Why is western culture so homophobic towards transgender people?

Question

when these people were born in the wrong body because the hormones went wrong. surely we should have a little more compassion towards transgender people, there is a difference between transgender which is a really serious life threatening condition and transvestite, (thats only for fun), which really makes a mockery of people who are geniunely having their life turned upside down and inside out. And yes I am working with the transgender community in the UK to help to educate society and help them to realise that there is no reason to be so homophobic towards this community. Maybe if guys especially were more honest with themselves they would admit to being transvestite. over 60% of the male population of UK are transvestites or cross dressers. that means when you are out drinking with two of your friends, there is a better than half chance that one of them is wearing womens underwear.

Answer 1

I think the Western world is a lot more accepting than anywhere else, if you put it into context- can you imagine a transexual in Iraq?

60% seems a little high as a population of the UK, and if that IS the case, then actually more people would be accepting of it than they would be against it- as more men are transexuals than not.

I think as a society we have come along way in accepting homosexuals, especially in the last 100 years. We have just recognised that homosexuals should have civils partnerships (two friends of ours were able to do this)- and they have the same rights as a heterosexual couple.

I think it's really good of you to come on here and support the transgender community, but understand it will take time for more people to become accepting, because at the end of the day- it's something they aren't dealing with and find it hard to accept. It\'s a bit like how depression has only just started to be properly recognised, and people are less likely to just tell you to "cheer up" or "it might never happen"- they are beginning to understand it's a condition in it's own right.

Good luck :)

Answer 2

"over 60% of the male population of UK are transvestites or cross dressers"

It would be nice if someone making an outrageous claim like that would quote a source. The common percentage quoted by the GLBT community is 3-5% but there is little scientific evidence to back up that high of a number.

"Transsexuals are usually considered as having an incidence of something like 1:10,000 of the genetically male population and 1:100,000 of the genetically female, although recent evidence has cast doubt on this and the origins of these figures are hard to find, dating back at least to the 1950s and the early days of transgender research. It is difficult to know just how many TS people there are simply because they tend to try and either hide their condition or blend in again with society having transitioned. It is still generally considered that there are less female to male transsexuals, although modern estimates are more likely to consider there to be one FtM for every three MtFs rather than putting the figure at one in ten. Once again no one knows why this is, although both social and biological reasons may be cited. "
http://www.warwickpride.org/modules.php?op=modload&file=article&sid=12

If you are working with the transgender community to educate, please educate yourself first because the minute you start throwing out comments about over 60% of the male pop. being transvestite or cross dressers, people will stop taking you seriously.

Answer 3

people want clarity, even if it sometimes does more harm than good... some people want black and white, up and down, clearly defined or they lose their sense of safety. then there are people who desparately need the world to be more blurry, because otherwise they don't fit into the "either-or" categories. i do take transgender people seriously, and i don't think tranvestites are just out for fun, either. i think if people eembrace thier transgender neighbors, they will also embrace the opposing gender influence in themselves... after all, i don't think any of us are all male or all female.
BUT... do you think this is JUST a western culture problem???

Answer 4

I'm not homophobic and I don't think that transgender is wrong. Don't single out a whole group that is generalistic and ignorant.

Answer 5

Please E-mail me back...My husband & I are LGBT Rights Activists. My husband is TG (MTF)-(Full-time Crossdresser). I can give you his E-mail address to & you 2 can talk more in depth.

Answer 6

We fear what we don't know

Answer 7

maybe cuz its all sin and not Natural and what ever you born as you will die as.