Can a man really turn into a woman?

[Immanuel Can]

You guys are idiots...

Great way to contribute...insult every person participating, with your first line.

Yep, that will get you a hearing.

I.C.: You and some others aren't listening anyway.

Yep, obviously you don't get it either. Opening with an insult is stupid, if you want anybody to care what you say.

[Lacewing]

Great way to contribute...insult every person participating, with your first line.

Yep, that will get you a hearing.

I.C.: You and some others aren't listening anyway.

Yep, obviously you don't get it either. Opening with an insult is stupid, if you want anybody to care what you say.

Do you think your strategy of pretension hides your intent?

[Immanuel Can]

Do you think your strategy of pretension hides your intent?

Not interested.

[Lacewing]

Do you think your strategy of pretension hides your intent?

Not interested.

Yes, that's a typical reaction to it.

[SpheresOfBalance]

You guys are idiots...

Great way to contribute...insult every person participating, with your first line.

Yep, that will get you a hearing.

No IC you and HQ are the idiots and anyone that believes as you do. The facts are the facts, and the brain/mind is what it's all about. And that's why you dubasses don't understand it. You and HQ don't even realize that you're delusional!

[henry quirk]

So, again, you believe gender is fluid, mutable, interchangeable, just a social construct, yeah?

[henry quirk]

You guys are idiots...

Great way to contribute...insult every person participating, with your first line.

Yep, that will get you a hearing.

I.C.: You and some others aren't listening anyway. Some very worthwhile considerations have been put forth, but you guys just snort and yuck it up like you're authorities on everything in the Universe. I agree with SOB... you guys are idiots. Not because you think differently, but because you act like idiots in the discussions here. Ganging up on Sculptor, along with some other gang-related spewing, shows the need to prop up small and limited views. It also shows that you're unwilling to consider topics very broadly: it's more about thinking/proclaiming yourselves "right", no matter how foolishly rigid your views might actually be. Just as it has been throughout history, when mankind struggles against broader thinking. Here on this forum, some only want to stand atop their steaming piles like royalty of their creation.

So, you believe gender is fluid, mutable, interchangeable, just a social construct, yeah?

[vegetariantaxidermy]

And why do the words 'transexual' and 'transgender' get used interchangeably, if 'gender has nothing to do with sex' ( or sexuality)? Why does the acronym LGBT include 'T', when it's the only one (apparently) that has nothing to do with sexuality?

Women aren't idiots. I've heard that the Thai 'ladyboys' can't be told apart from women. Well I've got news for you, guys: women can tell the difference, even if men can't. Perhaps this is because women are used to seeing women as people rather than 'tits, hair, clothes and legs'. We aren't that easily fooled.
As a rule, so-called 'trans women' are as convincing as a chimp in a tutu dancing Swan Lake for the Royal ballet.

[Gary Childress]

Well, I don't think a man can change himself into a woman in the sense that he would have all the biological characteristics of a female. He can certainly change certain aspects of his biology such as getting hormone shots or surgically removing or implanting things, etc.. I suppose that comes down to personal preference and it's his own business since we now have these technologies. I do believe that messing with biology can have unforseen consequences and therefore it's also difficult territory to traverse. I don't think children should be given such things as they are not of the age of consent and probably can't know the full consequences of it.

As far as addressing the person as "he" or "she", that can be a little tricky in some cases. I mean, if he wears a dress and wants to be addressed as "she", then I guess that's doable and I can oblige, based on my own personal preferences. But if he looks, behaves, and everything else, like a male, I'd probably refer to him as "he", regardless. And if he wants to be addressed as something like "your highness", then I would probably also refuse based on my own personal preferences.

That's just me. And what other people think and do concerning him is their business so long as they don't do unjust physical harm to him.

[Bakhita]

If by gender we refer to being the male or female sex (and how could it refer to anything else when our language assumes a connection between “female”, “male” and “gender”?), then, no.

[Lacewing]

So, you believe gender is fluid, mutable, interchangeable, just a social construct, yeah?

I do not agree with all of this that you've presented as a single choice, okay? I'll show you the courtesy of answering again, but more specifically this time (which it appears you prefer), so please show some courtesy by not simply scratching yourself and spitting on it.

Is gender...

Fluid -- I'm not sure what you mean by this. Easily changeable? I would say no, it's probably not easy at all.

Mutable -- Perhaps mentally, psychologically, spiritually in some instances for some people. The physical body is only one component of a person, and I don't think it overrides or rules all else.

