Trans-sexuals?

Question

I read an article recently about this guy who got a sex change operation to become a woman. According to the article he seemed even worse off after the operation than before. The guy wasn't even homosexual. He still had a preference for women... he just wanted to be one of them.
So my question is, what makes people want to change their gender??
Is it even possible to have sex after a sex change operation?

I just don't understand how people can be so unhappy with who they are. The body you have is the one you were born in so shouldn't you be used to it??
Could it be that there are external influences that make people want to change??

Answer 1

Good question! Let's get a few things straight, first:

1) Transsexuality has nothing to do with sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is about who you are attracted to; transsexuality is about your gender identity and who you feel you are. It used to be thought that all transsexuals were gay pre-transition (therefore straight after surgery), but that's quite untrue. There are many men who become lesbian/bisexual women, and similarly many women who become gay/bisexual men. It just goes to show you that it's not about your sexual orientation, but about gender, too, since their preferences didn't change.

2) People want to change their sex because they have gender dysphoria, or a mind-body disconnect. They feel they were born in the wrong body. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't know it and can't empathize, but imagine if right now you woke up in the wrong body. People keep calling you by the wrong pronoun, they expect you to act, dress, talk, and behave differently. That's how transsexuals feel. Gender is more than just what body you have; it's about how people relate to you and you to them, and in our society, it's undeniable that men relate differently to other men than they do to women, and women relate differently to other women than they do to men. There is different gender socialization, and a huge part of your identity is not just how you feel, but how others treat you, too. But that's not to say that all transsexuals merely want to be 'seen' as the opposite sex. I've read some very interesting memoirs from transsexuals of both sexes, and the general consensus is that male and female hormones play a big part in our lives. For non-transpeople, we only have the barest idea of how our hormones are functioning- the ideas that women are more emotional, men more sex-charged, etc.. But transsexuals get to see what it's like on both estrogen and tesosterone, and from what I've heard, on taking the prescribed hormone, many transsexuals finally 'feel like things are right'. One female-to-male individual said that after taking testosterone, he realized that it always felt like his mind was in this thick, dense fog before, that had finally been cleared away. Similarly, a male-to-female individual said that being on estrogen felt much more relaxed and natural, slower, more like she liked to be. There's mounting evidence to 'male' and 'female' brains and the fact that transsexuals have the wrong ones to match their bodies (nothing conclusive, but the studies seem to indicate it). These are the reasons why someone might want to change their sex.

3) And yes, transsexuals can DEFINITELY have sex after a sex change operation! It wouldn't be very good if they couldn't. Male-to-female transsexual surgery is still much more advanced than female-to-male (as they say, it's 'easier to dig a hole than build a pole'), but both types of surgery create new genitalia as functional as they can be. If they have good surgeons, both types have complete sexual feeling and sensation and can experience orgasms, although they often report the orgasms having different qualities from before. Basically, for male-to-female, the new vagina works perfectly fine, just like a biological one, and many men and women would never know of their transsexual status if the transwoman didn't tell them. It's harder for female-to-male transsexuals, but they get along alright. It's somewhat complicated to explain, so if you want to know how they function sexually, here's a link to a question I answered on the subject:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AilkRUCmYl5o_jrmgzq7R7cjzKIX?qid=20061209203730AA8kHHg

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Yes, it is very much possible to have sex after a gender reassignment surgery. It is possible to orgasm too.

Most of the people I have met who have had -- or planned to have -- this surgery, truly feel in their hearts that they were born into the wrong kind of body.

Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror every day and thinking "that's not me, how do I get out of this costume". And imagine what your life would be like if the whole world treated you like a boy... and you just wanted to scream "hey, I'm a girl, why can't you people see that".

It's not about who you have sex with... lots of people have gender reassignment and then identify as either gay or lesbian.

