Dr. Keith Ablow is right.  Beastiality is next. I wouldn’t be surprized to see beastiality on next weeks episode of DWTS. 

What’s next? Two gay people getting married?

 Dr. Ablow is right.  We can’t have anorexics and heroin users on television.  That would completely destroy America.  Could you imagine if people that starved themselves and did drugs could become famous?

Dr. Ablow likes being on TV shows.

The same garbage from the same garbage collectors. Right wingers only want one thing, the white, rich and the straight all the rest can be slaves.

OK.  Who is Penishead and why should I listen to him ?  Sounds like a hatemonger to an old hippie.

Johns Hopkins? Ablow got his degree from Devry–along with Small-motor and VCR repair.

The modelling point is absolutely true, though. Look what happens to the people who watch Fox.

What the hell does “mainstream trasngenderism” mean? Educate/illuminate enough people’s minds so they don’t freak out every time they see someone that’s transgendered?

A dancing giraffe? I’d watch that!

lol that is great!

Ablow is creepy ( scary ) enough to be a liberal.

Gav, are these people under some kind of spell? Both Chaz and the so called pregnant man were born women and they are still women. Have you noticed how the evil doers start off, little by little until it seems as normal to some people. If truth be told most just go along but in the privacy of their own homes they are laughing at these sick people and telling their children to pray for them and that it is wrong. Have you noticed here recently a de mo crap cant remember the name but made the statement that children are
s e x u a l   beings, what they mean is they want to have s e x with a child. They start out slowly evil seeping in and yes I am afraid many will not think twice about it, they will look on a child with lust. 

Imagine the crusade Ablow will go on when he finds out that Tootsie, Mrs Doubtfire, and Big Momma aren’t chicks.

My ‘spell’ is rationalism. I’m hoping you catch it from me.

“…little by little until it seems as normal to some people.”

You mean like women able to vote or own property, etc?

Your welcome, Wanda!

of course having someone on teen mothers is ok though.

Let Chaz dance. Period.

Shut up Wanda, you’re nothing but a rib. You have no say in anything. Now pick me some fruit from the tree of knowledge & quit talking to talking snakes. Stupid biatch.

Well There’s Nancy Grace. lol

Good for the American Psychiatric Association, ridding itself of a knuckle-dragging, sloping foreheaded douchebag.

I saw this segment Frances. That’s not what he said at all.

Where’s the mention of the statistic that Ablow brought up in regards to morbidity rates among transgendered individuals?

Then watch The Lion King.

Ablow is absolutely right. I have to give the guy a lot of credit for having the balls to stand by his comments. Most people would’ve backed off and issued an apology, but Keith is not backing down. He’s right. It’s disgusting the way the media celebrates this kind of garbage and pretends like it’s normal. The “pregnant man” story is another example. There is not and never was a pregnant man. There’s a pregnant woman pretending to be a man. Chaz Bono is a woman. I don’t give a damn if she has a beard, tattoos, and wears a wife beater she’s still a woman. Having said that, I don’t care what Chaz does or what Chaz calls herself or does to her genitals, nor do I think Chaz should be discriminated against or mistreated. However, to pretend that it’s totally normal or even a positive thing that Chaz is a tranny is offensive. A woman using medical science to permanently change herself into a man-like person is about the most unnatural thing a human being could do. I don’t know what a family show like DWTS has to turn into a freak show.

With all that said, Chaz’s wife/girlfriend/lover is smoking hot.

Dear Wanda Skinner:  Don’t you know, you are living in Hell because you did someting really REALLY bad in your previously life.  This is your punishment.
Peace, Love and Panties,
Gav

I think that Albow wants Chaz’s uterus.

Per Wiki:

He graduated from Brown University in 1983, magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neurosciences. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from John Hopkins Medical School in 1987, and completed his psychiatry residency at the Tufts-New England Medical Center.

The (liberal and oh so tolerant) Left are going to try VERY hard to destroy this man, his career and his family. Just watch…you’ll see because it will start right here on this website.

I think you win the prize for the most banal and predictable liberal comment of the day/night.

“Conservative opposition” = repressed homosexuality or repressed sexual feelings of whatever kind… man that’s a new one, well done sir.

Did you even watch the video. Ablow points out that studies have shown people who take sex change hormones don’t live as long…

Did you even know Iran’s solution to homosexuality is sex changes? That’s really scary there’s actually a regime on earth where they do that as a matter of course. Do you want to live in a future culture where all homosexuals are expected to get sex changes?

