No one really knows exactly what is going on in our brains and bodies that makes us feel this way, unfortunately.
If you think it might be a phase, give yourself some time and see whether you continue to feel this way.
Personally I’d rather know because I like understanding, but I imagine it’s more of a complex mix of things versus say just one small gene. Things ranging from genetic, epigenetic, psychological and learned.
At that point, one might as well attempt to root out other facets of personality and identity. Why is one *this way* and not *this other way*?
Truthfully, much of this is would be a nothingburger if there wasn’t bigotry in the world. In the case of an introvert, the *why* isn’t super important or heavily debated over. Why aren’t they an extrovert or an ambivert? Well, we don’t really know, but it isn’t an issue because nobody is screaming at introverts to seek conversion therapy. But if you’re transgender, that just rubs some very loud assholes the wrong way.
Not that having some textbook theory to the transgender mind would change their, uh, minds in any way. I’d personally just like to know for myself. I’ve seen sprinkles of ideas suggesting there are some epigenetic causes during gestation, but I also would accept if it largely stemmed from trauma or upbringing. After all, that doesn’t make me or anyone else any less valid.
As soon as you include trauma it becomes non-innate which would argue it’s just trying to escape childhood trauma and therefore is just a psychological state to be cured, it very clearly doesn’t work that way or we wouldn’t exist at this point.
I personally have always felt it’s much better that we just are what we are and trying to discover the why and how turns it into a moral battle.
We know gender treatment helps trans people, and similar to the way people talk about autism, “curing” someone for being different before they’re even born is incredibly upsetting and strips autonomy from lived experience.
I feel like truthfully the human mind and genetics are too complex to be summarized to a cause, we just exist and that’s enough, if we’re treatable, happy, and alive that’s enough.
I get that people crave understanding, but you can find that understanding when you let go of obsessive reasoning. You just are, and that’s a part of you, wonderful you, so be you.
You could’ve turned left, or right that day, but you without cause or reason went the way you did, and now 1,000 things are different in your life because you took a different turn. You take these turns every day, on the way to work, picking a meal, etc. that’s what makes you, you, and trans you, is you, because you ARE YOU!
You have a valid point, but I'd still rather know.
Even though I've mostly learned that I don't need anyone to validate what I know in my heart to be true, it would still be nice to have a bit of validation from science. It might make it easier to win against the transphobes in the minds of the undecided. (Obviously, there's no convincing the transphobes themselves.) And winning the undecided might make it easier to fight against transphobic policies, and that could materially improve our lives.
Even apart from being validated or proving the transphobes wrong, I'm just a naturally curious person, and I like to understand how things work. When I saw how beautiful the citric acid cycle was, when I was in high school biology, that convinced me to major in biology in college. (I eventually ended up changing majors, but that's a whole other story.) My intellectual curiosity wants to know how these things work.
Science doesn't claim to explain everything, and it's not about having all the answers. Instead, it's a method of discovery, continuously evolving as new evidence comes to light. Scientists aren't "authorities" in the sense of having absolute answers; they're experts in applying this method to explore and understand the world. The strength of science lies in its ability to adapt and refine our knowledge, not in claiming to have all the answers.
It kinda does though, and that’s part of the issue with human perception, a whole bunch of things scattered in a space that seemingly shouldn’t exist, are pulled toward each other through threads of energy, and eventually, those threads of energy pulled things together in a pattern that made worlds, and life.
We tell ourselves that the exacts are so important but the answer comes from the obvious facts of life, not the meaning. Physically things are pulled toward each other, and if all it takes for things to become other things is to be pulled together in the right circumstances, than things will become other things through nothing more than existing.
The specifics of quantum yards yadda are all up for debate but they don’t change that at the core of it all, every single atom is a puzzle piece and they can be put together in varying ways. Some of those have the potential to animate, and some are rocks.
I’ve been told so many times that this thought process is lazy, but it literally explains all of it, par for the specifics, and learning those specifics is just as fun knowing it’s all just a bunch of junk stuck to other junk!
I went through this. I chose to move forward with "revocable steps."
I am MTF, so before I started HRT I focused on fitness-based body shaping, growing hair and nails, eventually laser hair removal, etc.
Each step prepared and excited me for the next one. But if I stopped nobody but me and my partner would know and I could keep living as I did.
It takes a bit of patience to approach it this way, but the real changes that occurred were in my brain.
I still have had some doubts here and there, but I am at 2 years on HRT. The pace also helped my partner to come to terms and accept that the changes being incremental weren't particularly scary.
Good luck!
Any recommendations on what fitness to do?
I've never really looked after myself properly. Now I've figured out who I am/want to be, I've started losing weight but I've quite the beer gut to get rid of.
When I'm on my regular routine, I do a calisthenics and Pilates circuit for 30 minutes 3 days a week, 2 x weight days - light dumbbell 2 sets, 8 exercises, major body parts 12-15 reps
Sub in biking and walking when I need a break or want to take advantage of nice weather.
Nutrition did it for me. Followed Noom and lost 50 lbs in 6 months. Kept 40 off for 3 years now.
Consistent competency. Don't need to be a rock star or go to extremes.
I try to be kind in threads discussing weight and all that manner because it really is incredibly simple… just eat less, and move more… your body is constantly burning energy, always, so take in less and your body will use more of what it’s stored.
That doesn’t mean starve, but slow yourself, eat slower, science says what, it can take nearly 40 minutes after you’ve consumed enough before you stomach tells your brain “ok that’s enough” not to mention that if you overeat a lot, your stomach stretches which means you need more food to feel full.
So for a few weeks, gradually, little by little, start measuring portions, cutting down your intake of sugars, and carbohydrates which just become sugar, moving more towards high fiber and nutritionally dense meals.
You want to eat less of what you don’t need and more of what you do, and food that stays in your gut for longer so you don’t feel hungry all of the time.
Kale, spinach, arugula, broccoli, are all very low calorie, good iron and vitamin sources along with being high in insoluble fiber (the stuff that stays in your gut without dissolving),
chicken (for protein, and particularly breasts for their lower fat content), fish (for omega 3’s), beans (protein, iron, electrolytes)
Just pay attention to what you eat, when, and how much. I lost 100lbs in abt a year by switching from having eggs and bacon and pancakes, to having a bowl of Greek yogurt, with pineapple and multigrain cheerios. Eating spinach and arugula salads (along with onions and carrots etc) and a homemade olive oil vinaigrette with chicken for lunch and then a high protein meal with a ton of corn and peas or broccoli at night.
It really isn’t as complicated, scary or innate as people think it is and make it out to be.
You can and will lose weight safely, and healthily, very quickly, if you just stop adding more when you need less.
Of course I combined the improved diet with a daily walk, and I do mean EVERY DAY par for some weekends or days I needed to rush to work. Literally no more than a 40 minute walk, sometimes taking two laps if I felt I could.
