Origins of transexuality

[MrF]

Understanding the origins of a phenomena, like transexuality, can be useful. Not only because it's fascinating to understand things in general but because it confers a normalcy to the idea. Of course, the audience of this forum does not need to be convinced that transexuality is normal, but a lot of the general public does, and so the understanding helps to frame the discussion.

Question: What do you think are the origins and causes of transexuality ?

As usual, I have my own theory, but I'll wait for the others to respond first before doing my usual "core dump". I'm glad ya'll put up with me. :)

[CosmicTraveler]

I don't have any theories myself. Mainly I'm just chiming in to show I'm interested.

[peggygee]

As usual, I have my own theory, but I'll wait for the others to respond first before doing my usual "core dump". I'm glad ya'll put up with me. :)

"Core dump", "memory dump", or just "dump" - to store large amounts of raw data for further examination.


http://www.tenouk.com/Bufferoverflowc/bufferoverflowvulexploitdemo_files/stackbasedbufferoverflow024.png

:cool: Kewl

[peggygee]

Australian researchers have identified a significant link between a
gene involved in testosterone action and male-to-female transsexualism.



http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45140000/jpg/_45140920_dna.jpg


DNA analysis from 112 male-to-female transsexual volunteers showed they were more likely to have a longer version of the androgen receptor gene.

The genetic difference may cause weaker testosterone signals, the team reported in Biological Psychiatry.

However, other genes are also likely to play a part, they stressed.

Increasingly, biological factors are being implicated in gender identity.

Professor Vincent Harley, researcher has shown that certain brain structures in male-to-female transsexual people are more "female like".

In the latest study, researchers looked for potential differences in three genes known to be involved in sex development - coding for the androgen receptor, the oestrogen receptor and an enzyme which converts testosterone to oestrogen.

Comparison of the DNA from the male to female transsexual participants with 258 controls showed a significant link with a long version of the androgen receptor gene and transsexualism.

Testosterone

It is known that longer versions of the androgen receptor gene are associated with less efficient testosterone signalling.

This reduced action of the male sex hormone may have an effect on gender development in the womb, the researchers speculated.

"We think that these genetic differences might reduce testosterone action and under masculinise the brain during foetal development," said researcher Lauren Hare from Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research.

Co-author Professor Vincent Harley added: "There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice, however our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops."

Although this is the largest genetic study of transsexualism to date, the researchers now plan to see if the results can be replicated in a larger population.

Terry Reed from the Gender Identity Research and Education Society said she was convinced of a biological basis to transsexualism.

"This study appears to reinforce earlier studies which have indicated that, in some trans people, there may be a genetic trigger to the development of an atypical gender identity.

"However, it may be just one of several routes and, although it seems extremely likely that a biological element will always be present in the aetiology of transsexualism, it's unlikely that developmental pathways will be the same in all individuals."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8dk5iS1f0&feature=player_embedded

http://theipowa.org/?q=content/genetic-link-transsexualism-found

[peggygee]

Question: What do you think are the origins and causes of transexuality ?



In my response above, we took a look at scientific, empirical causal factors.

However, in many instances the simple, and true answer is....

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l2/magi43/sexworker4.jpg

:D

[MrF]

^ That's the spirit !

And why we are friends.

I'm gearing up to dump core, but would like to see a little more feedback before providing, as an intellectual sacrifice to the community, the "definitive" answer. Ok, admittedly one person's "definitive" is another's "incoherent".

[qcutta]

I pretty much cosign what PeggyG posted...just like I said in my other post, technically as a small fetus in the womb we are all 'female'...its just that further along in the pregger cycle, certain hormone releases trigger actual 'male or female' genitalia. So while the Male delivers the 'XX' (girl) and the 'XY' (boy) chromosomes, it's the actual hormone production in the Females womb that determines gender identity.

So be careful what you expose your 'pregnant' female with if you're really concerned about what you really want your child to be. It gets a lot deeper than this (social issues, growth/hormones in our water/food supply, abusing illegal/prescription drugs, etc), but this is the gist of the whole situation.

Plus:

- A female's clitoris is basically an underdeveloped/small 'penis...
- While a male's 'testicles' are basically 'ovaries' that exists outside the body (inside the scrotum, of course)...

[peggygee]

I pretty much cosign what PeggyG posted...just like I said in my other post, technically as a small fetus in the womb we are all 'female'...its just that further along in the pregger cycle, certain hormone releases trigger actual 'male or female' genitalia. So while the Male delivers the 'XX' (girl) and the 'XY' (boy) chromosomes, it's the actual hormone production in the Females womb that determines gender identity.