Interchangeable -- Depends on what you mean. For my way of thinking, gender doesn't matter as to the substance of a person. Can a man just become a woman -- for most men, I would say "no", because he's not inclined toward that. But do some men feel more inclined toward the feminine? Appears so! Can they ever be the same as a woman who was born female? Doesn't seem likely. But are their feelings of femaleness still valid? Probably so! All kinds of things get crossed in nature. They know better than anyone how they feel and what they think. And I don't think it's a sickness to have such feelings/thoughts. Are there crazy and confused people in every walk of life? Sure!

Just a social construct -- No. There are many levels and angles to everything. So many influences, and so many things we don't understand. Social constructs DO superficially define all kinds of things AGAINST nature!! It's reasonable to be more flexible than what we've been programmed to think.

As I've said...it's not just a "this or that" answer. I think the Universe is too vast and diverse to be put into little boxes.

[henry quirk]

So, you believe gender is fluid, mutable, interchangeable, just a social construct, yeah?

I do not agree with all of this that you've presented as a single choice, okay? I'll show you the courtesy of answering again, but more specifically this time (which it appears you prefer), so please show some courtesy by not simply scratching yourself and spitting on it.

Is gender...

Fluid -- I'm not sure what you mean by this. Easily changeable? I would say no, it's probably not easy at all.

Mutable -- Perhaps mentally, psychologically, spiritually in some instances for some people. The physical body is only one component of a person, and I don't think it overrides or rules all else.

Interchangeable -- Depends on what you mean. For my way of thinking, gender doesn't matter as to the substance of a person. Can a man just become a woman -- for most men, I would say "no", because he's not inclined toward that. But do some men feel more inclined toward the feminine? Appears so! Can they ever be the same as a woman who was born female? Doesn't seem likely. But are their feelings of femaleness still valid? Probably so! All kinds of things get crossed in nature. They know better than anyone how they feel and what they think. And I don't think it's a sickness to have such feelings/thoughts. Are there crazy and confused people in every walk of life? Sure!

Just a social construct -- No. There are many levels and angles to everything. So many influences, and so many things we don't understand. Social constructs DO superficially define all kinds of things AGAINST nature!! It's reasonable to be more flexible than what we've been programmed to think.

As I've said...it's not just a "this or that" answer. I think the Universe is too vast and diverse to be put into little boxes.

Just say it: a man can pretend to be a woman, may actually believe he is a woman, but a man cannot be a woman, cannot turn into a woman.

[Lacewing]

Just say it: a man can pretend to be a woman, may actually believe he is a woman, but a man cannot be a woman, cannot turn into a woman.

It's not necessarily pretense -- it's just different for all kinds of people. Notice how you zero in on whatever you can (in what I said) to try to prove yourself right, while ignoring ALL ELSE that merits consideration. You create contrived questions and ask people to choose one or the other in order to assess their incorrectness and your correctness. It's a dumb little self-serving game that you really seem to believe in. It's also dishonest because the responses don't matter -- you will disregard and ignore anything different than what you already want to think and believe.

I cannot put things into boxes the way you do, Henry. It would be best if you stop asking me to. I had already responded to this topic, and you pressed me again to answer according to YOUR TERMS. Your terms seem too superficial and limited for me. I don't think that way... and it's GOOD that we all don't think that way.

[Immanuel Can]

Just say it: a man can pretend to be a woman, may actually believe he is a woman, but a man cannot be a woman, cannot turn into a woman.

Burden of proof is surely on the 300 lb. guy with the beard and the Adam's apple who says, "I'm a woman." He's got something to show there, and it's going to take more than putting on a dress...unless women are prepared to say that a pair of size 14 high heels and some makeup are all that really makes up a real "woman." No unique woman's mind, perspective, experience, values, abilities, etc.: just a bottle of blush and some false eyelashes.

Not a very flattering thing to say about womanhood, for sure. But they can say it if they want, I guess.

[henry quirk]

Just say it: a man can pretend to be a woman, may actually believe he is a woman, but a man cannot be a woman, cannot turn into a woman.

It's not necessarily pretense -- it's just different for all kinds of people. Notice how you zero in on whatever you can (in what I said) to try to prove yourself right, while ignoring ALL ELSE that merits consideration. You create contrived questions and ask people to choose one or the other in order to assess their incorrectness and your correctness. It's a dumb little self-serving game that you really seem to believe in. It's also dishonest because the responses don't matter -- you will disregard and ignore anything different than what you already want to think and believe.

I cannot put things into boxes the way you do, Henry. It would be best if you stop asking me to. I had already responded to this topic, and you pressed me again to answer according to YOUR TERMS. Your terms seem too superficial and limited for me. I don't think that way... and it's GOOD that we all don't think that way.

You were so close, Lace...