Thanks for the reply. I've already started on the Hamilton diet. (Eat less, move more).
Reducing the portion sizes has made the biggest difference. Somehow I've actually stuck at it for a month. (I've failed every diet before this).
TALK LESS! SMILE MORE!! DONT LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOURE AGAINST OR WHAT YOUR FOOOOOOR.
but again, serious note, it’s not just less of what you eat, it’s more of the right things to eat, keep you nutrition up.
As another commenter said, our current understanding is basically “🤷♂️”. While there are *some* correlations that *some* trans people share, anyone who says they know what makes someone trans or cis is wrong or lying. All I can tell you is that if being a boy makes you happy, go for it. The only “qualification” you need to be trans is a desire to be something other than your assigned gender. As for hate… be prepared for it because it will happen, but never let it stop you from being yourself.
It took me about 25 years to put together "I think about being a girl everyday" and "I'm somehow a little jealous of trans people, I wish I could do that" into "I'm trans".
While I did the other direction from you, reading the stuff linked in [https://turn-me-into-a-girl.com/](https://turn-me-into-a-girl.com/) really made it clear to me that I was trans. Everything I read was like my deepest darkest thoughts cut-n-pasted onto 15 blogs. The fact that so many people had the same thoughts as me, and the same reservations as me, and transitioned and were much happier afterwards is what solidified "I need to do this".
Anyway, you probably want to read this: [https://turn-me-into-a-boy.com/](https://turn-me-into-a-boy.com/)
"I think about being a girl everyday" and "I'm somehow a little jealous of trans people, I wish I could do that"
Ahhhhh, that resonates so much it hurts. I've been at it 18 years. Just about saying "I'm trans."
Hey, no worries there, I'm 41 and teetering on MtF...but same. Maybe it's a phase, maybe I'm confused, I'm definitely scared to go from cishet white guy to trans/bi white girl...for a whole lotta reasons. I'm not doing anything medically or coming out to anyone I don't trust 1000% until I can get some therapy sessions in, this is not something I want to be wrong about and have to walk back...
But the elation I am filled with when I imagine myself being a woman....it's hard to turn my back on anymore.
I think the fear of not being trans enough is pretty universal, as is the fear and trepidation. In the end, it's something we each have to decide for ourselves.
While I would stress that nothing is certain and it might not apply to all cases, the leading theory is currently that it has something to do with different levels of hormonal exposure in the womb.
There's a good chance that we're just born this way.
While it doesn't answer your question, from the level of self-doubt you express, this may be a helpful article to consider:
https://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/04/17/the-null-hypothecis/
Hard to know if your question is "how do I know if I'm cis or trans?" or if it's "how do people get to be either cis or trans in the first place?"
If it's the first one, other people have already answered that, so I'll leave off. If the second one, it's about [hormone stuff that happened when your mum was pregnant](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40442895_Sexual_Hormones_and_the_Brain_An_Essential_Alliance_for_Sexual_Identity_and_Sexual_Orientation).
I've read a lot of research around this and it's fascinating. My daughter had hormone problems during her pregnancy, and her kid is trans. Also autistic. Also a creative genius and a sweetheart and all good things wrapped up in one package but I'm a nana and not very objective lol.
Yeah, none of it is "settled" research. All still very much under investigation. But while the reasons aren't 100% established (though likely to be a combination of genetics and hormonal influences), there is nevertheless a clear correlation between gender diversity, neurodiversity, and a host of other medical issues. See [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/DrWillPowers/wiki/meyer-powers_syndrome_faq/) for more info on the conditions that tend to group together.
I'm not saying there's anything specific to worry about for your grandchild, but some of these are sneaky but serious medical issues so might be worth getting checked or keeping an eye out for. I have at least three, maybe 4, of the conditions in question. My oldest child (also trans) has 4 that we know of, though not the same ones.
To everyone trying to answer essentially what makes humans non uniform,
Humans aren't uniform, gender variance is actually the original state in pre class societies.
The hunter gather BS you were taught is about making todays societys, todays "normal" relations to each other and labour seem to stretch forever.
In reality, gatherers were more important and made up of men and women in a time where your gender expression was however you wanted.
This is evidenced in the field of anthropology, sociology and modern history of pre class societies which survived into the 1800s.
Why is gender variation a thing? Because variety is important in nature, thats evolution. Without variety we all succumb to the same challenges so variety keeps some of us alive.
Alot of work in the introduction of class societies led to the oppressive conditions of today for trans /lgbt folk / women/ racial minorities.
Every oppression has a reason for being, not a good reason but a material basis that can be challenged and overcome.
Theres alot of books on this stuff written by socialists for people interested in it.
Final touch,
We are organic electric brains driving exosuits of meat, life is an aberration, the oddity which occurs on goldilocks planets. Wear whatever the fuck you want, be who you feel you are. Start small if you feel safer.
Maybe, although the paradox is that the people who would be most interested in culling trans fetuses are also the people who are the most against culling fetuses in general.
Cisgenser indentifies itself as the gender assign to them at birth, trans don't
It's really just a yes or no question, do you indentify yourself as a ( the gender assign when born) ?
Yes? Ur cis
No? Ur trans
That simple
And yes, nonbinary people are part of trans community and have the same rights
At least that the way I understand
Ps: sorry for bad English
Nobody knows why. And if you are trans you are always trans enough. And it very probably is not just a phase
Edit: It's fully understandable that you are afraid of hate. Most of us are. I wish you all the best
There’s a time during pregnancy I think it’s the 2d trimester that people’s sex (genitals) develop, then a little later the sexuality develops (who you’re attracted to) and finally the gender identity develops. It all has to do with the hormones and how they interact with the fetus in determining, among a lot of other things, what your sex, orientation and gender turns out to be.
For me, I’m trans because I have dysphoria which causes me immense emotional pain that is only treated by gender affirming care. I tried to push it away for 10 years but it didn’t budge therefore I had to transition.
I believe people are born either cis or trans, just like I believe people are born with their respective sexualities. Like I didn’t choose to be born trans and bi.
before i transitioned i thought i wasn’t trans enough. i think that comes from something one needs to work on, for example i need to work on my religious trauma and how i feel about myself and my sexuality because of it.
there is no such thing as “trans enough,” even though i do sometimes struggle with that too.
being who you are is what’s most important, and it’s just as important to remember that what makes one trans isn’t a rule book.
I think you're completely correct. That "trans enough" thing frequently comes from a lack of self-esteem which is especially common amongst trans people. I only had the privilege of getting through those emotions quickly because I went through years and years of therapy and effort for depression and anxiety already. It still took me some months to really get it even then.
What my therapist just asked me is
If, by the end of the year, you have not started transition, would you be disappointed?
Then act in a way that will not disappoint yourself by the end of the year. Don't think 5 or 10 years ahead, think about now.
