Clio talks about the struggles and basics of a transsexual

On our first week of going international, here is the kick-off entry from one blogger whose authority is unquestionable as far as Transsexual and being transvestite is concern. With no further a do, allow me to introduce to you our guest blogger of the week--- Cliogodess.

when being a boy, girl and gay is not enough

BECAUSE CLEARLY NOT A SINGLE LETTER CAN DEFINE AN AMAZING PERSON LIKE ME.

Every child born into this world is assigned sex at birth depending on the genitals of the child. M (male) if there is penis and F (female) if there is vagina. But nobody really understands the impact of this ONE LETTER distinction to a human person.

I was born on April 1, 1983 and doctors declared that i will have "M" on my birth certificate but no one knew this "M" will make my life MISERABLE.

I grew up ok until i noticed that i am not like the other M's of my age, i hated rough play, i never understood tough toys and i cant understand why my friends enjoy their lives and i didnt. i started to move away from them and leaned towards and was relating more to the "F" of my peers,

At age 7, i knew im not one of the boys but one of the girls yet everyone says i am "M" and that i should act like one. I tried desperately to follow what i've been told and that's when i lost who i am. and together with that, i lost how to defend, respect and love myself. i basically grew not knowing how to listen to me.

During puberty and adolescence, Mom confronted me and asks if i was gay since i am to soft to be a man but i am becoming and changing to a man. I wanted puberty to finish so i can be manly so that i won’t be confused anymore. But boys were just too good to be ignored. I felt attracted to those who talked to me. To those who took care of me and to those who saw my vulnerability yet accepted me, I thought i was gay since i loved them but they were straight and they showed me how a man should take care of a woman. That's when i decided to learn why i feel the way i feel. I took Psychology but this science doesn’t focus on my dilemma. I started reading and researching on my condition and found out about TRANSGENDERISM.

And that's when clarity started to gain control on my life.

Transgenderism is a state where someone identifies himself or herself opposite or against the assigned sex on birth. The most famous among transgender are Transexuals. These are people who identify themselves against their assigned sex that they have a special kind of depression called GENDER DYSPHORIA. (a condition where someone is distressed about not fitting to their body that they have a hard time functioning in life causing them a hard time building relationship to themselves and to others). This overall condition is called GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER. (Not a disease that needs to be cured but a condition brought about by psychological disconnects that needs to be corrected)

People believe that this condition is affective by familial or environmental factors. (e.g. last child, only child or youngest in the family, having no father or mother figure or strong attachment to them, sexual abuse during childhood, pressure like calling someone gay if the child manifests behavior not accepted to their assigned birth) but it has been proven that it is more biological than that.

Every person born on this earth possesses the XX sex chromosomes for females and XY sex chromosomes for males which determine the genetic sex of a person. (although there have been mutations like XXX-super feminine women, XXY-feminine male or masculine women, XYY- or the notorious criminals called super masculine men)

Every one starts in the womb with primitive vaginas and primitive penises. Depending on their chromosomes, primitive penises become clitoris for females and primitive vaginas fuse causing the skin suture on male scrotum. During this period, it is said that maternal hormones affects the brain of the child (male and female brains have different chemical compositions and functions). Male children needs testosterone for its male brain to develop and female children needs estrogen for its female brain to develop. If there would be lack or oversupply of hormones, it is believe to be that the body and brain doesn’t recognize each other.

It is also believed that endocrine functions affect the way the brain sees itself. Too much or too little makes the brain male or female.

So much for the argument that this condition is a choice or a lifestyle cause clearly, this is as natural as having fair skin or dark skin. That's why trangenderism is slowly getting recognized as a psychological condition worthy of attention. (Once affirmed, the sexuality or gender of the person is recognized by the state, legally capable of the rights of any other natural person of the country)

Now are these people gay? Transgenderism is gender or sexual expression and most importantly GENDER OR SEXUAL AFFIRMATION while homosexuality is gender or sexual attraction or preference that has nothing to do with how his body is recognized. A transgender who affirms her womanhood can be attracted to males thus she is straight or could be attracted to other woman making here a lesbian.

No argument about that or on their partners, If a person is an affirmed woman and she is with a man then they are considered a STRAIGHT couple and GAY couple if she is with a woman.

Having said that. I'll leave you with this thought.

With the complexities of HUMAN NATURE, imagine that the little M that tried to define me when I was born now restricts me from becoming WHO I REALLY AM.

BECAUSE CLEARLY NOT A SINGLE LETTER CAN DEFINE AN AMAZING PERSON LIKE ME.

A WOMAN OF TRANSEXUAL EXPERIENCE.

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About the Guest Author:

Clio is a 25 year old lady from Manila.
She is a member of STRAP , environmentalist and an advocate for empowering transexuals in the Philippines. She is currently working as a Customer Service Professional in Makati. Clio is also an excellent blogger. All Google queries about transsexualism has landed on her blog.