Hello everyone.

I recently read a newspaper editorial about the transgender community and there was a particular part that caught my eye.

Why aren't more transgender people open about their identities? The simple explanation is they fear discrimination, violence and most commonly, rejection by their family and society. If you don't know a transgender person, it's because they don't trust you.

I think a statement like this does hold some truth, especially with not disclosing such an identity with close family members and friends. However, I have a differing opinion when it comes to sharing this type of information with the public at large. I'm naturally a private person and there's a lot about me beyond the sphere of gender that I don't readily share with strangers or acquaintances.

What are your thoughts on this?

The conclusion is far too vague and generalized to be realistic. Trusting someone has many forms and facets. The kindest view of the statement is that it is woefully incomplete.
I trust my accountant with my money matters and tax matters. My gender identity and body parts are not relevant to whether or not I trust him.
I trust my children with a great many things, and would not put the burden of my internal struggles on them. That has nothing to do with trusting them.
The statement is bait, and I find it inflammatory. It looks like something put out there to pick a fight, not to be useful or informative in any positive way. There is nothing simple about why people keep part(s) of themselves private, transgenderism being only one thing people might keep private.

It's great to see you posting again sfem!

I appreciate your feedback. I definitely agree that a lack of disclosure doesn't always equate with a lack of trust.

Well, by nature humans are judgmental, so why to give them an excuse to judge you. I definitely stay private and if they see changes in me, I don't care. Live, and let live. POM

It just goes to show that we all interpret things a little differently. I can see what SFEM is saying but for me, it was one of my favorite take aways from the editorial. It's not a foundational fact of life for all situations but when I think about the people I HAVEN'T told, it's basically because I don't trust them ...with such sensitive information about myself. Trust is not an all-or-nothing thing for me and I don't thing the editorial was saying that. I think the author was speaking to people who, "don't know a single transgender person" and telling them, it's because they are not deeply trusted by a transgender person. It's certainly not because there are so few of us that they haven't encountered one yet. I also agree with SFEM that I MAY trust them enough to share it but still choose not to because there would be no profit for either of us to know such things about me. So, in that case the editorial statement is not perfectly accurate but should still cause a cis gender person to pause and consider why they don't know anyone who is trans.

It just goes to show that we all interpret things a little differently. I can see what SFEM is saying but for me, it was one of my favorite take aways from the editorial. It's not a foundational fact of life for all situations but when I think about the people I HAVEN'T told, it's basically because I don't trust them ...with such sensitive information about myself. Trust is not an all-or-nothing thing for me and I don't thing the editorial was saying that. I think the author was speaking to people who, "don't know a single transgender person" and telling them, it's because they are not deeply trusted by a transgender person. It's certainly not because there are so few of us that they haven't encountered one yet. I also agree with SFEM that I MAY trust them enough to share it but still choose not to because there would be no profit for either of us to know such things about me. So, in that case the editorial statement is not perfectly accurate but should still cause a cis gender person to pause and consider why they don't know anyone who is trans.

Thank you for your input Kari.

Have you read the editorial in its entirety? (It sounds like you have.)

Something else I think noteworthy about the editorial is that the transgender community is being talked about in a newspaper in a positive light. Maybe this topic is much more common in the national newspapers, but I think it's a huge step for a local newspaper.

Hello everyone.

I recently read a newspaper editorial about the transgender community and there was a particular part that caught my eye.

Why aren't more transgender people open about their identities? The simple explanation is they fear discrimination, violence and most commonly, rejection by their family and society. If you don't know a transgender person, it's because they don't trust you.

I think a statement like this does hold some truth, especially with not disclosing such an identity with close family members and friends. However, I have a differing opinion when it comes to sharing this type of information with the public at large. I'm naturally a private person and there's a lot about me beyond the sphere of gender that I don't readily share with strangers or acquaintances.

What are your thoughts on this?

Flame, any chance you can post a link to the piece in question ?

Not counting my self, I can only say I know one other trans gendered person. That only because he is taking male hormones.
My personal feelings are, unless your activity seeking full transition, why do you need to tell anyone ? If your still presenting as your birth sex, why risk loosing all your family and friends ? ( not withstanding of those that need to know )

I think you shouldn't HAVE to tell ANYONE if you're ANYWHERE in the process! It's YOUR body and you DON'T need someone else's approval to do what YOU want to with YOUR own body, as long as you're not hurting yourself!! After the fact, if they can't tell, hmmm, how observant are they??
IF you're in transition and someone finds out and opposes it to the point of not wanting to be associated with you anymore, they never REALLY loved you or were your friends to begin with!
The ONLY reason to dislike a family member is if they hurt and/or killed you and/or others!!

Janet,

Here's the link:

http://www.postbulletin.com/opinion/our-view-we-have-much-to-learn-about-transgender-community/article_3966edb7-2270-5153-bcc1-2f96e6c34d9c.html

I read the whole article when it came out a couple months ago. There were several other associated stories that appeared at the same time in the same local paper. Here are their links

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/transgender-people-find-society-gradually-accepting/article_3c98c169-40e6-5c86-9396-aece431597c3.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/adelie-bergstrom-she-still-models-as-woman-now/article_47242642-b381-5332-903a-6784956bf3db.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/transgender-man-s-goal-happiness/article_a47fffcf-ee85-561f-a1e8-ebcdf1d5bd0a.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/kendra-it-took-time-to-accept-identity/article_36e2cde2-34d0-55d3-a228-4f6432ff145e.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/open-your-hearts-to-people-of-all-kinds/article_3f8deb05-5dcd-5f0a-b5e7-716fb3486ad8.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/discrimination-in-health-care-industry-common-for-transgender-people/article_b8d109df-f645-53f2-8240-2dd62341c825.html

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/parent-of-transgender-woman-shares-her-thoughts/article_dc99ad02-88e6-51c8-bc7a-130450a21109.html