s_a_essay
Photo & Blog - Why "Part Time" Status Transgender ?
In the classic gender binary paradigm (you’re either a man, or you’re a woman with no in-between), the mere existence of a transgender, gender variant or gender queer individual falls somewhere between amusing and abhorrent for the traditionalists.
Until very recently, even in our planet’s “most advanced societies”, persons born intersexed (presenting both male and female genitalia) were surgically “fixed” soon after birth in order to fit into society’s prevailing gender and sex stereotypes.
This cultural gender binary creates no small amount of anguish for the transgender. To cope, many (most?) transgender individuals alternatively present themselves as either male or female. In the transgender community, this is known as living “part-time” in one’s identified gender.
I am a part-time transgender individual who gets out in the world both en femme and in male-mode, participates in transgender organizations and has attended transgender conferences. While getting to better know others and myself, I have come to understand many of the motivations and rationales for transgender persons living the “part-time” existence. This blog shares those insights and welcomes comments.
Below is a listing of some factors that can contribute to the decision to present part-time:
Confidence in Appearance – Most all transgender persons desire to appear, sometimes called “to pass”, in a manner consistent with their identified gender. Appearance here relates not only to the visual cues (hair, face, body shape and clothing), but also the aural (voice) quality as well as the movements / mannerisms of the individual.
Much of the stress associated with attaining confidence relates to an individual’s efforts to successfully meet their expectations for appearance as well as the related fear about the reactions from others to being “spotted” or “tagged” in public as being transgender. Living part-time allows a transgendered individual to exercise greater control in choosing those times and locations where they feel more confident appearing in their identified gender.
Compromise with Spouse – For those of the “baby boom” generation, the word “transgender” did not exist in dictionaries during those formative adolescent and young adult years of our lives. We had no language or logical construct to understand or articulate the gender incongruence we experienced. And since gender orientation and sexual orientation are not directly linked, many latently transgendered heterosexuals did get married. Later during those marriages, we came to a greater understanding of our transgender selves.
Most spouses when they married us did not “sign up” for a life with a transgender individual. Obviously, having sexual reassignment surgery can be a deal breaker for many marriages, but in some instances so can living full-time in our identified gender, even without surgery. Living in our identified gender part-time can often be a compromise, arrived at by both marriage partners, in order to save a loving relationship.
Jeopardized Employment – Currently in the United States, there is no nationwide prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gender orientation. A few geographic pockets of cities and states, as well as select corporations, have promulgated equity rights for transgender workers. In many instances, a person can literally jeopardize their occupational livelihood by presenting themselves at work in their identified gender. So, choosing to live “part-time” can be viewed as an act of vital economic survival.
Opinions of Friends / Neighbors – Persons who are out in public part time may still choose venues and activities that make it less likely that they will be seen by certain friends and neighbors. Much of this aversion has to do with a desire to preclude unwanted rumors; avoid making repeated explanations for the change in gender presentation as well as concerns about the future of those relationships when the transgender fact becomes known, essentially “outing” oneself. I have met individuals who only get out in their identified gender during work-related travel or personal vacations. Living full-time in one’s identified gender increases the likelihood of those challenging encounters with friends and neighbors.
Vacillating Intent / Commitment – As already mentioned, going full-time obviously has implications, perhaps irreversible, related to family, employment, as well as relationships with friends and neighbors. As the impacts in those areas may not be easily predicted, such uncertainty can often result in a transgender individual experiencing day-to-day shifts in their assessment about the big decision to lead a full-time life in one’s identified gender. From a risk perspective, this dilemma can result in a person following a cautious logic which purports that once you say “Yes” to going full-time, then you cannot in most cases go back later and say “No”, however, you can say “No” now and that still leaves the option open to say, “Yes” in the future.
Gender Dysphoria vs. Dissociative Identity Disorder – Mentioning this factor may raise some eyebrows! The typical route to sexual reassignment surgery first starts with a visit to a mental health professional (psychologist or psychiatrist) to obtain a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Obtaining that diagnosis then medically justifies subsequent interventions by an endocrinologist for hormones and a surgeon for procedures such a breast augmentation, facial enhancement and sexual reassignment surgery.
However, a small number of transgender individuals do not have gender dysphoria, but instead have a multiple personality disorder, now more recently termed “dissociative identity disorder” where one of their intact personalities is male and one of their intact personalities is female. These two (minimally) unique personalities exist within the same body / person and the person has no anxiety or distress (dysphoria) associated with either gender. When understood in this manner, what appears to be a part-time transgender individual is actually a transgender individual with dissociative identity disorder that at different times displays an alternate personality associated with a different gender.
Sexual Activity Closely Linked To Gender Identify – Although sexual orientation and gender orientation are separate aspects of our personae, it is no secret that adult transgender people can, and most do, have a sex life. In some instances, transgender individuals can experience significant sexual arousal when presenting in their identified gender. Furthermore, some of those aroused individuals seek most or all of their sexual satisfaction when presenting in their identified gender. Since we can’t have sexual relations all the time, those individuals who primarily “dress” for sex do so on a part-time basis.
In conclusion, several factors do weigh on the minds of transgender individuals when deciding whether or not to present full time in their identified gender. If a person is confident about their appearance or does not care what people say about their presentation; if they have family support; if continued employment is assured and if they are prepared to be “out” regarding their gender status with friends and neighbors, then a clear path appears to exist for living full-time in one’s identified gender.
However, if impediments do exist in those factors of appearance, family, friends and employment, or if other already discussed additional factors influence one’s life, then a transgender individual is most likely to choose the part-time existence.
What other factors have you observed that influence transgender individuals living part-time in their identified gender?
