Transsexual differences caught on brain scan

[Queercommie Girl]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20032-transsexual-differences-caught-on-brain-scan.html

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

I'm a bit reluctant to these things, because it seems like if this goes on, there'll be medical tests to pass to "validate" transsexualism, and if one should fail those, they'll be inclined to ignore.

[Queercommie Girl]

I'm a bit reluctant to these things, because it seems like if this goes on, there'll be medical tests to pass to "validate" transsexualism, and if one should fail those, they'll be inclined to ignore.

Well I posted it because it's an interesting theory, but I see your point also, in fact I mentioned a similar thing on Facebook after someone else posted this link there.

However, I do think there must be some ultimate biological basis for transgenderism, since I am a materialist after all. (Of course, the environment is probably also a factor) But I don't think it would be as simple as something a single brain scan will reveal. It's like I don't believe in the existence of the "gay gene", even though homosexuality has some biological basis too.

[The Vegan Marxist]

I would say without the biology, environmental conditions won't do too much effect on one's sexual orientation. Genetics play a big role in defining one's sexual orientation. Whether or not there's a "gay gene" is irrelevant, because fact of the matter is that genes do play a role in such.

[Queercommie Girl]

I would say without the biology, environmental conditions won't do too much effect on one's sexual orientation. Genetics play a big role in defining one's sexual orientation. Whether or not there's a "gay gene" is irrelevant, because fact of the matter is that genes do play a role in such.

So would you say a similar thing applies for transgenderism too?

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

I would say without the biology, environmental conditions won't do too much effect on one's sexual orientation. Genetics play a big role in defining one's sexual orientation. Whether or not there's a "gay gene" is irrelevant, because fact of the matter is that genes do play a role in such.

Except the fact that the extent in which genes play a role is also irrelevant. So it's genetic, it's not; so what, what difference does it make? Some religious nutter says, "You're not born that way, you've chosen it!", like it makes a difference, and giving importance to discoveries like this, though perhaps interesting in as far as understanding how the human mind and body function, might possibly inadvertently reinforce the wicked argument of those nutters.

[The Vegan Marxist]

So would you say a similar thing applies for transgenderism too?

It's possible. Though we don't have all the answers just yet. Nor will we anytime soon I believe. But I believe waiting for all the answers would be completely unnecessary. I say this because clearly we don't have all the answers on evolution and how it works. But, we have enough answers to logically point out the fact of its existence and Natural Selection more than likely being the correct theory of how evolution works.

As time goes by, more and more answers will come. I would say transgenderism is theoretically a possible genetic event.

[GX.]

Yeah there is not conclusive but pretty substantial evidence that that transsexualism is biologically mediated, but if people had autonomy over their bodies and physical expression there would not be anything to trans- against. Without our coercive gender system transsexualism would just be seen as normal human variation, a combination of behaviors and physical attributes which is somewhat less frequent than other combinations (but which can cause a lot of distress and pain for the individual if it isn't treated). That's the problem with the way of framing this as "x brain trapped in a y body," it implies that there is something wrong with a person's gender rather than how society classifies gender.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Sexual orientation and gender identity probably results from a complex mixture of "nature" and "nuture", genetics and environment.I haven't read Iseul's link yet but as I understand the currently most commonly held view of the etiology of transgenderism and perhaps male homosexuality is that a pregnany woman under stress produces a boost of estrogens in her womb.A fetal male brain gets a "hormone wash" in utero. If this happens at a certain stage in development the brain will be "female" (there are general structural differences between male and female brains although it should be mentioned that there is a greater difference between any two human brains on the average than between female and male brains) and at another stage the boy will grow up to have "female patterned sexual preference", i.e. will be homosexual. Most likely the cause is not genetic.

Many therapists and lgbt activists today say the cause as such doesn't matter.

In the 1980s there was a researcher, LeVay, I believe his name was, who claimed to have identified a "gay gene".His research methodology was regarded as being faulty. Identifying a genetic "cause" of non-standard sexuality can be problematic. If something can be seen as having a genetic cause, well that means that trait can be eliminated. "Defective genes" and all that...