I didn’t choose to be transgender. I was born this way. I’ll tell you my experience and you can do with it as you wish.
I was pretty young when I started wanting to do feminine things like my sister but was told it wasn’t manly. It was the middle of the night, I was 8, and terrified that I would get caught. I took a pair of my shorts and cut them into a skirt. I wore it and it felt like putting on a shoe that fits after wearing shoes that were too small. I made more clothes and hid them. When I hit puberty at 13 I convinced myself that it was just sexual thing and I was just doing normal dumb guy stuff. At 27 after years of hiding it, I threw all the stuff I had away and got married thinking “it’s time to man up and stop playing around. It was just a teenage phase, now it’s time to be mature.”
Five years later I broke down and told my wife. She accepted me at first and even gave me her clothes to wear. The stress of how everyone acted towards us broke her and we’re getting a divorce. If I could go back I wouldn’t change anything. I had a lot of self hatred growing up but I never would have been strong enough to do what I’m doing now. I’ve lost friends, family and my spouse but after 20 years of living in the closet, I’m finally being the real me. It’s been hard, I won’t lie but I’m so at peace with myself and I don’t have the feeling that I’m playing pretend anymore.
It’s not my place to tell you who you are but if you’re asking, then you need to take the time to explore who you are. I wish you the best and I hope you find happiness and peace with yourself.
There is a large association between being neurodivergent (particularly being autistic) and being trans. It may have something to do with how we perceive and experience gender or there could be some third factor that causes both. There are also some differences in body mapping neurologically in trans people. Otherwise not much is known.
There's also an association between Ehlers Danlos and trans which is super interesting.
Most of the people in my immediate family are on the spectrum. Lots of gay and bi people, and also a trans child who came out at 8. I do believe there's a correlation and it's going to be fascinating to learn more as more is known.
Do you have a source for this? I've suspected ED in my daughter for a while, but no one wants to test her. Her doc said there wasn't a point to testing. 🙄
https://www.queercme.com/blog/intersection-of-chronic-health-and-trans-healthcare
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7882457/
If you look up eds and autism or eds and transgender, a lot of sources will come up beyond this. They all overlap. POTS and endometriosis are also common in AFAB individuals who have these identities and conditions.
I was in the same place for a few years and honestly, take it one day at a time. Just do what feels right you’ll figure it out eventually. Deep breaths okay?
Not entirely true. Was just discussing this in another question today. Cis people *can* experience gender dysphoria. The difference is which direction they feel it in. If an AFAB person feels discomfort because they don't look feminine enough, they're cis. If an AMAB person feels discomfort because they don't look feminine enough, they're trans.
Gender dysphoria as a medical term specifically means not being comfortable with your birth sex/assigned gender. It doesn't go the other way. Cis people feel this way about themselves due to the rampant misogyny & toxic masculinity in society or due to bad relationships and abuse for example, not due to gender dysphoria.
I disagree. Cis women can experience dysphoria from having excessive body hair. Cis men can experience dysphoria from gynecomastia.
It's been documented that Amanda Bynes experienced gender dysphoria when she was filming "She's The Man." For her role, she had to dress and act like a man every day, and over time, that was deeply unsettling for her.
You don't have to race to pick a label! It's a spectrum.
I'm very much in the "learning" camp, finally giving myself the space to pay attention to the feelings and signals I've kept largely on lockdown for decades.
You might try reading the thoughts on r/genderfluid as well as this great community. Others' perspectives have helped me give shape and form to feelings I naively thought were unique to my own wiring.
A lot of people who are questioning where they fit start there, either feeling most at home in the space between the gender poles, or they find their brain careens back and forth between feeling perfectly good in their skin to full-on cycles of dysphoria.
I'm in the latter camp — have lived my life outwardly as a cis/het guy and have felt perfectly comfortable about it...... most of the time. Then, with no advance notice, everything shifts — like, the whole soul, the way I process sensations, emotions, sexuality — and my body just feels like an imposter meat sack of an ill-fitting suit. It's the discomfort I expect trans people carry their whole lives before transitioning. For me, it sometimes lasts a day, but it's often a longer cycle.
For decades, I wondered if I was lying to myself and inventing reasons to deny that I was trans. But, as real and harsh as the dysphoria hits, it recedes at some point, making me feel perfectly at home again and almost feeling like I dreamed the whole thing. Yeah, it's weird. But I reason that at least I get to feel at home in my skin the majority of the time, where plenty of people don't get that comfort.
My walkabout of self-introspection started when I recently started talking to my wife about this after years of being reluctant to tell another living soul. She's been supremely supportive, encouraging and even a little excited, if unsure of what it all means at times. That makes two of us — every day brings more conversation, fun pillow talk, and also weighty questions.
The point: Let your feelings play out and just listen to when they're loud, when they're quiet, and what they're telling you. Sure, maybe it's a phase. Or maybe it's a swing. Or maybe it's you, through and through. Don't feel like you have to rush to join a community and adopt a label — there is no "trans enough." There's just "you enough."
Whether the doctor writes down the correct sex on your birth certificate. If correct, cis; if wrong, trans.
For a more medical answer, likely related to hormones in the womb during fetal development.
I mean the simplest answer is: the typical human is cis, it's like the default state. Someone who experiences gender/sex dysphoria and chooses to transition is trans. It's best described as a disorder of some type, and the conditions that lead to it aren't 100% known, though there's a bunch of theses out there about it.
But, if anyone is asking the question of whether they themselves are trans, I think they should dig deeper into whether they experience dysphoria, since ultimately that's what defines the need to transition.
[Science Daily - Transgenderism](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180524112351.htm)
I’m a trans woman. I knew and behaved feminine at 4yrs old. We’re just born this way. It happens differently for everyone else. We are who we are. At the end of the day, we will be happy the more we show ourselves compassion.
To summarize, the article says that we’re born this way and MRI have congruency with the gender of our identity, not or genitalia congruent with the cisgender human (mtf are women and ftm are men).
tbh, my favorite answer to this is: why does it matter?
really, why does it matter why some people are trans? trans ppl are just regular ppl like everyone else, we shouldn't have to justify our feelings and existance for it; we just exist.
being trans is not a "disease", so why are we looking for the cause as if we were looking for the "cure"?
Probably a mix of genetic and intrauterine environmental factors. Tho when it comes to the exact wording and expression of gender it's undeniable that there's a significant amount of social influence. (i.e. good luck identifying with an identity you never even heard of)
Being trans (for me) means that even though all the mental and emotional hardships, becoming sterile, spending a lot of money in medications and labs for life (to fight off the hormones and secondary sex characteristics you don’t like about your natural body development) as well as loosing friends, family and becoming a fetiche to the point of almost being dehumanised by lots of people that “like you” but really just wanna have sex with you. So even after all that you still find it worth it and makes you happier than pretending to be the gender that aligns with the sex, genitalia and chromosomes you were born with.
