A few months ago, my wife and I came under the discussion of what we would do if our now 3 year old son grew up and turned out gay. We both determined that would be perfectly fine with us, and we would be nothing but supportive, with hardly any thought.
Then my wife brings up the idea of him being transsexual, and it's here I'm not so sure.
I've been reading a lot of rage on Tumblr lately about how some transsexual teenage furry artist killed himself after being bullied by their parents all their lives. Not just reading, but wading through post after post after post of the same people completely up in arms over what a great injustice it is, and going as far as comparing it the Michael Brown/Tamir Rice/etc,etc cases. This is really where I draw the line-- how can you compare a white male teenager committing suicide to what is basically open season on black men by police officers being forcibly murdered?
Then I begin to ask myself questions: What is a transsexual person exactly? Would this boy have turned out transsexual if not for his parents lifelong abuse? Would any of these people screaming about this person on Tumblr care at all if he wasn't transsexual?
So I end up telling my wife that it's not a path I would hope for our son to tread down, and she gets annoyed with me. "If it's what would make him happy, we must be supportive no matter what." OK. I get that. So if he's a boy and wants really badly to be a girl, I'm supposed to support that-- and maybe if there was some magical way to transform his gender completely there'd be no problem. The problem is there is no such magic in this world that can do that.
If he wants to wear a dress, or decides to do things that are considered feminine, that's his prerogative. Fine. I don't exactly believe in typical gender roles. The moment he goes around telling other people he's a girl, or telling himself that-- that is when I have a problem. If being happy means chasing after something that can never possibly be, there is a problem. Wearing different clothes will not make him a woman. He can take hormones and pay a doctor to destroy and mutilate his body, but he'd still be a man. He'd be a man desperately trying to lie to himself and others for something he wants that will never happen. I honestly cannot see any virtue or reason in that. The result is a really pissed and weepy wife who just can't believe what I'm saying.
Is there something I'm not seeing here? Am I really the Neocon racist typical cis-whatever white guy the kids on Tumblr think I am for thinking this? I'm really interested in seeing what a train wreck this thread could become.
edit: wow the things that get censored.
Edited, Jan 3rd 2015 1:38pm by Kuwoobie
Edited, Jan 3rd 2015 1:38pm by Kuwoobie