06-03-2015, 12:32 PM
I understand why transgenders don't want to be lumped in with transabled individuals, but I think it's fair to examine the similarities.
My thinking is this: do what you want with your body and your life. It's your right unless you pose a threat to others in the process.
If you feel you're trapped in the body of the wrong gender and wanna transition from a male identity/body to a female identity/body (or vice versa), fine by me. The medical community recognizes transgenderism or gender dysphoria as a psychological disorder and, in many cases, recommends transition as the preferred treatment.
If you wanna cut off your arm, fine by me too. I hope you live to tell. But, I think it's gonna be a long while, if ever, before the medical community recommends transitioning a healthy body to a disabled body as treatment for a psychological disorder or recommends that known self-mutilators be qualified to receive disability benefits. I think doctors will instead continue to recommend mental health treatment designed to reduce/eliminate the desire for physical disablement in the rare cases of trans-able syndrome.
But, who knows? Maybe somewhere down the line there will be doctors intentionally disabling people as treatment for transablism, and there will emerge a social movement to promote tolerance of the transabled.
My thinking is this: do what you want with your body and your life. It's your right unless you pose a threat to others in the process.
If you feel you're trapped in the body of the wrong gender and wanna transition from a male identity/body to a female identity/body (or vice versa), fine by me. The medical community recognizes transgenderism or gender dysphoria as a psychological disorder and, in many cases, recommends transition as the preferred treatment.
If you wanna cut off your arm, fine by me too. I hope you live to tell. But, I think it's gonna be a long while, if ever, before the medical community recommends transitioning a healthy body to a disabled body as treatment for a psychological disorder or recommends that known self-mutilators be qualified to receive disability benefits. I think doctors will instead continue to recommend mental health treatment designed to reduce/eliminate the desire for physical disablement in the rare cases of trans-able syndrome.
But, who knows? Maybe somewhere down the line there will be doctors intentionally disabling people as treatment for transablism, and there will emerge a social movement to promote tolerance of the transabled.