It looks like Bill O’Reilly disagrees too, no one has to destroy him, he sounds like a fool. 

Rob2385, I’m a conservative.  First off, Iran’s solution to homosexuality is DEATH.  I don’t know where you heard about sex changes over there.  They can’t even cure a cold.

Second, as a conservative why do you care what Chaz does?  Why do you even care if the operation shortens the lifespan?  I don’t care.  I smoke and I make the personal choice to accept the negative health consequences because I’m an adult.

And third, no one has to accept the behavior of Chaz.  You just have to understand that he has the right to do it.  Use the power of the free market and change the channel.

 

Anyone that has a problem with transgendered people.. I dunno, I don’t get it, it’s not like they are going to molest your children in the supermarket or something. The world is a strange place, people do stuff like change their bodies, how does hiding it from your children help. You should let your children know what’s out there, not make them ignorant. It’s not like they are going to get a sex change out of the blue, it’s not an operation you can just pop in for and I doubt it’s something people take lightly desciding.. but here Keith is pretending everyone’s an idiot and “confused” about their bodies, the liberal in me says he has a problem with his own sexuality because.. why does he care what private citizens do? Why does he have to control them? Is he really afraid that everyone is going to get brainwashed by a big fat guy dancing? Ablow has a strange fear and pre-occupation with the sexuality of others.

What Ablow-hard!

yep and now THE only job he has is FOX NEWS

Your degree is from where, patsy? Troll U?

Once again, check out Wiki. He does more than Fox.

turk281 -

You obviously do not have kids.  If you do, God help ‘em.

Snowspot – like so many others on this board, I’d be willing to bet you don’t have children.  Your ‘theoretical’ responses will evaporate once your 6 year old girl looks up at you and says, ‘what does it mean that that man used to be a woman.’  You explain yourself and your daughter says, you mean, I can become a boy if I want to?  Or, when you’re trying to explain gay marriage and your son says, ‘well, I like Billy – he’s my best friend.  I think I’ll marry him when I get older.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and the celebration of Chaz Bono in the mainstream media is a few thousand steps.

Interesting…You claim to know an awful lot about some one you swear you have never watched.

Bill, I’m AGHAST w/ your interview and comments w/ Dr. Ablow about Chaz!
  !st of all; He’s A She!!!!…… XX Chromosones NO MATTER what the Heck she destroys herself w/!!!!!
You Insult the MInds of our Children by accepting and calling HER a HIM!
   Dr. Ablow is CORRECT!!  My Child should not be Force Fed such Abonimble actions.
You get the PinHead tonight.
                       Luv Ya.    mystycboston@yahoo.com

You like me, don’t you Texan?

Maybe too much?

 He never claimed to not watch him, moron.

Awww, look at the Republican hack complaining about how transgenders provide a threat to homosexuals?  Because you Republican fascists always stood up for the rights of homosexuals, right?  Hypocrite. 

 First DWTS started with a Playboy Playmate winning the contest.  Last year’s winner was a teen mom who had a baby outside of wedlock.  Where was the outrage then?

LOL @ 50% greater mortality rate.  So the mortality rate isn’t 100% regardless?  How the hell did Ablow get a degree from John Hopkins?  Did he blow everyone of his profs?  

I don’t see what’s so scary? Tell them the truth and don’t make a big fuss… and if your 6 year old says they are gay… there isn’t anything you can do cause a gay person is a gay person.

Dude, you probably didn’t even finish high school.  Who the hell are you to ask anyone where they got their degree from.  Finish your GED then talk.

And yet he didn’t learn the basic concept of making a scientific claim without having any scientific evidence to back it up.  You know how many global warming advocates come from elite universities?  Yes you retarded Republicans all of a sudden become critical analysts when those people have anything to say (even though they have the studies to back up their claims).

Ablow is such a freakin retard!! The reason the mortality rate is 50% is because thanks to people like him and the prohibitive cost, 50% commit suicide. How did he get his degree? Find it in a Crackerjack box?

If you’re going to bash people for who they are, what they believe, etc. At least do the damned homework and get the real facts before you start spewing BS. That way you dont look like such a dumbass when you get bitch-slapped by the people who disagree with you.

There is more evidence to suggest that Dr. Ablow is just a television doctor trying to use controversy to get attention than there is to suggest that Chaz Bono is going to turn anyone into a transgender.

turk281 said it like it is. He did a great job expaining his viewpoint.

