NPR on transgender children
May 8, 2008 by weedivine
Now, I am no expert when it comes to gender issues. If there is a weak spot in my feminist education, that’s it, issues of gender identity, sexuality etc. But even I, silly “straight” girl (what does that mean anyway?) know that the story NPR just ran was chalk full of gender idiocy.
Here’s a quick blurb- you can get the rest and hear the story HERE
First, both children profiled were sexually idenified as boys. Apparently NPR is not familiar with the distinction between sex and gender.
Gender identity disorder is a label given to children who believe themselves to be born into the wrong biological body. This diagnostic label encompases a range of behaviors — and the label itself is controversial. But, in general, what characterizes children like Bradley is that they are more than just effeminate boys, or masculine girls, who are gay. These are children who genuinely believe they are girls even though they have a male body — or boys, even though they have a female body.
NPR, its time to catch up- we know that you are trying to be nuetral reporters here but “gender identity disorder” is not controversial, its just plain wrong. Since sex and gender are two seperate things, which have no reason to “match up” besides keeping everyone feeling comfortable with the status quo (read with sexism, homophobia, etc) then I’m not sure how you can incorrectly, or disorderly, gender identify at all. If one does identify, that seems like its half the issue to the crazies anyhow (ever notice how uncomfortable androgyny gets?)
Mainstream psychology states that sex are the set of sexual organs you are born with, gender is the identity that you perform. This is not radical- the ways of being “girl” and “boy” have changed throughout the course of history- gender is not a two set system, its a spectrum, even a web of options. Now, if you really want to get “radical” (which is bullshit, cause its not that radical) go check out the idea that sex is not a two set choice either. Babies are born intersexed all the time and their sex is chosen for then. Because, the world would fall to pieces without our nice boxes that penis= man and vagina= woman and well you’re just out of luck if you happen to not fit.
Boys who have a female body, well lets go back to basics here NPR, since you managed not to mention this at all when profiling the therapy approach of “gender identity disorder.” If one is born with a female body, one still has to choose how to perform. This way of performing may match up with our idea of “female,” ie this little girl might choose to play with dolls given to her etc. How nice, how convinient. However, there is no magical rule that states that having a vagina at birth has a corresponding “right” way of gender performance, or that gender performance has so magical norm in the first place. So, boys are taught to be boys, and girls to be girls. There is lots of overlap between the gender performances, but if you’re familiar with feminist or queer theory at all, you can see how protective people can get about keeping gender lines distinct, performances distinctive.
Its also interesting how automatic NPR made what it means to be a “girl” or “boy”- the old tropes get pulled out. Pink is a naturally girly color because a little boy (cause that’s what he really is) who wants to be a girl chooses it! So there must be something automatically feminine about pink. Or dresses.
His drawings, however, also proved problematic. Bradley would populate his pictures with the toys and interests he no longer had access to — princesses with long flowing hair, fairies in elaborate dresses, rainbows of pink and purple and pale yellow. So, under Zucker’s direction, Carol and her husband sought to change this as well.
Maybe, just maybe, its not these kids who are screwed up. Maybe its our gender system. Maybe they like the color pink, they like dresses, and those things happen to make them “girls.” Its not their fault they like that stuff that we say doesn’t match up with who they’re “supposed” to be, its our fault for creating insane rules. Fuck the gender/sex dichotomy and our insane rules, and let the kid do what she wants and leave your damn boxes out of it. Whether Bradley is a “boy” or a “girl”, which are both pretty silly ideas at all, why don’t we all calm down and let her do what she wants?
Additionally, I love how they picked “boys” who wanted to be “girls.” This is terrible, because boys cannot be like girls! Sometimes girls can do boy things, but boys can’t be weak and lame like girls! Its pretty well documented, as in girls are kept as the lesser gender as they can aspire to boys, but boys can’t aspire to girls. Perhaps this is even scarier, the little boy wants to be a girl?!? Why would you want that?
Sorry if I messed up an of this analysis, feel free to call me out. Trying to educate myself more about this….
your commentary makes me wonder whether you listened to the whole story. I thought the reporter was grappling with, and explaining, the very question involved here and explained both sides with care. the title is simply reflecting the sanctioned view since the DSM uses the title GID.
Yes, both sides were explained with care. But, one side is messed up and wrong (my opinion.) Obviously, NPR can’t come out and say this, and conventional journalism holds that you should treat each side fairly. Well, the world, and this issue are not fair and balanced and so to treat it as such is misleading and giving the dominant and incorrect view an edge.
To me, one side is racist, sexist, and heteronormative, and widely accepted. I was critiquing the way a media outlet covers something (DSM) as such and presents it as equal to the less popular, but far more equitable and just way. NPR should continue to cover these issues, its a great way to start breaking the media silence. And we should keep telling NPR that the way they cover it is biased, to move our media and cultural knowledge along towards something that isn’t messed up.