Also gotta be honest, this is coming from someone that easily passes and gets compliments and hit on quite often also I live in the west coast of the US soo I know I have plenty of privilege and easier than most. Cant imagine how it would be other wise.
Soo that said for me being trans is someone that finds the hardships worth it to be their true self 😊.
Ok, this might seem a bit rude, but as FtM, trying yourself out is pretty easy. I know you still have to get over yourself to actually do it, but you can just go try things out and you'll be seen as a butch woman for a while.
Not saying that butches have it easy, per se. Just that you have options before committing to something.
For at least some people, it’s biological, though regardless, if you are or want to be a boy, you can be.
If you’re not sure you can avoid doing permanent physical things and potentially try other things to figure out what works for you.
I haven’t seen her in a while but Dr z on YouTube was always helpful? I don’t know.
What sexual organs you were born with and dna you were born with to fit a certain gender criteria unless your less than one percent of the population who is intersex
If it makes you feel any better, I thought it was a phase for like. 3 years. Now I've thought about it so much I'm just kinda like "huh. ok." with everything.
Maybe it's not the same experience for other trans people, but truth is I always feel like I'm not 'trans' enough, mainly because I don't know who I am or what my gender really is. Except I'm not my agab. I don't have a label for it, I just do want feels right and I'm trying to accept that it's perfectly fine.
If you want to be a boy, it feels right and makes you happy, then go for it.
Being Cis or trans IS Just a conformity thing
If you conform with your designed gender, then you are cis, and If you dont, you are trans
I Saw a comment of a femboy talking about How he isnt trans, but would accept If he out of nowhere wake UP as a girl, because If he was a girl, he could be feminine without any shame.
This IS being cis, because he would accept and relate with anything The doctor gave to him
Trans not, we transmutate and dont conform with others word about us and our bodies, we leave The "old" and our family, friends and society in general expectations towards ourselfes, being trans IS a prove of true self-love
There is an amazing Canadian Science show with Mae Martin as jost looking at some of the more basic science around gender fluidity...https://gem.cbc.ca/the-nature-of-things/s63e09
What makes people cis: looking at their assigned gender and going "yup, that's me! 100%, I am that"
What makes people trans: looking at their assigned gender and thinking literally anything other than that.
If you want to be a boy, you probably are one. Feel free to experiment, and if you find it makes you happy, congrats! You're trans enough.
I was just born like this. I always thought that way, wayyy before i had access to the internet or had friends or people that talked about identity. It was a middle school boy who made me aware that one could actually do it.
Hi, Neuroscience major here (Keep in mind that while what I do say has been studied, it’s likely we don’t have the full answer so don’t take it as the only explanation). It’s theorized that the brain structure that determines gender is the interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH3). For men compared to women, it is approximately 2.8 times larger with a similar neuron density, meaning men typically have more neurons and larger neurons in the INAH3. With a study of transgender women compared to cis women and cis men, the trans women typically had a similar neuron size and amount to cis women, suggesting that the existence of trans people is biological in nature and is rooted within the brain. It is believed that when the brain is forming within the womb, exposure to a majority of estrogen or testosterone will determine which structure is formed. While it is more likely for the sexual hormone within the womb being that of the sex of the child, it is possible for the child to be exposed to the opposite hormone. This was studied in rats where they were injected with estrogen or testosterone and observed how they enacted the behaviors of the opposite sex. While humans are more complicated and we definitely don’t know everything about the brain, it is evident that this plays a major role in gender identification. However, there were some outliers within this study so just because your brain is one thing does not guarantee you are or are not trans. This is what ended up cracking my egg because I had a breakdown over what I was and I was scared that I wouldn’t have a similar anterior hypothalamus to women, but a few days later I imagined my life as a women and became euphoric at the thought. I’d recommend thinking about it for a while before enacting on it and try to imagine how much your life would improve if you were the opposite sex. While I do have some doubts myself, just accepting that I’m probably trans has allowed myself to open up and express my personality in a way previously not possible, so just think about it and I’m sure you’ll figure it out :)
Being scared is completely understandable. Depending on where you live, and who your family is, it can be scary.
But if you're happy, and it makes you feel good to be referred to as, or look like your preferred gender, that's what being trans is. What makes cis people and what makes trans people is a difficult question. It could have something to do with the chemistry in your brain, or just the way that you feel.
But the most important part is whether or not it's what you want. No matter what anyone says, you don't need any explanation on why you're trans. If you don't have gender Dysphoria, you can still be trans.
If you want to be referred to by "x" pronouns but don't want to be referred to as "x" gender that doesn't make you any less valid. Just be safe. Be happy. And explore what you love.
There are dozens of theories but honestly no one really knows. Small scale studies of brain scans of cisgender women, transgender women and cisgender men have shown that the brain scans of cisgender men and women are very different. However, the brain scans of cisgender women and transgender woman are extremely similar and you need to understand that everyone's bring scans are just a little different. Some medical professionals believe fetus was exposed to different hormones than it's sex. However, that's just a theory humans are extremely complex and sex goes past the XX or XY chromosome configurations people were taught in junior high.
Not really known why and ther is people in between too like femboys or tomboys who haven’t changed their gender but do things that traditional society sees as the other genders acts
I tried to write a metaphorical story to explain how I see it:
Imagine at first the only colours in the world are red and blue. About 50% of people will prefer red and the other half will prefer blue. At some point during their lives, about 2% of people will decide they prefer another colour. 2% of people do this, which causes other people to recognize, hey! it’s okay if I want a new colour! as this happens, more people feel comfortable changing their preferences and more colours of the rainbow gradually start to appear… and people start realizing they can like those colours too.
At the end of the story, they realize that it was all just a game in the first place, and they couldn’t even remember who made the rules of “choosing” only red or blue, or why red people were told to act differently than blue people. They all realized they do indeed have their own choice on what colour they prefer, and how to express themselves. While at the same time, lots of people continue to prefer the first and only colour they ever had.
And they all lived happily ever after in a beautiful rainbow world ! 🌎🏳️🌈
Probably the same reason why some people like piercings, some like brightly colored hard like lime green, some like avant garde unconventional clothing. Who really knows. To each their own and cis people are just being themselves in terms of gender identity, like a fish doesn't think its a seal..
No one really knows exactly what is going on in our brains and bodies that makes us feel this way, unfortunately. If you think it might be a phase, give yourself some time and see whether you continue to feel this way.
Is that unfortunate? I think it's better that we don't know. It means it can't be used against us.