Should transsexuals go to prison, Abesmith?
Should GLBT people be outlawed?
Should America have Sumptuary laws?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumptuary_law
Is Uganda the way to go?

Abesmith, You do not have to agree with what Chaz has done, but don’t malign others for respecting the rights of individuals to become transsexuals. This includes the right to be transgendered. Is not that what America is about/

One does not have to accept something to recognize someones rights to do the act one objects to. I have difficulty with right wing Christian fundamentalism. I dislike it, it sometimes makes me very angry yet I recognize that people have the right to worship as they choose.

I agree Glutton. I’m transgender and I have 3 children. None of them are wanting to change sex.

Thank you, turk281.

People have every right to dislike transsexuals (it still saddens me), but they need to recognize that it is a right. Government has no right telling adults they can never get a sex change operation or take hormones.

First off this is going to be long and for that I apologize. Now then…..

Dr. Keith Ablow is a relic and thankfully the majority of both the health and the mental health field had left him far behind.

The man quite simply has absolutely zero clue about trans issues and the plight that trans men and women face on a day to day basis. His whole argument about kids watching this show and then magically developing gender identity disorger and become transgender themselves is laughable at best and even sadder coming from a professed mental health specialist.

Keith Ablow’s perspective on this is a wrong one. If one wants to treat trans men and women with say therapy and therapy alone it doesn’t work and it has been proven not to work, nor does simply trying to suppress it. He advocates non hormone replacement therapy and non eventual sexual reassignment surgery if deemed necessary. This sort of attitude is not only archaic among his peers in the mental health community, but quite simply put leads to death.

Studies show the opposite of what this guy claims if a person is truly transgender or transsexual then the hormone therapy and eventual surgery bring an inner peace and calming to the person and makes them feel whole for the first time in their lives. I’m not denying that there might be some people out there who are simply confused, that’s what the therapy and or psyche evaluationsr and the letter commendation needed for hormones and two letters of recommendation needed for the surgery are in place for.

In the overwhelming majority of cases the current treatment plan is not only beneficial, but saves lives period… I know in my own case I was miserable my entire life.. wanted to kill myself at various times and depressed to the point of family members, most notably my father saying they worried about walking in on me dead at some point. This all stemmed from my gender issues and the fact that I was too scared to take steps toward taking care of said issues. Finally earlier this year at the tender age of 31 and after not being truly happy for 15 plus years I came out to my family and friends… sought treatment and even though I still have a long way to go started taking steps toward transition. Night and day difference in my outlook on life and I’m finally happy.

You’re a blog slut

It boggles my mind when people cherry pick conservatism.  Either you understand that the consequences of a free society means people do things you don’t like, or you don’t.

The irony is that this stupid controversy brings in viewers, viewers bring in advertising money, advertising money brings in more transgender folks.  Lol.  That’s capitalism and that’s why we’re great.

Bless ABC for seeing this and making a shit ton of money off of a boring show in the first place.

and yes he did idiot

Thank you for your comment. My sister is a transsexual (M to F). It is not something taken lightly. It is not done in a whim or an impulse. There are many hoops to jump. She is respectful to people no matter who they are. Good and honest people are faced with gender issues. Transsexuals are not evil nor predators. They are human beings like the rest of us.

Abesmith-

No kids.  But I am sorry that your children are susceptible to the transgender flu.

You are the perfect example of how completely and utterly misguided people are when it comes to trans people. There’s a huge difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. Not everyone who is trans is homosexual. Some are straight.. some are gay… some are bisexual, just like everyone else.

In terms of Ablow’s “studies” there’s a reason most all reputable mental health experts laugh at studies like that and why most studies show quite the opposite. A high early death rate for trans people? yes.. but sadly by suicide and because they feel hopeless and alone. (Society shunning us doesn’t help either, nor does the bullying teens get for being transgender) Transitioning if anything lowers the person’s chances of suicide and thus an early death considerably.

Ablow’s a moron.

This doctor is clearly misguided.  Being male to female tg, I saw where he compares divorce to being transgendered.  I have struggled with this issue my entire life.  Watching Chaz would have had no effect on me.  I prayed, I fretted, I got bullied, I got beat up, I got counseling, I consulted the clergy, I lost relationships.  I am much better off having accepted myself and being loved and accepted for who I am.

I choose to look at things differently, those who would rather teach their children to look down upon LGBT people…. you know the same people who fight things like marriage equality or the employee non discrimination act.

They are the ones who hopefully have as few children as possible.

