Yes. It is a big step to take and many members of this group end up facing a lot of predjudice and misunderstanding afterwards.

Yes, it should and I think it is. They have to be 100% that they want to change their gender because once you have it, you can't go back.

Psychological screening/evaluation, yes, but not therapy.

I thought it already was? ( well not intenses but they speak to a therapist/councillor)

Yes, it's not something to be taken lightly after all.

Everyone is blindly saying 'yes'. Do you even know what therapy means?

No, they don't need therapy, because therapy does not work on these people. They need screening, but therapy inplies there's something wrong with them

No, they should obviously be screened for insanity because people who are mentally unstable shouldn't and aren't allowed to alter their bodies in such dramatic ways. But psychotherapy is ridiculous because it implies that they have some sort of condition that needs treatment.

On 4/18/2007 2:21:45 AM mynameismike wrote: Everyone is blindly saying 'yes'. Do you even know what therapy means? No, they don't need therapy, because therapy does not work on these people. They need screening, but therapy implies there's something wrong with them

Therapy doesn't mean that they are trying to "fix" transgendered people, I think it's more to help them cope. There are a lot of serious changes that people who are switching sexes are going to go through. Not just the surgery itself, but trying to be identified as the opposite sex, the stigma and discrimination that will happen, perceiving yourself as an entire different person.

I think as it stands now they need a psychological evaluation to be diagnosed with gender identity disorder to have the sex change surgery, but beyond that I don't believe any type of therapy is required.

"Intense psychotherapy" is a very vague term probably with vaguer guidelines on what goes on during the session.
Alot of the time, the client will be led by the therapist's values.

I think that would be a great idea. I'd throw in a trip to the altar as well, though.

honestly i think changing your gender is ..wrong/discusting isnt the right word but along those lines... thats basically showing that you are ashamed to be gay, and that will only lead to more discrimination. and i dont understand what that would do, i mean, i know absolutely nothing about what goes into changing gender (as in what gets added or if anything, etc) but it still seems like you would be better off just staying the gender you are.

i say be yourself, thats the only way you will ever be truely happy.

^^^ Please, stop with the ignorance, you're embarassing everyone.

"basically showing that you are ashamed to be gay" No, subjective experience and brain structure of homosexuals and transsexuals is different.

"i dont understand what that would do" Pretend for a second that your personality is exactly the same, but you're a boy now. Correcting that, is what "that would do"

"thats the only way you will ever be truely happy" Transsexuals post-surgery report much better psychological well-being than before surgery.

um yeah that was just my OPINION, calm down.

when i said "i dont understand what that would do..." i meant that i dont know what goes on during the surgery, which i stated right after i said that- "...i mean..."

obviously changing gender means that you would change genders.

and if i was a boy with my same personality, i would still be a boy no matter what i did. getting a sex change from a boy to a girl would only make me a boy without boy parts, and since i am attracted to boys now, if i was a boy instead of a girl, then i would be a boy that is attracted to other boys, that is my definition of gay, im sorry if thats different than yours.

but once again, this is just my OPINION.

"um yeah that was just my OPINION" you can't have an opinion on fact. That's like saying that your opinion is that the world is flat. No, your opinion is wrong. It's prejudiced, and it's ignorant. Don't hide ignorance behind opinion, it's immature.

"i would still be a boy no matter what i did" Also, you don't understand the concept of gender. So there.

yeah im pretty sure that anyone can have an opinion on whatever they want to have an opinion about. just because you think it is wrong, doesnt mean they cant have that opinion. "so there."

ignorance is completely different from an opinion. i already stated that i had no idea what goes on with a sex change surgery, so i dont know why you are so surprised that what i said was ignorant, when i already stated that it basically was. opinion has nothing to do with fact. an opinion can be wrong, but that doesnt make it not an opinion. an opinion is what YOU THINK about something. that doesnt necessarily mean that it has to be true or based on fact.

example: i have a 6 year old neighbor whose OPINION is that candy is better than vegetables, it is FACT that veges are better than candy, but it is still her OPINION even though she is ignorant to the fact that veges are better.

why dont you explain to me the "concept of gender" sinse i OBVIOUSLY dont get it.

"but it is still her OPINION even though she is ignorant to the fact that veges are better." Yes, and her opinion is wrong, and therefore, you must agree, so is yours. And until you acknowledge that fact, I have little to say to you.

Everyone who wants to change their gender should be screened or better yet, denied.

i already have awknowledged that i dont know alot about the subject. you just blew up and started saying that you cant have opinions on things that are fact, which is probably THE stupidest thing i have ever heard, which is the only reason i am still responding to you.

but im not going to change my opinion until i have reason to. just because you say so is not good enough for me. just like just because i say so wouldnt be good enough for you. dont ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.

and i really dont care what you have to say, from your last three posts, i can tell that you are one of those people who are only here to pick apart every little detail of what people say and b*tch and moan about how ignorant and stupid they are. i dont care what you think of my opinion i was simply stating it. as were you. except i respect peoples right to HAVE an opinion, unlike you.

"as were you. except i respect peoples right to HAVE an opinion, unlike you" Like I said, having an opinion "the Earth is flat", is having a wrong opnion. This is the same thing

On 4/21/2007 12:49:57 AM GreyHaven wrote: Everyone who wants to change their gender should be screened or better yet, denied.

Oooh, aren't you the open minded one

On 4/21/2007 1:33:06 AM mynameismike wrote: "as were you. except i respect peoples right to HAVE an opinion, unlike you" Like I said, having an opinion "the Earth is flat", is having a wrong opnion. This is the same thing

the earth is flat is no longer even remotely relevant to what we are talking about. sex changes and whether or not the earth is flat cannot be compared to any degree.

sex changes being a controvercial issue there technically is no right or wrong answer. there is a definate widely accepted right answer to whether or not the earth is flat.

seriously, if that is all you have then just shut up.

"thats basically showing that you are ashamed to be gay" See, this is a wrong fact, it is widely accepted by researchers. See, same thing.

that wasnt a fact at all wtf are you talking about?

it's a fact that it's NOT ""thats basically showing that you are ashamed to be gay".

i wasnt stating any FACTS. i dont know any facts, i was stating my OPINION. it doesnt matter if you think it is wrong or not because it is MY OPINION. god how the hell are you 20 years old and you still dont know the definition of opinion??? did you not go to school or something?