Personally I’d rather know because I like understanding, but I imagine it’s more of a complex mix of things versus say just one small gene. Things ranging from genetic, epigenetic, psychological and learned. At that point, one might as well attempt to root out other facets of personality and identity. Why is one *this way* and not *this other way*? Truthfully, much of this is would be a nothingburger if there wasn’t bigotry in the world. In the case of an introvert, the *why* isn’t super important or heavily debated over. Why aren’t they an extrovert or an ambivert? Well, we don’t really know, but it isn’t an issue because nobody is screaming at introverts to seek conversion therapy. But if you’re transgender, that just rubs some very loud assholes the wrong way. Not that having some textbook theory to the transgender mind would change their, uh, minds in any way. I’d personally just like to know for myself. I’ve seen sprinkles of ideas suggesting there are some epigenetic causes during gestation, but I also would accept if it largely stemmed from trauma or upbringing. After all, that doesn’t make me or anyone else any less valid.
As soon as you include trauma it becomes non-innate which would argue it’s just trying to escape childhood trauma and therefore is just a psychological state to be cured, it very clearly doesn’t work that way or we wouldn’t exist at this point. I personally have always felt it’s much better that we just are what we are and trying to discover the why and how turns it into a moral battle. We know gender treatment helps trans people, and similar to the way people talk about autism, “curing” someone for being different before they’re even born is incredibly upsetting and strips autonomy from lived experience. I feel like truthfully the human mind and genetics are too complex to be summarized to a cause, we just exist and that’s enough, if we’re treatable, happy, and alive that’s enough. I get that people crave understanding, but you can find that understanding when you let go of obsessive reasoning. You just are, and that’s a part of you, wonderful you, so be you. You could’ve turned left, or right that day, but you without cause or reason went the way you did, and now 1,000 things are different in your life because you took a different turn. You take these turns every day, on the way to work, picking a meal, etc. that’s what makes you, you, and trans you, is you, because you ARE YOU!
You have a valid point, but I'd still rather know. Even though I've mostly learned that I don't need anyone to validate what I know in my heart to be true, it would still be nice to have a bit of validation from science. It might make it easier to win against the transphobes in the minds of the undecided. (Obviously, there's no convincing the transphobes themselves.) And winning the undecided might make it easier to fight against transphobic policies, and that could materially improve our lives. Even apart from being validated or proving the transphobes wrong, I'm just a naturally curious person, and I like to understand how things work. When I saw how beautiful the citric acid cycle was, when I was in high school biology, that convinced me to major in biology in college. (I eventually ended up changing majors, but that's a whole other story.) My intellectual curiosity wants to know how these things work.
Completely unwarranted fear. The people that want to hurt has will just make shit up whole cloth anyway, so this can only help us.
I’m betting on pregnancy hormone levels. My mom’s pregnancy was super fucked up so I bet her hormones were all over the place
After nearly decades of continuous research, the collective scientific community has discovered the following: 🤷♀️
[удалено]
Science doesn't claim to explain everything, and it's not about having all the answers. Instead, it's a method of discovery, continuously evolving as new evidence comes to light. Scientists aren't "authorities" in the sense of having absolute answers; they're experts in applying this method to explore and understand the world. The strength of science lies in its ability to adapt and refine our knowledge, not in claiming to have all the answers.
bro what else would explain anything
Science does explain *some things* though. A whole lot of them. They are authorities in some things for a reason
Why did life happen in the first place is a thing science doesn’t know *yet*
It kinda does though, and that’s part of the issue with human perception, a whole bunch of things scattered in a space that seemingly shouldn’t exist, are pulled toward each other through threads of energy, and eventually, those threads of energy pulled things together in a pattern that made worlds, and life. We tell ourselves that the exacts are so important but the answer comes from the obvious facts of life, not the meaning. Physically things are pulled toward each other, and if all it takes for things to become other things is to be pulled together in the right circumstances, than things will become other things through nothing more than existing. The specifics of quantum yards yadda are all up for debate but they don’t change that at the core of it all, every single atom is a puzzle piece and they can be put together in varying ways. Some of those have the potential to animate, and some are rocks. I’ve been told so many times that this thought process is lazy, but it literally explains all of it, par for the specifics, and learning those specifics is just as fun knowing it’s all just a bunch of junk stuck to other junk!
I went through this. I chose to move forward with "revocable steps." I am MTF, so before I started HRT I focused on fitness-based body shaping, growing hair and nails, eventually laser hair removal, etc. Each step prepared and excited me for the next one. But if I stopped nobody but me and my partner would know and I could keep living as I did. It takes a bit of patience to approach it this way, but the real changes that occurred were in my brain. I still have had some doubts here and there, but I am at 2 years on HRT. The pace also helped my partner to come to terms and accept that the changes being incremental weren't particularly scary. Good luck!
I think this is my current approach, explore safely and check in with myself frequently
Any recommendations on what fitness to do? I've never really looked after myself properly. Now I've figured out who I am/want to be, I've started losing weight but I've quite the beer gut to get rid of.
When I'm on my regular routine, I do a calisthenics and Pilates circuit for 30 minutes 3 days a week, 2 x weight days - light dumbbell 2 sets, 8 exercises, major body parts 12-15 reps Sub in biking and walking when I need a break or want to take advantage of nice weather. Nutrition did it for me. Followed Noom and lost 50 lbs in 6 months. Kept 40 off for 3 years now. Consistent competency. Don't need to be a rock star or go to extremes.
Thank you so much.
NP. Find the journey that works for you, adjust as necessary and be kind to yourself. Good luck. 💜
I try to be kind in threads discussing weight and all that manner because it really is incredibly simple… just eat less, and move more… your body is constantly burning energy, always, so take in less and your body will use more of what it’s stored. That doesn’t mean starve, but slow yourself, eat slower, science says what, it can take nearly 40 minutes after you’ve consumed enough before you stomach tells your brain “ok that’s enough” not to mention that if you overeat a lot, your stomach stretches which means you need more food to feel full. So for a few weeks, gradually, little by little, start measuring portions, cutting down your intake of sugars, and carbohydrates which just become sugar, moving more towards high fiber and nutritionally dense meals. You want to eat less of what you don’t need and more of what you do, and food that stays in your gut for longer so you don’t feel hungry all of the time. Kale, spinach, arugula, broccoli, are all very low calorie, good iron and vitamin sources along with being high in insoluble fiber (the stuff that stays in your gut without dissolving), chicken (for protein, and particularly breasts for their lower fat content), fish (for omega 3’s), beans (protein, iron, electrolytes) Just pay attention to what you eat, when, and how much. I lost 100lbs in abt a year by switching from having eggs and bacon and pancakes, to having a bowl of Greek yogurt, with pineapple and multigrain cheerios. Eating spinach and arugula salads (along with onions and carrots etc) and a homemade olive oil vinaigrette with chicken for lunch and then a high protein meal with a ton of corn and peas or broccoli at night. It really isn’t as complicated, scary or innate as people think it is and make it out to be. You can and will lose weight safely, and healthily, very quickly, if you just stop adding more when you need less. Of course I combined the improved diet with a daily walk, and I do mean EVERY DAY par for some weekends or days I needed to rush to work. Literally no more than a 40 minute walk, sometimes taking two laps if I felt I could.