I deal with depression (sometimes serious) on occasion for different psychological reasons. Depression can be debilitating. For many, it can be life ending (thankfully my bouts of depression do not accompany suicidal urges).

I am so glad you are finally happy. My sister was way happier after coming out. It totally changed her outlook as well. The discrimination she faces occasionally can still be depressing for her to deal with.
Hard to change the past that follows us.

That’s all any of us want and I long for the day that it’s a reality.

All the best to your sister and kudos for you for being there for her. I’ve been lucky in that regard myself and been given full support and unconditional love form my family and friends.

My family including my Mom was unfortunately a little bit embarrassed (my Mom passed away a little over a year ago but my Mom still loved my sister and was close to her to the end). It did end up ending my sisters marriage. They are still close friends.
I was embarrassed by my family’s reaction on occasion, not by my sister.

I ended up being the one to support her 100 percent. I never found it to be embarrassing although it took a little while getting used to at first. I admit this. We sometimes find it hard anytime a loved ones significantly changes, no matter what the reasons are for. Still, finding out for the first time was no shock for me. I think I subconsciously knew all along my older brother was a “she”.

Keith Ablow is doing his best to destroy and malign the lives of transsexuals (and by extention hurt the families and friends/significant others that love them)

Obviously this fact does not bother you.

I’m 32 yrs young and 6 months along in my transition [M t F] and I’ve never been happier. I have lost family along the way..some who would probably tell Ablow he is a genius. But ultimately I’ve been lucky to be accepted by the rest of the family. My Co-workers accepted my transition very well. If I had not taken this path I might have ended up being one of the ones to commit suicide. Being Transsexual is not an easy life and it’s not something that can be truly understood unless you were born that way. Society shames us and bully us into silence. And it’s guys like Ablow who continue to to try to keep us silent by spreading such ridiculous claims. Personally I’d be more worried about his fixation with Chaz than his claims. I think he should get some help for that. 

I’m happier now as a woman than I have ever been as a male. I’m not doing this for anyone else but for inner peace. Tiffany Marie, Carolyn, I’m glad you have found that inner peace. Nature Freak, Your sister is lucky to have such a caring sibling.

 Yeah, having a sex change isn’t quite the same as playing with Ninja Turtles or a Barbie. 

No he didn’t moron.  He said, ” It looks like Bill O’Reilly disagrees too, no one has to destroy him, he sounds like a fool.”

Once again, your retardation has caused you to see things that aren’t really there.

That’s how I met your mother.

If you discriminate and repress certain people, hating them for what they are, don’t you think this could lower someones life expectancy? Hate hurts. Being hated can kill ones soul and lead to destructive behaviors. Hate crimes sometimes kill directly..

Regarding GLBT people, living a life repressed, self hating and in fear of coming out is not a healthy way to live. Even after coming out you still have to deal with the left over psychological damage. As well as people who hate you just for being GLBT. For some the damage lasts a lifetime, especially so because the worse taunting and abuse many times happens in the formative years including adolescence.

Treat GLBT people as human beings who are worthy of love just like anyone else, and the life expectancy will go up. Count on it.

A lot of the excess mortality is due to them being murdered. More is due to the persecution they face. Some people believe that just seeing a Trans person is damaging – as Dr Ablow has stated it is – so beat them up or shoot them, thinking that they’re acting out of self-defence on psychiatric advice.

Suicide is a common reaction to years of public denigration like Ablow’s , and is the leading anomalous cause of death.

I don’t know where he gets the 50% figure from. I’ve studied the literature, and none of it is consistent with that figure:

Mortality and morbidity in transsexual patients with cross-gender hormone treatment – H. Asscheman , L.J.G. Gooren, P.L.E. Eklund – Metabolism Volume 38, Issue 9, September 1989, Pages 869-873Endocrine Treatment of Transsexual People: A Review of Treatment Regimens, Outcomes, and Adverse Effects –  Eva Moore, Amy Wisniewski and Adrian Dobs – The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
August 1, 2003

vol. 88

no. 8

3467-3473

One thing – the excess mortality of those who transition is far less than the excess mortality in trying to live with it. “Talking cures” like Ablow proposes have a 0.00% success rate in all long-term studies.

Dr Ablow’s views seem to have frozen on the issue in the mid-70′s, when his mentor, Vatican advisor on sexual matters Dr Paul McHugh taught him his ideology, one not actually based on facts. The one study from 1977 that he mentions was carefully crafted to “cook the books” and was denounced at the time as being particularly shoddy. For example, a merchant banker who transitioned and retained her job (and was promoted) was considered in this study to be a failure, as she was not in a “gender-appropriate profession” like beautician or hairdresser afterwards.

