[H.M. Murdock]

Originally Posted by MtlMom

How did you arrive at the conclusion that God doesn't cause Down's Syndrome or Schizophrenia?

I suppose Schizos are conceived on Sundays when God's napping. *bites lip*

Not to be mean or anything. Many people tend to shirk God's hand in "defects" to preserve a sense of respect for God's love and justice, because "defects" are "bad." Being born with Down's, no cheekbones, or even something so rare as being a hermaphrodite, is so easily viewed as punishment, or a negative thing due to difference. I know this because I feel that way. While I don't believe it is right, I won't lie in saying that I'm totally comfortable about physically "abnormal" people. I mean... the fact that I have a big nose makes me wince.

As for transgendered issues: No. Just no. To objectively say that your brain was wired as a woman's is... well, it seems silly. I am entirely willing to assign the issue to psychological illness, though that does not in any way belittle the reality of one's consciousness when in a state of mental instability.

[OneHope]

Originally Posted by AX

no. generally speaking, these people have psychological disorders, usually stemming from an under developed sexual identity when they were children

That seems rather hasty. Do you have research papers to back that statement up?

My question would be, what makes someone a man and what makes someone a woman? Some men appear to be men and yet have two X chromosomes. Some men have large amounts of breast tissue (gynecomastia). Is someone born missing a testicle only half a man?

My guess is that like every human characteristic there is probably both a genetic component and an environmental component. To say that genetics doesn't play a role in gender dysmorphism is absurd.

I have never been uncomfortable being a guy and I can't imagine the absolute pain and depression that someone must go through before making that decision.

[Folk_guy]

These people obviously have large issues that are beyond my coprehension. I don't worry about whether God created them that way or not. It is my job to love them as children of God regardless of their gender or other issues that they may have. It's God's job to judge them.

[Ax]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_identity_disorder


Gives a synopsis. Most people who study it are in the field of developmental psychology so the most evidence for it claims it to be developed as a child.

[Nate]

Originally Posted by H.M. Murdock

As for transgendered issues: No. Just no. To objectively say that your brain was wired as a woman's is... well, it seems silly. I am entirely willing to assign the issue to psychological illness, though that does not in any way belittle the reality of one's consciousness when in a state of mental instability.

How are "brain wired as a woman" (applied to a man) and "psychological illness" any different?

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by Art

Sex and gender are the same thing. How are you able to separate the two?

It's Sociology 101, baby!

Originally Posted by mtlmouth

Not just the transgender community; this is a distinction in general sociology as well. Sex is biological (male or female), gender is the social expectation that goes with that sex.

What she said. I could quote my sociology textbook here, but it would sound remarkable similar.

Keep in mind, I do not think that gender identity is entirely culturally determined. I certainly think that culture helps guide which traits (masculine or feminine) we encorporate into our personalities, but I also think biology usually has something to do with it as well. There is an interesting story about a boy who had an accident during circumcision and was raised as a girl. Long story short, he eventually ended up as a man (physically). While this case does not rule out the possibility of a man being born with a woman's brain (or vice versa), it certainly disproves the theory that gender is always entirely socially constructed.

Is it possible for a person to be born with equal parts man-brain and woman-brain so that the way they are raised and cultural norms and/or stereotypes are the deciding factor in their gender? I'm no biologist, but it sounds probably to me.

Originally Posted by Demon_Hunter

Gender = male or female.
Sex = Male or Female.

I dont see what the difference is here.

Originally Posted by Zjaan Meyer

Gender=Sex

Have either of you studied the topic at all? I have only a little, but I definitely disagree with you.