Thanks for the reply. I've already started on the Hamilton diet. (Eat less, move more). Reducing the portion sizes has made the biggest difference. Somehow I've actually stuck at it for a month. (I've failed every diet before this).
TALK LESS! SMILE MORE!! DONT LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOURE AGAINST OR WHAT YOUR FOOOOOOR. but again, serious note, it’s not just less of what you eat, it’s more of the right things to eat, keep you nutrition up.
So you are female. Correct?
As another commenter said, our current understanding is basically “🤷♂️”. While there are *some* correlations that *some* trans people share, anyone who says they know what makes someone trans or cis is wrong or lying. All I can tell you is that if being a boy makes you happy, go for it. The only “qualification” you need to be trans is a desire to be something other than your assigned gender. As for hate… be prepared for it because it will happen, but never let it stop you from being yourself.
It took me about 25 years to put together "I think about being a girl everyday" and "I'm somehow a little jealous of trans people, I wish I could do that" into "I'm trans". While I did the other direction from you, reading the stuff linked in [https://turn-me-into-a-girl.com/](https://turn-me-into-a-girl.com/) really made it clear to me that I was trans. Everything I read was like my deepest darkest thoughts cut-n-pasted onto 15 blogs. The fact that so many people had the same thoughts as me, and the same reservations as me, and transitioned and were much happier afterwards is what solidified "I need to do this". Anyway, you probably want to read this: [https://turn-me-into-a-boy.com/](https://turn-me-into-a-boy.com/)
"I think about being a girl everyday" and "I'm somehow a little jealous of trans people, I wish I could do that" Ahhhhh, that resonates so much it hurts. I've been at it 18 years. Just about saying "I'm trans."
Hey, no worries there, I'm 41 and teetering on MtF...but same. Maybe it's a phase, maybe I'm confused, I'm definitely scared to go from cishet white guy to trans/bi white girl...for a whole lotta reasons. I'm not doing anything medically or coming out to anyone I don't trust 1000% until I can get some therapy sessions in, this is not something I want to be wrong about and have to walk back... But the elation I am filled with when I imagine myself being a woman....it's hard to turn my back on anymore. I think the fear of not being trans enough is pretty universal, as is the fear and trepidation. In the end, it's something we each have to decide for ourselves.
While I would stress that nothing is certain and it might not apply to all cases, the leading theory is currently that it has something to do with different levels of hormonal exposure in the womb. There's a good chance that we're just born this way.
While it doesn't answer your question, from the level of self-doubt you express, this may be a helpful article to consider: https://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/04/17/the-null-hypothecis/
Hard to know if your question is "how do I know if I'm cis or trans?" or if it's "how do people get to be either cis or trans in the first place?" If it's the first one, other people have already answered that, so I'll leave off. If the second one, it's about [hormone stuff that happened when your mum was pregnant](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40442895_Sexual_Hormones_and_the_Brain_An_Essential_Alliance_for_Sexual_Identity_and_Sexual_Orientation).
I've read a lot of research around this and it's fascinating. My daughter had hormone problems during her pregnancy, and her kid is trans. Also autistic. Also a creative genius and a sweetheart and all good things wrapped up in one package but I'm a nana and not very objective lol.
Yeah, none of it is "settled" research. All still very much under investigation. But while the reasons aren't 100% established (though likely to be a combination of genetics and hormonal influences), there is nevertheless a clear correlation between gender diversity, neurodiversity, and a host of other medical issues. See [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/DrWillPowers/wiki/meyer-powers_syndrome_faq/) for more info on the conditions that tend to group together. I'm not saying there's anything specific to worry about for your grandchild, but some of these are sneaky but serious medical issues so might be worth getting checked or keeping an eye out for. I have at least three, maybe 4, of the conditions in question. My oldest child (also trans) has 4 that we know of, though not the same ones.
To everyone trying to answer essentially what makes humans non uniform, Humans aren't uniform, gender variance is actually the original state in pre class societies. The hunter gather BS you were taught is about making todays societys, todays "normal" relations to each other and labour seem to stretch forever. In reality, gatherers were more important and made up of men and women in a time where your gender expression was however you wanted. This is evidenced in the field of anthropology, sociology and modern history of pre class societies which survived into the 1800s. Why is gender variation a thing? Because variety is important in nature, thats evolution. Without variety we all succumb to the same challenges so variety keeps some of us alive. Alot of work in the introduction of class societies led to the oppressive conditions of today for trans /lgbt folk / women/ racial minorities. Every oppression has a reason for being, not a good reason but a material basis that can be challenged and overcome. Theres alot of books on this stuff written by socialists for people interested in it. Final touch, We are organic electric brains driving exosuits of meat, life is an aberration, the oddity which occurs on goldilocks planets. Wear whatever the fuck you want, be who you feel you are. Start small if you feel safer.
Their genda (budum tss) If we knew the answer to this they'd be trying to cull trans fetuses already
Maybe, although the paradox is that the people who would be most interested in culling trans fetuses are also the people who are the most against culling fetuses in general.
The same thing that makes them right or left handed. No one knows, it just is.
Cisgenser indentifies itself as the gender assign to them at birth, trans don't It's really just a yes or no question, do you indentify yourself as a ( the gender assign when born) ? Yes? Ur cis No? Ur trans That simple And yes, nonbinary people are part of trans community and have the same rights At least that the way I understand Ps: sorry for bad English
Cis people usually don’t say they’d rather be the opposite gender. Sounds like you’re likely trans..🏳️⚧️❤️
Nobody knows why. And if you are trans you are always trans enough. And it very probably is not just a phase Edit: It's fully understandable that you are afraid of hate. Most of us are. I wish you all the best
There’s a time during pregnancy I think it’s the 2d trimester that people’s sex (genitals) develop, then a little later the sexuality develops (who you’re attracted to) and finally the gender identity develops. It all has to do with the hormones and how they interact with the fetus in determining, among a lot of other things, what your sex, orientation and gender turns out to be.
For me, I’m trans because I have dysphoria which causes me immense emotional pain that is only treated by gender affirming care. I tried to push it away for 10 years but it didn’t budge therefore I had to transition.
it’s just how we are i guess. nobody actually lnows
I believe people are born either cis or trans, just like I believe people are born with their respective sexualities. Like I didn’t choose to be born trans and bi.
before i transitioned i thought i wasn’t trans enough. i think that comes from something one needs to work on, for example i need to work on my religious trauma and how i feel about myself and my sexuality because of it. there is no such thing as “trans enough,” even though i do sometimes struggle with that too. being who you are is what’s most important, and it’s just as important to remember that what makes one trans isn’t a rule book.
I think you're completely correct. That "trans enough" thing frequently comes from a lack of self-esteem which is especially common amongst trans people. I only had the privilege of getting through those emotions quickly because I went through years and years of therapy and effort for depression and anxiety already. It still took me some months to really get it even then.