All other studies over the last 34 years have debunked its conclusions.

Dr McHugh admits in his book “Psychiatric Misadventures” and other works that he came to his conclusions about Transsexuality on ideological grounds even before joining Johns Hopkins, and commissioning any study.

Actual science is not allowed on FoxNews. They call it “that socialist nonsense.”

Who’s going to pay for all these operations?  Medicaid?  Health costs are consuming a greater portion of GDP already, and now they’ve got a brand new way to burn up some government dollars.  Lesbianism is a lot less expensive that sex reassignment.

Being trans and being a lesbian have absolutely nothing in common firstly. To be fair a lot of people confuse sexual orientation with gender identity.

Secondly it’s typically the person themselves who pay for their surgical operations. There are companies that will pay it in their company insurance plans… they are very few and far between though.

Thank you. I still admit it was awkward at first, despite my total support.

I recommend people actually meet and talk to transsexual people (and GLBT people in general). It brings a human element to the situation. Perhaps to many of the haters, it is all about fear of the unknown or the “other”. Living for years in diverse urban areas (I now live in a small town) and having diverse friends and associates helped me to be more accepting as well. I also firmly believe consenting adults should be able to do what they want. And family is family.

I’m pretty open about who I am. Everyone at my place of employment knows. And I’m no the only transsexual there. The other is afraid to reveal that they are transsexual because of all the discrimination and hatred. In fact I had no choice but to be open because people knew I was on hormones without my even mentioning it. I didn’t get the chance to decide whether I made my transition public or not.

My sister has faced serious discrimination in the workplace, especially in the past when she was transitioning. In the state and county she lives in, there are no protections (we both live in the same state, Florida) Old jobs she worked at prior to legally changing her gender marker still consider her a man. Can create a problem with more conservative employers.

She lives in a relatively small town. She would rather fight prejudice than move to a more tolerant urban area. She tells me that is a personal decision many transsexuals have to make. My sister is also very involved in GLBT activism and causes.

Goodnight, Keaira Raine. I need sleep.

Wacko here, wacko there who frickin cares where’s he’s at!!!!

I would love to see your kids become transgenders by watching Chaz on DWTS.  That would actually be quite funny.

LOL

Or how about wife beaters,fan beaters,dog abusers like Ron(World Peace)Artest. Dr. A-blow certainly wouldn’t want to glorify this kind of behavior on the TV.

ding, ding, ding…we have a winner.

does he come and give speeches to your bigot of the month club?

but he fits right in with the close-minded bigots of your party.

and also his views that being gay is linked to pedophilia.  why don’t you get behind that horse too wc.

and the gay banditos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-id4GKsaQk

yep, the government will pay for everything you disagree with

He had a show in my area at 3 in the afternoon.  I lasted maybe 6 months. 

I haven’t heard that one since the 7th grade. Way to stick it to me!

You’re an idiot who’s out of his league so go away troll…LOL

It didn’t take you long to prove my point did it sport?

ablow is absolutely right, kids do emulate what they see on tv…  i wanted to be batman and a monkee, among other things…  perhaps adlow would have feared i might start wearing a mask and tights or even engage in bondage (holy safe word, batman!)…  or maybe indulge in communal living among same-sex hippy-potheads playing the devil’s music… 

i’d like to know what ablow’s idea of quality tv is…  dwts is crap, but not because of chaz…

I watched DWTS last  night along with my 6 year old grandson and 6 year old grandaughter and not once  did either one of them say anything about weather Chas was a male or female, and I’m perty sure that 20 years down the road neither one of them are going to be sitting in front of some shrink boo hooing about having gender identy problems and how their life is so out of control because their  grandmother let them watch Chas Bono on DWTS.  The only way they would know anything at all about Chas is if  they hear some nut case like Ablow spewing this hatred on public airways.

are they already on Celebrity Rehab and Intervention?

Good clip.  I hadn’t really thought about the physical effects of high dose hormones, but makes sense it could have a dramatic health danger. When a ‘gender choice’ causes serious physical harm, time to really worry about whether its a disorder or a lifestyle choice.   