So be careful what you expose your 'pregnant' female with if you're really concerned about what you really want your child to be. It gets a lot deeper than this (social issues, growth/hormones in our water/food supply, abusing illegal/prescription drugs, etc), but this is the gist of the whole situation.

Plus:

- A female's clitoris is basically an underdeveloped/small 'penis...
- While a male's 'testicles' are basically 'ovaries' that exists outside the body (inside the scrotum, of course)...

Thanks for the co-sign, here are some additional theories:

A number of theories have been proffered as a causal basis for transsexualism:

1. We have the now dis-credited theories of sexologist John Money, which posited that transsexualism was a "conditioned" behavior. From him we have gotten the concepts of "gender role and identity".

It is also due to the school of behaviorist psychology that transsexualism is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) put out by the American Psychiatric Association.

Though some may view having transsexualism in the DSM pathologizes transsexual, and this is a major area of contention in the soon to be released DSM-V, it has allowed for treatment and third party billing as it is deemed an illness.

2. We have the highly controversial theories of Blanchard, Bailey, Lawrence, et al., who have put forth two types of transsexual:

A. The "homosexual transsexual", which might be likened to Bejamin's "true" transsexual.

B. The "autogynephilic", whose interests in transsexualism are more paraphilic or transvestic in nature.

3. Recently a team of Australian researchers have found a genetic basis for rtanssexualism.

To me this is somewhat reminiscent of the "hormone wash theory" of transsexualism: At a crucial stage of fetal development, the brain undergoes a hormone wash that masculinizes or feminizes the brain.

If there's an abundance of testosterone you end up with a male brain.If there's minimal testosterone you develop a female brain.

4. Then of course we have the the seven point Benjamin gender disorientation scale which is often utilized in conjunction with the Kinsey scale of sexual orientation.

In summation, each one of us may subscibe to to all, none, or pieces of each school, and I tend to see merit in each one, for in each one we are forced to examine, and to question.

[MrF]

Transexuality is probably genetic in origin but you can't point to one gene, so it isn't as simple as hair color. I think that complex behaviours like transexuality or indeed intelligence are controlled by networks of genes. The genes are the fundamental unit of heredity. The fate of the genes are what matter to the logic of life. The fate of one organism (e.g. a man) is not important to this logic, only the genes. In addition, we are all mixes of a finite set of genes. The same genes in you are, to a large degree, in me, with only small admixtures from other pools. (There is a simple proof of this but I won't bother you with it.) The small differences make us unique, but they are small on the scale of all living systems. From this discussion already one can see why homosexuality or transexuality may be natural: consider, for example, a homosexual who never reproduces. One might suspect his genes are disfavored and would die out since they would not be observed in future populations. However, this is incorrect because his genes are also in other people in different mixtures. If the same genes in other people are successful at copying themselves (reproduction) they will be observed in the future.

I think there is, in each person, genes that cause us to desire men and other genes that cause us to desire women. The two networks may overlap, i.e. share genes. Added to this, I guess, is a third class of genes that "turn on" or "turn off" the expression of the genes that cause desire. So the genes that make you desire women may be latent since they were not turned on. One of the big advantages of sexual reproduction, as opposed to asexual, is that it mixes and reshuffles genes. These leads to greater diversity, which makes the species more robust against a changing environment. Possibly it may help cull out weakness too (weak genes being less likely to reproduce), but evidentally homosexuality (and transexuality) are not weaknesses since they've always been a certain percentage of the population. The fact that sex is an advantage is proven by noticing that nearly all species reproduce by sex. Therefore it must have been a very early and powerful step in evolution that has affected nearly all life.

So I think transexuality is an inevitable consequence of this reshuffling of the network of genes that govern sexuality. It's one of the possible "hand of cards" that you may be dealt at birth. Nothing wrong with it and completely natural. But I bet the forum already knew that without all this gene stuff. :)

BTW, when it comes to biology I'll admit I am an amateur. A lot of the ideas here come from others but I'm too lazy to give attribution. Some of the ideas are my own and I don't know if they have merit to someone who is an expert. Maybe not. But it's fun think about (for a nerd) and something that has puzzled me ever since I got interested in transexuality.

[kittymatthews]

how appropriate!!

Here's a video i made yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu3BX4Bwqj0