Photo & Blog - Why "Part Time" Status Transgender ?
In the classic gender binary paradigm (you’re either a man, or you’re a woman with no in-between), the mere existence of a transgender, gender variant or gender queer individual falls somewhere between amusing and abhorrent for the traditionalists.
Until very recently, even in our planet’s “most advanced societies”, persons born intersexed (presenting both male and female genitalia) were surgically “fixed” soon after birth in order to fit into society’s prevailing gender and sex stereotypes.
This cultural gender binary creates no small amount of anguish for the transgender. To cope, many (most?) transgender individuals alternatively present themselves as either male or female. In the transgender community, this is known as living “part-time” in one’s identified gender.
I am a part-time transgender individual who gets out in the world both en femme and in male-mode, participates in transgender organizations and has attended transgender conferences. While getting to better know others and myself, I have come to understand many of the motivations and rationales for transgender persons living the “part-time” existence. This blog shares those insights and welcomes comments.
Below is a listing of some factors that can contribute to the decision to present part-time:
Confidence in Appearance – Most all transgender persons desire to appear, sometimes called “to pass”, in a manner consistent with their identified gender. Appearance here relates not only to the visual cues (hair, face, body shape and clothing), but also the aural (voice) quality as well as the movements / mannerisms of the individual.
Much of the stress associated with attaining confidence relates to an individual’s efforts to successfully meet their expectations for appearance as well as the related fear about the reactions from others to being “spotted” or “tagged” in public as being transgender. Living part-time allows a transgendered individual to exercise greater control in choosing those times and locations where they feel more confident appearing in their identified gender.
Compromise with Spouse – For those of the “baby boom” generation, the word “transgender” did not exist in dictionaries during those formative adolescent and young adult years of our lives. We had no language or logical construct to understand or articulate the gender incongruence we experienced. And since gender orientation and sexual orientation are not directly linked, many latently transgendered heterosexuals did get married. Later during those marriages, we came to a greater understanding of our transgender selves.
Most spouses when they married us did not “sign up” for a life with a transgender individual. Obviously, having sexual reassignment surgery can be a deal breaker for many marriages, but in some instances so can living full-time in our identified gender, even without surgery. Living in our identified gender part-time can often be a compromise, arrived at by both marriage partners, in order to save a loving relationship.
Jeopardized Employment – Currently in the United States, there is no nationwide prohibition of workplace discrimination based on gender orientation. A few geographic pockets of cities and states, as well as select corporations, have promulgated equity rights for transgender workers. In many instances, a person can literally jeopardize their occupational livelihood by presenting themselves at work in their identified gender. So, choosing to live “part-time” can be viewed as an act of vital economic survival.
Opinions of Friends / Neighbors – Persons who are out in public part time may still choose venues and activities that make it less likely that they will be seen by certain friends and neighbors. Much of this aversion has to do with a desire to preclude unwanted rumors; avoid making repeated explanations for the change in gender presentation as well as concerns about the future of those relationships when the transgender fact becomes known, essentially “outing” oneself. I have met individuals who only get out in their identified gender during work-related travel or personal vacations. Living full-time in one’s identified gender increases the likelihood of those challenging encounters with friends and neighbors.
Vacillating Intent / Commitment – As already mentioned, going full-time obviously has implications, perhaps irreversible, related to family, employment, as well as relationships with friends and neighbors. As the impacts in those areas may not be easily predicted, such uncertainty can often result in a transgender individual experiencing day-to-day shifts in their assessment about the big decision to lead a full-time life in one’s identified gender. From a risk perspective, this dilemma can result in a person following a cautious logic which purports that once you say “Yes” to going full-time, then you cannot in most cases go back later and say “No”, however, you can say “No” now and that still leaves the option open to say, “Yes” in the future.
Gender Dysphoria vs. Dissociative Identity Disorder – Mentioning this factor may raise some eyebrows! The typical route to sexual reassignment surgery first starts with a visit to a mental health professional (psychologist or psychiatrist) to obtain a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Obtaining that diagnosis then medically justifies subsequent interventions by an endocrinologist for hormones and a surgeon for procedures such a breast augmentation, facial enhancement and sexual reassignment surgery.
However, a small number of transgender individuals do not have gender dysphoria, but instead have a multiple personality disorder, now more recently termed “dissociative identity disorder” where one of their intact personalities is male and one of their intact personalities is female. These two (minimally) unique personalities exist within the same body / person and the person has no anxiety or distress (dysphoria) associated with either gender. When understood in this manner, what appears to be a part-time transgender individual is actually a transgender individual with dissociative identity disorder that at different times displays an alternate personality associated with a different gender.
Sexual Activity Closely Linked To Gender Identify – Although sexual orientation and gender orientation are separate aspects of our personae, it is no secret that adult transgender people can, and most do, have a sex life. In some instances, transgender individuals can experience significant sexual arousal when presenting in their identified gender. Furthermore, some of those aroused individuals seek most or all of their sexual satisfaction when presenting in their identified gender. Since we can’t have sexual relations all the time, those individuals who primarily “dress” for sex do so on a part-time basis.
In conclusion, several factors do weigh on the minds of transgender individuals when deciding whether or not to present full time in their identified gender. If a person is confident about their appearance or does not care what people say about their presentation; if they have family support; if continued employment is assured and if they are prepared to be “out” regarding their gender status with friends and neighbors, then a clear path appears to exist for living full-time in one’s identified gender.
However, if impediments do exist in those factors of appearance, family, friends and employment, or if other already discussed additional factors influence one’s life, then a transgender individual is most likely to choose the part-time existence.
What other factors have you observed that influence transgender individuals living part-time in their identified gender?