A few questions on Transgender for my Dissertation-Any help Appreciated :-)

Hi
I am doing my Dissertation on the Representation of Transgender people of Television. It would be great if a few people would reply to this post and answer a few questions (Its due in 8 weeks :-s)

Questions transsexuals:

· Do you believe sex and gender are due to biology or social environment?

· Have you had any surgery or planning to do so?
If so why?


·Do you feel that the clothes you wear reflect your chosen gender?


· Who influenced the way you dress?


· How old were you when your realised you were stuck in the wrong body?


· Gender theorist Judith Butler believes people “perform” gender, how do you feel about this concept?


· Are there certain things which still reflect your born gender?


· How do your friends and family feel about change?


· Are you romantically involved?


· How do you feel transgender people are represented on television?


· Do you watch Ugly Betty? If so what do you think about Alexis Meade (Formerly Alex) and the role in which she plays as a transsexual?


· Who are your role models?


· Who do you look up too to give you guidance?


· If you are Female to Male Transsexual are you attracted to Women or Men?

· If you are Male to Female Transsexual are you attracted to Men or Women?

Anything else you would like to add please do so

Any Help is appreciated

Thank you for your time

 

epic html fail

 

Yeah, you might want to fix that HTML error. I shall do it anyways, though.

Do you believe sex and gender are due to biology or social environment?
Biology.
· Have you had any surgery or planning to do so?
If so why?
I have not had any surgery. I don't know if I ever will. I'm not even out, at all. I really have to think of the long term effects that such a decision would cause. Even though I'd love for my outside gender to meet my gender on the inside, I don't know if surgery would even be good enough. Do you feel that the clothes you wear reflect your chosen gender?
Chosen... Such as?

I wear clothes that both girls and boys can wear. So no, they don't exactly reflect that I'm a girl inside, but they do it better than wearing masculine clothes does.

Who influenced the way you dress?
Um... society?

How old were you when your realised you were stuck in the wrong body?
It was fifth grade when I started realizing something was wrong, but I didn't know that I was in the wrong body... About the time puberty started was when I started realizing it was all wrong.

Gender theorist Judith Butler believes people “perform” gender, how do you feel about this concept?
Such as do it for show? I don't know about that.

Are there certain things which still reflect your born gender?
Unfortunately, I have the whole male body and such.

How do your friends and family feel about change?
My friends know nothing about me, and my mom (the only one whom I've told) is not accepting. She says she'd love me no matters what, but because I don't cook and I don't like cleaning, I'm not a girl inside to her.

Are you romantically involved?
Not at all.

How do you feel transgender people are represented on television?
I learned what transgenderism was and that's how I realized I was one through TV. The documentaries do not bother me, but I do not like transgender's people general representation in media. A lot of it portrays us as trying to decieve others and get them in bed, just portrays us as the gender we aren't, or shows us as sex obsessed.

Do you watch Ugly Betty? If so what do you think about Alexis Meade (Formerly Alex) and the role in which she plays as a transsexual?
I do not.

Who are your role models?
For being transgendered? I guess I don't really have any. I don't know any in real life.

If you are Female to Male Transsexual are you attracted to Women or Men?
I'm M2F.

If you are Male to Female Transsexual are you attracted to Men or Women?
I'm attracted to both.

 

Do you believe sex and gender are due to biology or social environment?

For people genuinely trapped in the wrong body, biology.


· Have you had any surgery or planning to do so?
If so why?
No, i havent. But i am planning to, and would have had it years ago, if it had been up to me. Why? That's simple. I cant function in society as a male, its as simple as that. My brain isnt wired up properly for that. My life up till now has been a total waste. I havent been able to do anything up till now in my life because of this hideous illness. The only way i can ever live a half decent life, or to function in society, i have to be seen as female, and treated that way by society. And while i still have male genitals, that is just isnt possible. So i guess you could say having surgery is essential for me to have any kind of meaningful life at all.

. Do you feel that the clothes you wear reflect your chosen gender?
Chosen....em, no. Ive already said i was born female (gender), but in a male physical body. I wear female underwear, but the clothes i wear on the outside are not really gender specific. They can be worn by either gender.

Who influenced the way you dress?
As Envy said, society plays a big part. Also, really feminine clothes would look stupid on me, so why would i wear clothes that dont suit me?

How old were you when your realised you were stuck in the wrong body?
I first felt my body didnt match my inside gender (female), from my earliest childhood memories. (round about 4/5 years old) Although it wasnt till i reached puberty it started causing me major depression and unhappiness.


Gender theorist Judith Butler believes people “perform” gender, how do you feel about this concept?
I do believe some people "act" like a different sex to how they were born, and why they do that, I really have no idea. I am certain though that people like me were born with some kind of gender defect in the brain. Or you could say the body is just a huge birth defect. So, for people genuinely trapped in the wrong body, it's definitely biology. I fail to see how any "social influences" could have impacted me (or anyone else who felt similar things) at such an early age. I have heard of people that were brought up as the opposite gender by a parent/parents, but that never applied to me. I was brought up totally as a boy, but i always felt i was a girl. Plus, ive never once questioned myself and asked if i really am male, cos ive never felt like that ever. I am 100% certain, that i was born female. (gender) Although i was born with a male body. Im certain gender and physical sex are 2 very different things.