I didn't see the article that you read, so I can't say why he felt he was "worse off". Generally, that surgery is not done until there have been years of living as a woman (in his case) and hormone therapy and also psychological counseling. So I do not think it happens very frequently that people just jump to the decision and then regret it later.

Answer 3

There is a difference between biological sex and someone's internal gender identity. For most people, they match up decent enough that it doesn't cause any problems, but for others their gender identity can be completely different from their biological sex. One of the ways of dealing with the pain caused by the difference is to change to body to match the mind. The other solutions are to just be miserable, follow some self-destructive path to the end, or suicide. Therapy is required before any permanent modifications can be made to make sure that it is the right solution for the individual.

Answer 4

I can't speak for everyone just myself. I will be getting my gender reassignment surgery in May. For me this is a conclusion I knew I was headed for since I was old enough to grasp the concept. I spent my life (since at least age 5) knowing full and well that life as a male for me was wrong. It din't fit in any way shape or form. While I identify as bi because I have had some experience with men I have always preffered women. My sexual preference has absolutely nothing to do however with my choice. Imagine mentally seeing yourself as a woman and then waking up in the morning to see male genitalia everyday and always have that constant reminder. It's distressing to say the least.
As with anything in life there are always going to be people dissatisfied with something. It is estimated 3%-5% of people reciving GRS are unhappy. That's a pretty small number. For the most part it gives us peace of mind and the ability to lead a more productive fufilling life. Sex is of course possible as are orgams etc..only childbirth is impossible because some thing just can't be replicated...yet.
The person you cite is in the minority and it is possible he circumvented the standards of care set down by HBIGDA which believe me are very thorough and comprehensive. It includes at least two years in therapy- Psychiatric and therapist recommendation, a clean bill of physical health, a not so fun minimum of 1 year on hormones, one to two years living 24/7 in the chosen gender role, for MTF's almost always 100 or more hours of electrolysis or laser hair removal if they are lucky enough that works for them. Back aches, chest aches, migranes, elevated risks of DVT and pulmonary embollisim, suspected higher risks for certain types of cancer, not to mention all to often the loss of friends and family as well as social marginalization in general. Beyond that it is tens of thousands of dollars to go through the full process and almost no insurance company will cover any costs associated to it. Basically it's all out of pocket. It's not something a person does on a whim or just for the heck of it.

Each persons reason for gender reassignment is different. The one thing each true transsexual shares is that it is a biological need driven by differences to the BSTC region of the brain and hypothalmus which devlop differently due to an imbalance of hormones received during development. It is decided this is how they will be before they are even born. Personally it isn't a procedure I feel I could live without. (someone will likely follow this with a snarky little "that would be great"). As it is a safe and viable procedure which is recognized by the medical community as a whole the only real "cure" why would I want to deny myself my true identity and the ability to be a happier person?
That's the best answer I can give. If you wish to see more hard evidence or statistics or any number of people outside myself to ask, two sites are listed below which should be able to help increase your understanding.

Answer 5

Sexual reassignment surgery does NOT include installing a womb. Such surgery would be dangerous, even if it were possible to do. The physiology of the female reproductive system is complex and cannot (yet) be simulated through surgery. So no, a biological male who has undergone M2F surgery will never bear her own children. There is always adoption though and a M2F CAN breastfeed!

Answer 6

Changing your gender has nothing to do with your sexuality. A guy wanting to be a girl doesn't mean he's now gay. His desire is to make his physical appearance match his female self within. that is the reason that makes people change their sex. Because they were already the opposite sex mentally, and sometimes somewhat physically.

Answer 7

Transexuals look to change gender because they cannot bide the body they're in. It doesn't reflect who they know themselves to be.

It has nothing to do with their sexual orientation. It is possible to have sex after a sex change operation.

Answer 8

I suggest you watch Ed Wood's film "Glenn or Glenda?". Pretty powerful, considering how badly it was made. :P

Some people just feel more comfortable in the skin of a woman, sexuality aside.