I read about this and heard about it, so I decided to read Ablow’s column myself.  I discerned no hate, only sympathy, but disagreement that there is a status that is “transgendered”.  I agree with him.  I believe the forced acceptance of this kind of disorder is based on a mass moral confusion in society.  And before you criticize me I have to say I have known men who considered themselves women, and had sexual reassignment surgery.  It’s anecdotal, but they were not happy people and struggled more I believe after the surgery than before.  My heart goes out to anyone who struggles with these issues, but the fact that we feel compassion or sympathy with their plight is not a reason to agree that a man can magically turn himself into a woman (the far more common scenario) than a cat can become a horse.  As a woman I fail to see how a man is going to “be a woman”.  No ovaries, no uterus, no PMS, no menses.  Just because you put boobs on your body, doesn’t make you a woman.  I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, maybe someone needs to jolt these people, because in my view  it’s insulting to women, who have struggled, worked, suffered for centuries to obtain equal rights then some man thinks he can usurp our status.  No way, no how. 

I read about this and heard about it, so I decided to read Ablow’s column myself.  I discerned no hate, only sympathy, but disagreement that there is a status that is “transgendered”.  I agree with him.  I believe the forced acceptance of this kind of disorder is based on a mass moral confusion in society.  And before you criticize me I have to say I have known men who considered themselves women, and had sexual reassignment surgery.  It’s anecdotal, but they were not happy people and struggled more I believe after the surgery than before.  My heart goes out to anyone who struggles with these issues, but the fact that we feel compassion or sympathy with their plight is not a reason to agree that a man can magically turn himself into a woman (the far more common scenario) than a cat can become a horse.  As a woman I fail to see how a man is going to “be a woman”.  No ovaries, no uterus, no PMS, no menses.  Just because you put boobs on your body, doesn’t make you a woman.  I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, maybe someone needs to jolt these people, because in my view  it’s insulting to women, who have struggled, worked, suffered for centuries to obtain equal rights then some man thinks he can usurp our status.  No way, no how. 

You don’t think this could be about ratings do you? The curiosity factor alone must have been huge.

As long as they keep buying into the same old empty Liberal crap, that’s where their going to stay.

Isn’t global warming a Liberal thing? Liberal-studies? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

I don’t know about Texan but, I think your one of those sweet guys. By the way, do you live in San Francisco?

LOLOLOLOL!

Dr. Keith Ablow is a know it all that is wrong about Chaz but he will never get it. Megyn Kelly is right and beat Albow in debate last week on her show even O’Reilly thinks Keith is wrong and Keith has no claims to back him up either.

Dr. Keith Ablow is a know it all all of his claims are baseless and can’t be backed up Megyn Kelly won her debate with Albow last week and even O’Reilly didn’t even agree with Albow.

Ablow is right, a recent study backs up what he says about the higher mortality rate.  Some people will say, but that’s because they feel hopeless and alone.  I would say they got the sex change in the first place because they felt hopeless and alone and wanted to take a concrete step to compensate for the confusion they feel inside.  Also, they probably realized the sex change didn’t take away the hurt they feel inside from not being accepted and not knowing who they are, and this would cause intense sadness, enough to cause one to commit suicide.  But yes, it also opens them up to more insults from people.  Nobody should condemn them for this, but we also shouldn’t be promoting it.  Some men are more effeminate and some women are more masculine, that’s what makes us all unique.  Gender isn’t just male or female, it’s on a spectrum.  People such as Chaz need to find their identity and become comfortable with who they are inside.  Often the problem is they don’t have the support from anyone in their lives that they need to embrace who they are, if you are confident with who you are on the inside you won’t need to drastically change who you are on the outside.  Chaz has every right to go on DWTS, and parents have every right to prevent their kids from watching it.  The free market will decide, cause if enough people don’t watch it, they won’t do that again.  The bottom line is, getting the sex change is a cry for affirmation, due to lack of being affirmed from one’s parents, good example is Chaz’s parents.  If parents actually do their jobs and give love and affirmation to their kids, they won’t feel the need to get a sex change.  As for the recent study on mortality and sex changes, the authors conclude:  Persons with transsexualism, after sex reassignment, have considerably higher risks for mortality, suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Our findings suggest that sex reassignment, although alleviating gender dysphoria, may not suffice as treatment for transsexualism, and should inspire improved psychiatric and somatic care after sex reassignment for this patient group.

you go baby ;) lol

another classic non sequitur from someone supporting this non-sense.

I can tell your intentions are good, so kudos for that.

Any study that suggests a higher mortality rate could quite easily be countered with any number of studies that suggest the ‘only’ reliable treatment for transsexuals is a complete transition.