Are there certain things which still reflect your born gender?
My born gender is female...Unfortunately, my body is still male. If you mean do i have "male characteristics"? Not really, no. Although even biological females can have some male characteristics, so really, that question is almost impossible to answer properly.

How do your friends and family feel about change?
I have no friends, and i dont speak to any of my family bar my mother. She has always had a hard time with it, even now. But at least she accepts me as a daughter now, which means a lot to me.


Are you romantically involved?
I never have been, and more than likely, never will be.


How do you feel transgender people are represented on television?
Mostly, i dont like it. A small amount of documentaries are good, and give a true depiction of what its like to be born in the wrong body. Most mainstream media sensationalise it though, and as Envy said, make it out like we are trying to "decieve" people. (in other words, that we're really male, when we are not) Or just choose to focus on sensational stories of "flamoyant" TS's. In other words, in most mainstream media, we are depicted as freaks, or at the very least, not "normal". When in truth, all most of us have ever wanted is to live a normal life. And that type of media depiction certainly doesnt help matters.

Do you watch Ugly Betty? If so what do you think about Alexis Meade (Formerly Alex) and the role in which she plays as a transsexual?
I dont, no.


Who are your role models?
I have lots of role models, none of whom are transexual.


If you are Female to Male Transsexual are you attracted to Women or Men?
N/A

If you are Male to Female Transsexual are you attracted to Men or Women?
I find lots of women pretty, but im mostly physically attracted to men.

 

Questions transsexuals:

· Do you believe sex and gender are due to biology or social environment? biology however social environment tell us what one can and can't do. like guys don't cry.

· Have you had any surgery or planning to do so?
If so why? no i have not had surgery I may if i need it.


· Do you feel that the clothes you wear reflect your chosen gender?
no i still dress as a guy

· Who influenced the way you dress?
me i payed for those clothes, no one made me get them. oh maybe they guy over there, girls over here.


· How old were you when your realised you were stuck in the wrong body?
32 that was 5 months ago.

· Gender theorist Judith Butler believes people “perform” gender, how do you feel about this concept? she wrong, i was performing so that i would apear as a normal male.


· Are there certain things which still reflect your born gender?
i go drag racing does that count. non pro.

· How do your friends and family feel about change?
i have not told them, there is not much hope of them accepting this. why religion


· Are you romantically involved?
no i don't think i could get with anyone with the way i am, it just wouldn't feel right right.

· How do you feel transgender people are represented on television?
not very good at all, people mostly see us as freaks point and laugh. i think it is getting better though.

·Do you watch Ugly Betty? If so what do you think about Alexis Meade (Formerly Alex) and the role in which she plays as a transsexual?
no don't watch tv. i might try to watch it.

· Who are your role models?
never had any.

· Who do you look up too to give you guidance?
i just do what i think is best.

· If you are Female to Male Transsexual are you attracted to Women or Men?

· If you are Male to Female Transsexual are you attracted to Men or Women? i'm bi i like girls and guys.

 

· Do you believe sex and gender are due to biology or social environment?

Biology

· Have you had any surgery or planning to do so?
If so why? Im scheduled to have surgery in Sept. Im having it so my body better reflects my mind..inner peace


·Do you feel that the clothes you wear reflect your chosen gender?
I wouldnt say I have really chosen my gender...i dont think anybody could choose such a thing....I dress like a man cuz I am one.


· Who influenced the way you dress?
Nobody..I Just find something i like and wear it


· How old were you when your realised you were stuck in the wrong body?
around 3


· Gender theorist Judith Butler believes people “perform” gender, how do you feel about this concept? Im sure some people do for whatever reasons but its different for transgender people. The mind is one thing and the body something completely different.


· Are there certain things which still reflect your born gender?
my born gender was male...but the sex I was born is female..and I guess there are some things that you would relate to female qualities..but I think everybody has both ..some just more than others


· How do your friends and family feel about change?
All my friends are supportive and the family that Im closest to is also


· Are you romantically involved?
No but Ive been talking to this one girl and hopefully it will turn into something

· How do you feel transgender people are represented on television?
I think on shows like OPrah and 20/20..they do a good job at explaining and teaching people about us...on other shows though...I dont know..they still make us out to be freaks

· Do you watch Ugly Betty? If so what do you think about Alexis Meade (Formerly Alex) and the role in which she plays as a transsexual?

they take her character to some extreme but i cant really take much of that show very serioulsy so it doesnt bother me


· Who are your role models?
My grandparents where huge role models in my life


· Who do you look up too to give you guidance?
my mom

· If you are Female to Male Transsexual are you attracted to Women or Men?
women