pathos by showing Burkett’s emotions. And finally, the third appeal is logos, which includes data statistics.
Mental health professional have tried to correct their ‘‘gender identity disorder’’ with brutal aversion therapies. Tran’s youth who came out often faced crises throughout their family and social systems. Once out, developing a sense of realness about their new gender became extremely important. An urgent need develops ‘‘to match one’s exterior with one’s interior’’ In ad...
Over the course of this paper, we will take a comprehensive look at information regarding the transgender community issue in reference to four key sociology concepts. First, we will review information highlighting how transgender people come to the forefront of the public eye as well as the bathroom uproar continuously sweeping the nation. Next, we will examine the facts showcasing how transgender people go against the social norm of associating gender with a person’s given birth sex. Thirdly, we will review information showcasing the cultural inconsistencies throughout the nation when it comes to the acceptance of transgender people. Fourthly, the material will showcase the actions transgender people must face in several states throughout
Living life as a transgendered person is not easy. There are very few times when someone comes out as transgender and their lives are still relatively easy to manage. There are a copious...
Siebler, K. (2012). Transgender transitions: Sex/gender binaries in the digital age. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 16, 74-99. doi: 10.1080/19359705.2012.632751
Significance: The significance associated with these claims take on the vast amount of oppression transgender and intersex individuals deal with. In “Cisgender Privilege”, Evin Taylor compiles a subversive list of struggles transgendered individuals face daily that cisgender people are unaware of and take for granted. To illustrate, some examples of these privileges cisgender people acquire include using a public restroom without worry and not having to prove one’s gender. To expand additionally on the transgender bathroom conflict, the reading entitled “Bodies and Bathrooms” explores the story of transgendered girl named Coy. Her elementary school told Coy and her family about how she was no longer permitted to use the girl’s restroom, but rather a unisex one instead. Listed here are only a fraction of the struggles that occur towards transgender people. For intersex individuals, we learn about various medical
McKinney, J.S. (2005). On the margins: A study of the experiences of transgender college students. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education. 3(1), 63-75.
For the past couple of decades the meaning of “transgender” has begun to grow more popular. Transgender is offer referred to individuals whose gender identity does not match the social expectations for their assigned sex at birth. The United States has gained surprising visibility and strength. However, there are people in the United States who do not consider trans-individuals citizens. Thus, they do not treat them as citizens. If a person wishes to become transgender, they are faced with many more obstacles than homosexual people face with. People wish to switch gender identities because they feel that their assigned gender feels wrong with their bodies. Many people who are transgender realize that they are different from their peers
Parents of transgender children describe their children as “depressed” and “suicidal”, especially at the onset of puberty (Riley). It is not uncommon for transgender children to grow up hating their bodies, which often has destructive consequences (Goldberg and Adriano ). The suicide and self harm rate are much higher among transgender children than those who are not. Compared to the rest of the population the attempted suicide rate is much higher. When surveyed, 41% of the transgenders asked reported attempting suicide as compared to the non transgendered people at 1.6% (Levasseur 949). For many transgender Americans,living a double live is a reality. They are only accepted as their gender identity at home and are forced to act as their biological gender in public, for example( Linthicum). This pressure can lead to stress. John Blosnich and his researchers concluded that transgender veterans living in more accepting and informed areas produced more mentally stable veterans. An educated public closes the gap between the transgender community and the rest of socitey. Defining sex can leave transgender people feeling excluded from everyday activities. It is evident that we have clear cut definitions of what it means to be a girl or boy. From the day a baby is born parents they are surrounded by pink or blue. Transgender people do not match this societal definition of gender, leaving harmful
After my first published staff editorial last issue, I was excited to write a column again. Transgender rights, my assignment, is an issue I take personally because it affects many people, including my loved ones. At first, I was intimidated to approach this topic after seeing the responses to Mark my Words. Of course, I understood that people may not be completely accepting of transgenderism, but I had not anticipated some of the rather disgusting remarks made by students at our own school. So, keeping in mind that these transphobic students could be reading my article, I made the primary goal to educate the audience about transgenderism while also explaining why transgender people deserve the rights they are asking for. Although I was irked
The topic of transgender has been a sensitive subject since its been publicized in our culture and media as early as the 1950’s when Christine Jorgensen shined a light on those who were born into the wrong gender. The definition of transgender refers to a person whose gender identity, appearance, or actions does not correspond to the sex that individual was born with. The term gender identity relates to the sex the individual feels that they are, whether it is male, female, or something different. They may look, act, dress, and talk differently and this is how they express the gender they feel that they are internally. Transgender awareness has slowly become more prominent and accepted in today’s society more than ever and individuals such as Martine Rothblatt, CEO of Fortune 500 Company United Therapeutics, are true examples of this reality.
The complexities of gender identity extend far beyond its definition—gender refers to the socially constructed roles assigned to biological sex. Non-binary gender identity, also referred to as being transgender, is a complex and highly misunderstood concept. Transgender people are typically born with male or female anatomy but from a young age feel born in the incorrect body. Someone who was born of the female sex may identify as a man, and therefore they consider themselves of a transgender. Aside for experts in the academic fields of gender and sexuality, few professionals who encounter cases of complex gender identities are prepared for what it entails. Specifically, cases of young transgender children are often deemed illegitimate simply