The reason someone would get a sex change is because quite simply it’s the only way for a transsexual to feel whole. It’s hard for someone who isn’t trans themselves to fathom the sheer horror that is gender dsyphoria, I would agree about gender not being as simple as a male and female world only. If this were the case, there would be no way to explain those who are born inter sexed.

“often the problem is they don’t have the support from anyone in their
lives that they need to embrace who they are, if you are confident with
who you are on the inside you won’t need to drastically change who you
are on the outside.”

If only it were truly that simple. I would have never been happy trying to play the male role period, no matter how much therapy I had… no matter how much love and support I would receive from family and friends, neither one of those things, nor anything else would truly tackle the actual issue and that being born in a body that doesn’t match the mind being the simplest way of explaining it. My parents would have loved me no matter what, but simply dressing up as a women and living my life as one would have never sufficed. I still would have a body that didn’t feel right and that I hated with every fiber of my being.

A sex change is in no way shape or form due to a lack of affirmation by one’s parents, or any number of other things. What it is however is an act that is done after much therapy and psyche evaluations to make sure the person is of a sound mind and a way for said person to finally after being forced to play a role and be someone they aren’t, a way for said person to be themselves.

While I’m not doubting that this study exists, I’ve seen a similar one that was sponsored by some Catholic organization, not exactly an impartial group.

Regardless it’s not my intention to attack you (and I hope you don’t take this that way), as again you clearly have good intentions and you have my respect for being compassionate about the issue and making a concerted effort to understand it. That’s certainly a lot more than what the average person can say.

“Jolting” us wouldn’t help.. therapy alone wouldn’t help, nothing helps in the vast majority of cases other than full transition.

This has been shown to be the case time and time again, in terms of trans men being men and trans women being women… I simply look at gender differently than what you do. Sure 99 some odd percent of the population is born with a static gender.. that being male or female.

There are people who are born with bodies and minds that don’t match, I know being one of them. No one knows why this is for sure, though the most common theory involves things like hormone imbalances in the womb, this would explain why in many cases kids first start showing signs of being transgender as early as 2 or 3.

I’m saddened to hear about your friends, doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of transsexuals are much happier post surgery than before.

I can sense that you have some compassion for those of us who are trans and I thank you for that, I do hope differences in opinion aside that you at least have the common decency to refer to the people you have known with female pronouns.

You’re right, this study can’t definitely prove that getting a sex change increases mortality.  The main reason is because it can’t be randomized, since how can you force a group of people to get a sex change just for a study?  You can’t.  But it does raise questions, as do a few other studies such as these, found by a person who went through the experience himself:  http://www.sexchangeregret.com/research.  I never judge people, and I can’t begin to understand what it’s like to experience gender dysphoria, but on the other hand, there’s simply too much political correctness in this country and it’s preventing us from having honest and open dialogues about important issues.  Most liberals will immediately condemn me as a bigot just for raising these questions, and many conservatives, although not nearly as many from my experience, will be quick to condemn a transgender person without trying to understand the issue.  I always try to understand an issue before I form an opinion on it one way or another, and even then my opinions can change.  That being said, if a person is born as a female, they will always have two X chromosomes, and no amount of changing of their physical characteristics will change that.  But a group of genes do determine what those characteristics will be.  I would suggest that more babies are being born with characteristics that don’t match their sex because of many modern problems associated with our diet and lifestyle (chemicals, xenoestrogens, etc) that negatively alter the level of sex hormones in the mother that are passed to the baby. This is the same reason why twins can be born with one being gay while the other is straight, even though they have the same genes.  But that doesn’t respond to the reality of what do transgender people do to deal with their crisis of sexual identity.  I believe cognitive therapy can help, and even if a person is loved and accepted and feels the need to get a sex change, it is possible to accept who you are without one.  Support groups can help, such as talking to those who already have gotten sex changes to see the pros and cons, and talking to people who thought about getting a sex change and didn’t and have found peace in their lives.  I don’t mean to minimize the difficulty of the decision for you or anyone else faced with this problem, I’m just trying to find a way to align my beliefs with the reality of this complicated issue.  I don’t take your response as an attack at all, and I wish other people who don’t share my beliefs would have similar tolerance that they claim to support.