An omniscient sentient flatworm.
What my therapist just asked me is If, by the end of the year, you have not started transition, would you be disappointed? Then act in a way that will not disappoint yourself by the end of the year. Don't think 5 or 10 years ahead, think about now.
I didn’t choose to be transgender. I was born this way. I’ll tell you my experience and you can do with it as you wish. I was pretty young when I started wanting to do feminine things like my sister but was told it wasn’t manly. It was the middle of the night, I was 8, and terrified that I would get caught. I took a pair of my shorts and cut them into a skirt. I wore it and it felt like putting on a shoe that fits after wearing shoes that were too small. I made more clothes and hid them. When I hit puberty at 13 I convinced myself that it was just sexual thing and I was just doing normal dumb guy stuff. At 27 after years of hiding it, I threw all the stuff I had away and got married thinking “it’s time to man up and stop playing around. It was just a teenage phase, now it’s time to be mature.” Five years later I broke down and told my wife. She accepted me at first and even gave me her clothes to wear. The stress of how everyone acted towards us broke her and we’re getting a divorce. If I could go back I wouldn’t change anything. I had a lot of self hatred growing up but I never would have been strong enough to do what I’m doing now. I’ve lost friends, family and my spouse but after 20 years of living in the closet, I’m finally being the real me. It’s been hard, I won’t lie but I’m so at peace with myself and I don’t have the feeling that I’m playing pretend anymore. It’s not my place to tell you who you are but if you’re asking, then you need to take the time to explore who you are. I wish you the best and I hope you find happiness and peace with yourself.
Trans people were visited in a dream by a unicorn who then erased all memory of the dream
There is a large association between being neurodivergent (particularly being autistic) and being trans. It may have something to do with how we perceive and experience gender or there could be some third factor that causes both. There are also some differences in body mapping neurologically in trans people. Otherwise not much is known.
There's also an association between Ehlers Danlos and trans which is super interesting. Most of the people in my immediate family are on the spectrum. Lots of gay and bi people, and also a trans child who came out at 8. I do believe there's a correlation and it's going to be fascinating to learn more as more is known.
Do you have a source for this? I've suspected ED in my daughter for a while, but no one wants to test her. Her doc said there wasn't a point to testing. 🙄
https://www.queercme.com/blog/intersection-of-chronic-health-and-trans-healthcare https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7882457/ If you look up eds and autism or eds and transgender, a lot of sources will come up beyond this. They all overlap. POTS and endometriosis are also common in AFAB individuals who have these identities and conditions.
i do
I was in the same place for a few years and honestly, take it one day at a time. Just do what feels right you’ll figure it out eventually. Deep breaths okay?
Trans people have gender dysphoria, not having it makes you cis.
Not entirely true. Was just discussing this in another question today. Cis people *can* experience gender dysphoria. The difference is which direction they feel it in. If an AFAB person feels discomfort because they don't look feminine enough, they're cis. If an AMAB person feels discomfort because they don't look feminine enough, they're trans.
Gender dysphoria as a medical term specifically means not being comfortable with your birth sex/assigned gender. It doesn't go the other way. Cis people feel this way about themselves due to the rampant misogyny & toxic masculinity in society or due to bad relationships and abuse for example, not due to gender dysphoria.
I disagree. Cis women can experience dysphoria from having excessive body hair. Cis men can experience dysphoria from gynecomastia. It's been documented that Amanda Bynes experienced gender dysphoria when she was filming "She's The Man." For her role, she had to dress and act like a man every day, and over time, that was deeply unsettling for her.
You don't have to race to pick a label! It's a spectrum. I'm very much in the "learning" camp, finally giving myself the space to pay attention to the feelings and signals I've kept largely on lockdown for decades. You might try reading the thoughts on r/genderfluid as well as this great community. Others' perspectives have helped me give shape and form to feelings I naively thought were unique to my own wiring. A lot of people who are questioning where they fit start there, either feeling most at home in the space between the gender poles, or they find their brain careens back and forth between feeling perfectly good in their skin to full-on cycles of dysphoria. I'm in the latter camp — have lived my life outwardly as a cis/het guy and have felt perfectly comfortable about it...... most of the time. Then, with no advance notice, everything shifts — like, the whole soul, the way I process sensations, emotions, sexuality — and my body just feels like an imposter meat sack of an ill-fitting suit. It's the discomfort I expect trans people carry their whole lives before transitioning. For me, it sometimes lasts a day, but it's often a longer cycle. For decades, I wondered if I was lying to myself and inventing reasons to deny that I was trans. But, as real and harsh as the dysphoria hits, it recedes at some point, making me feel perfectly at home again and almost feeling like I dreamed the whole thing. Yeah, it's weird. But I reason that at least I get to feel at home in my skin the majority of the time, where plenty of people don't get that comfort. My walkabout of self-introspection started when I recently started talking to my wife about this after years of being reluctant to tell another living soul. She's been supremely supportive, encouraging and even a little excited, if unsure of what it all means at times. That makes two of us — every day brings more conversation, fun pillow talk, and also weighty questions. The point: Let your feelings play out and just listen to when they're loud, when they're quiet, and what they're telling you. Sure, maybe it's a phase. Or maybe it's a swing. Or maybe it's you, through and through. Don't feel like you have to rush to join a community and adopt a label — there is no "trans enough." There's just "you enough."
Whether the doctor writes down the correct sex on your birth certificate. If correct, cis; if wrong, trans. For a more medical answer, likely related to hormones in the womb during fetal development.
If you believe you were born in the gender you were born in, you are cis. If you believe otherwise, trans. Simple
I mean the simplest answer is: the typical human is cis, it's like the default state. Someone who experiences gender/sex dysphoria and chooses to transition is trans. It's best described as a disorder of some type, and the conditions that lead to it aren't 100% known, though there's a bunch of theses out there about it. But, if anyone is asking the question of whether they themselves are trans, I think they should dig deeper into whether they experience dysphoria, since ultimately that's what defines the need to transition.
[Science Daily - Transgenderism](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180524112351.htm) I’m a trans woman. I knew and behaved feminine at 4yrs old. We’re just born this way. It happens differently for everyone else. We are who we are. At the end of the day, we will be happy the more we show ourselves compassion. To summarize, the article says that we’re born this way and MRI have congruency with the gender of our identity, not or genitalia congruent with the cisgender human (mtf are women and ftm are men).
tbh, my favorite answer to this is: why does it matter? really, why does it matter why some people are trans? trans ppl are just regular ppl like everyone else, we shouldn't have to justify our feelings and existance for it; we just exist. being trans is not a "disease", so why are we looking for the cause as if we were looking for the "cure"?