You’re right, this study can’t definitely prove that getting a sex change increases mortality.  The main reason is because it can’t be randomized, since how can you force a group of people to get a sex change just for a study?  You can’t.  But it does raise questions, as do a few other studies such as these, found by a person who went through the experience himself:  http://www.sexchangeregret.com/research.  I never judge people, and I can’t begin to understand what it’s like to experience gender dysphoria, but on the other hand, there’s simply too much political correctness in this country and it’s preventing us from having honest and open dialogues about important issues.  Most liberals will immediately condemn me as a bigot just for raising these questions, and many conservatives, although not nearly as many from my experience, will be quick to condemn a transgender person without trying to understand the issue.  I always try to understand an issue before I form an opinion on it one way or another, and even then my opinions can change.  That being said, if a person is born as a female, they will always have two X chromosomes, and no amount of changing of their physical characteristics will change that.  But a group of genes do determine what those characteristics will be.  I would suggest that more babies are being born with characteristics that don’t match their sex because of many modern problems associated with our diet and lifestyle (chemicals, xenoestrogens, etc) that negatively alter the level of sex hormones in the mother that are passed to the baby. This is the same reason why twins can be born with one being gay while the other is straight, even though they have the same genes.  But that doesn’t respond to the reality of what do transgender people do to deal with their crisis of sexual identity.  I believe cognitive therapy can help, and even if a person is loved and accepted and feels the need to get a sex change, it is possible to accept who you are without one.  Support groups can help, such as talking to those who already have gotten sex changes to see the pros and cons, and talking to people who thought about getting a sex change and didn’t and have found peace in their lives.  I don’t mean to minimize the difficulty of the decision for you or anyone else faced with this problem, I’m just trying to find a way to align my beliefs with the reality of this complicated issue.  I don’t take your response as an attack at all, and I wish other people who don’t share my beliefs would have similar tolerance that they claim to support.

Unless Dr aBLOW is now considering a sex change operation, he doesn’t have a “leg” to stand on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZQ3VhgZQH8&feature=related

Dr. Ablow used to be the one “celebrating” transgender people on tv, when he had his own show. Just shows he cares about publicity more than anything.

So, Gerald, David Hasselhoff has male chromosomes, was influencing young minds on Dancing with the Stars, and has been videoed drunk on his floor eating a hamburger off the carpet.  According to your thinking, because he has the “correct” chromosomes, his behavior is acceptable and it’s okay to have impressionable young children teetering on the edge of alcoholism, obesity and glue sniffing watch him and say “I want to be just like David Hasselhoff!”

My new hero! Finally, someone strong enough to stand up for what is right, and not afraid of what the media thinks. Chasity Bono is still a woman. She is on Dancing with the Stars to prove a point. She has no dancing ability whatsoever. I also agree that many confused teens and younger people will see this and think they need to change too. They all think something is wrong with them and then go off the deep end searching for it. Hasn’t anyone noticed this explosion in sexual identity? It can’t be real. I live in a small town and see this new epidemic of twisted thinking right here. Everyone wants to fit in. Everyone wants to be noticed. Chasity is now getting the attention she was looking for, right down to allowing herself to become obese. Fits right in with America, and none of us are supposed to judge. Fine, but down the road there are huge medical expenses that come with being obese. Doctor’s visits, surgeries, handicap equipment, medication, etc.,  Unless someone is financially responsible for all these expenses on their own, (not company insurance, Medicare or Medicaid), the  costs get handed down and somehow we all pay for it.
In the end, it’s sad that we’ve allowed our morals and decency to get to this point, and how sad that people aren’t getting the “real” help that they need.

My new hero! Finally, someone strong enough to stand up for what is right, and not afraid of what the media thinks. Chasity Bono is still a woman. She is on Dancing with the Stars to prove a point. She has no dancing ability whatsoever. I also agree that many confused teens and younger people will see this and think they need to change too. They all think something is wrong with them and then go off the deep end searching for it. Hasn’t anyone noticed this explosion in sexual identity? It can’t be real. I live in a small town and see this new epidemic of twisted thinking right here. Everyone wants to fit in. Everyone wants to be noticed. Chasity is now getting the attention she was looking for, right down to allowing herself to become obese. Fits right in with America, and none of us are supposed to judge. Fine, but down the road there are huge medical expenses that come with being obese. Doctor’s visits, surgeries, handicap equipment, medication, etc.,  Unless someone is financially responsible for all these expenses on their own, (not company insurance, Medicare or Medicaid), the  costs get handed down and somehow we all pay for it.
In the end, it’s sad that we’ve allowed our morals and decency to get to this point, and how sad that people aren’t getting the “real” help that they need.

Please tell me what degree you have to back this up? We’re all entitled to our opinions, but I have one too. THESE are the misguided ones.