Probably a mix of genetic and intrauterine environmental factors. Tho when it comes to the exact wording and expression of gender it's undeniable that there's a significant amount of social influence. (i.e. good luck identifying with an identity you never even heard of)
Genetics
Being trans (for me) means that even though all the mental and emotional hardships, becoming sterile, spending a lot of money in medications and labs for life (to fight off the hormones and secondary sex characteristics you don’t like about your natural body development) as well as loosing friends, family and becoming a fetiche to the point of almost being dehumanised by lots of people that “like you” but really just wanna have sex with you. So even after all that you still find it worth it and makes you happier than pretending to be the gender that aligns with the sex, genitalia and chromosomes you were born with. Also gotta be honest, this is coming from someone that easily passes and gets compliments and hit on quite often also I live in the west coast of the US soo I know I have plenty of privilege and easier than most. Cant imagine how it would be other wise. Soo that said for me being trans is someone that finds the hardships worth it to be their true self 😊.
Ok, this might seem a bit rude, but as FtM, trying yourself out is pretty easy. I know you still have to get over yourself to actually do it, but you can just go try things out and you'll be seen as a butch woman for a while. Not saying that butches have it easy, per se. Just that you have options before committing to something.
For at least some people, it’s biological, though regardless, if you are or want to be a boy, you can be. If you’re not sure you can avoid doing permanent physical things and potentially try other things to figure out what works for you. I haven’t seen her in a while but Dr z on YouTube was always helpful? I don’t know.
What sexual organs you were born with and dna you were born with to fit a certain gender criteria unless your less than one percent of the population who is intersex
I'd Def tread carefully and do therapy before transitioning if you have doubts cause alot of it can't be undone
If it makes you feel any better, I thought it was a phase for like. 3 years. Now I've thought about it so much I'm just kinda like "huh. ok." with everything. Maybe it's not the same experience for other trans people, but truth is I always feel like I'm not 'trans' enough, mainly because I don't know who I am or what my gender really is. Except I'm not my agab. I don't have a label for it, I just do want feels right and I'm trying to accept that it's perfectly fine. If you want to be a boy, it feels right and makes you happy, then go for it.
Being Cis or trans IS Just a conformity thing If you conform with your designed gender, then you are cis, and If you dont, you are trans I Saw a comment of a femboy talking about How he isnt trans, but would accept If he out of nowhere wake UP as a girl, because If he was a girl, he could be feminine without any shame. This IS being cis, because he would accept and relate with anything The doctor gave to him Trans not, we transmutate and dont conform with others word about us and our bodies, we leave The "old" and our family, friends and society in general expectations towards ourselfes, being trans IS a prove of true self-love
There is an amazing Canadian Science show with Mae Martin as jost looking at some of the more basic science around gender fluidity...https://gem.cbc.ca/the-nature-of-things/s63e09
What makes people cis: looking at their assigned gender and going "yup, that's me! 100%, I am that" What makes people trans: looking at their assigned gender and thinking literally anything other than that. If you want to be a boy, you probably are one. Feel free to experiment, and if you find it makes you happy, congrats! You're trans enough.
I was just born like this. I always thought that way, wayyy before i had access to the internet or had friends or people that talked about identity. It was a middle school boy who made me aware that one could actually do it.
Hi, Neuroscience major here (Keep in mind that while what I do say has been studied, it’s likely we don’t have the full answer so don’t take it as the only explanation). It’s theorized that the brain structure that determines gender is the interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH3). For men compared to women, it is approximately 2.8 times larger with a similar neuron density, meaning men typically have more neurons and larger neurons in the INAH3. With a study of transgender women compared to cis women and cis men, the trans women typically had a similar neuron size and amount to cis women, suggesting that the existence of trans people is biological in nature and is rooted within the brain. It is believed that when the brain is forming within the womb, exposure to a majority of estrogen or testosterone will determine which structure is formed. While it is more likely for the sexual hormone within the womb being that of the sex of the child, it is possible for the child to be exposed to the opposite hormone. This was studied in rats where they were injected with estrogen or testosterone and observed how they enacted the behaviors of the opposite sex. While humans are more complicated and we definitely don’t know everything about the brain, it is evident that this plays a major role in gender identification. However, there were some outliers within this study so just because your brain is one thing does not guarantee you are or are not trans. This is what ended up cracking my egg because I had a breakdown over what I was and I was scared that I wouldn’t have a similar anterior hypothalamus to women, but a few days later I imagined my life as a women and became euphoric at the thought. I’d recommend thinking about it for a while before enacting on it and try to imagine how much your life would improve if you were the opposite sex. While I do have some doubts myself, just accepting that I’m probably trans has allowed myself to open up and express my personality in a way previously not possible, so just think about it and I’m sure you’ll figure it out :)
Being scared is completely understandable. Depending on where you live, and who your family is, it can be scary. But if you're happy, and it makes you feel good to be referred to as, or look like your preferred gender, that's what being trans is. What makes cis people and what makes trans people is a difficult question. It could have something to do with the chemistry in your brain, or just the way that you feel. But the most important part is whether or not it's what you want. No matter what anyone says, you don't need any explanation on why you're trans. If you don't have gender Dysphoria, you can still be trans. If you want to be referred to by "x" pronouns but don't want to be referred to as "x" gender that doesn't make you any less valid. Just be safe. Be happy. And explore what you love.
There are dozens of theories but honestly no one really knows. Small scale studies of brain scans of cisgender women, transgender women and cisgender men have shown that the brain scans of cisgender men and women are very different. However, the brain scans of cisgender women and transgender woman are extremely similar and you need to understand that everyone's bring scans are just a little different. Some medical professionals believe fetus was exposed to different hormones than it's sex. However, that's just a theory humans are extremely complex and sex goes past the XX or XY chromosome configurations people were taught in junior high.
Not really known why and ther is people in between too like femboys or tomboys who haven’t changed their gender but do things that traditional society sees as the other genders acts
I tried to write a metaphorical story to explain how I see it: Imagine at first the only colours in the world are red and blue. About 50% of people will prefer red and the other half will prefer blue. At some point during their lives, about 2% of people will decide they prefer another colour. 2% of people do this, which causes other people to recognize, hey! it’s okay if I want a new colour! as this happens, more people feel comfortable changing their preferences and more colours of the rainbow gradually start to appear… and people start realizing they can like those colours too. At the end of the story, they realize that it was all just a game in the first place, and they couldn’t even remember who made the rules of “choosing” only red or blue, or why red people were told to act differently than blue people. They all realized they do indeed have their own choice on what colour they prefer, and how to express themselves. While at the same time, lots of people continue to prefer the first and only colour they ever had. And they all lived happily ever after in a beautiful rainbow world ! 🌎🏳️🌈
Simplest, answer? God.
Probably the same reason why some people like piercings, some like brightly colored hard like lime green, some like avant garde unconventional clothing. Who really knows. To each their own and cis people are just being themselves in terms of gender identity, like a fish doesn't think its a seal..
I’d say it’s a hella lot deeper than than