Essentially what I’m getting at is in a unjust world, “just” reporting is unjust. I’m not asking for bias, rather for silenced experience and oppressed people to be given the same credit as the dominant and powerful voices, which in this story it is not. The language and attitude is one of “conventional” (perhaps slightly better) wisdom, with that contecxt there is not fair reporting, but grappling from the standpoint of power and privilege.
Another thought-
NPR left the assertions of GID unquestioned. There is well documented and very mainstream thought that destroys the premise that GID can exist at all. Why was this salient point not brought up? Why was the doctor not asked to explain his assumption that gender and sex needed to match up? I didn’t see any push back here, any challenge, which I believe falls even into the realm of mainstream journalist balance.
I’m glad you’re admitting a certain level of educational need here, because you’re missing most of the points. First of all, let me explain that I’m a 49 year old transgendered woman, meaning I grew up as a male, and spent life up to the age of 47 living as a male. At that age, I finally “hit the wall” and could no longer continue the charade. I am a woman. I’ve always been a woman. When you look me in the eye, the person you’ll see there has always been female. That is not a matter of how I behave. It’s not a matter of who I sleep with and what genitals I have. “I” am a woman.
Let me also explain that I’m not some social outcast. I’m a professional engineer, licensed to practice engineering in 9 states. I own a small consulting company with 5 employees, including myself. I was married for 26 years, and have two boys.
So what’s the big deal? Why did I transition? As yourself: how would you feel if tomorrow you woke up without breasts, with hair all over your body and face, and a penis sticking out where your vagina used to be. Would you accept it? After all, gender is about behavior, and you could still sleep with men. Of course, you could no longer feel your emotions. You’d have to learn to deal with feelings of anger and rage. Would you simply accept things, change your name to something masculine, and buy a suit?
Honestly, I doubt it. Oh, you could deal with it for a while. Eventually though, You’d be on that plane to Thailand to get the female parts put back. You, like me, would endure 4 years of long painful elecrology sessions to rid yourself of facial and body hair.
Gender dicates how we comfortably and naturally interract with the people and the world around us. When our physical gender doesn’t match the gender “behind the eyes,” friction occurs. For some, like the children in the story, they can’t tolerate it for any length of time. For others, like me, we cope for years and years before we finally crumble. I couldn’t face the future. My dysphoria fueled depression drove me to the brink of suicide. That escalated into several attempts when my ex-wife, a psychologist with no gender training, attempted to force me back into my gender “box” by presenting legal and financial hurdles to my transition. Mercifully, she relented, and I’ve been slowly putting the pieces of my life back together… this time as a woman.
The only way I can describe gender dysphoria, is that it’s a crushing weight, a smothering blanket. It’s keeping up a charade. It’s an act in a play that never ends. It’s not who you are, and it becomes maddening. When you finally transition, it’s like the sun come out.. the veil lifts… the weight comes off of your shoulders. You’re no longer trying to be something you’re not. You simply are. When people talk to you, they’re no longer talking to someone else; they’re talking to you.
Can I ever be a woman? You bet I can, and I am. I have all the same physical attributes of any other natal woman. I have a functioning vagina, clitoris, and breasts. My facial features are feminine. My voice is high pitched and musical. Where ever I go, whomever I interract with, I’m percieved as a woman.
Granted, I don’t have a uterus or ovaries, but neither do post-hysterectomy women. Likely, I don’t have XX chromosomes (as far as I know.. I’ve never been tested). The truth is, unless YOU’VE been tested, YOU don’t know conclusively whether or not you have XX genes either. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) stopped genetic testing of athletes after several female athletes, who were barred from competition for having XY genes, went on later to bear children. To conclude these women, these mothers, aren’t women because of there genes is patently ridiculous.
Could I, as you said, simply behaved in a feminine manner and found contentment? Simply.. no. I doubt you could either for any length of time if you woke up with a male body. Am I attracted to men or women? I really don’t know at this point, so I don’t date. Historically, I’ve been attracted to women, but given my new social role, the taboos associated with attraction to men have been lifted, so that is now a possiblity. Even still, I’m simply not sure, so I’m remaining celebate.
Well.. there you have it.
Julie-
but look deeper into how a young person is chosing outlets that let her identify as a girl in our society. Many of these gender idenitfiers are used to oppress those who identify as women, that’s all I was getting at here, and many people think that the gender dichotomy is a tool of oppression. As you said, when your physical gender doesn’t match, friction occurs. The ideals about gender, to me, are also problematic in that, artificial ideas about what makes a real man or woman. But again, I in no way want to attack transpeople from their gender, or fall into the trope of accusing transpeople of pepetuating gender stereotypes. Its delicate…
Thanks so much for your comment. I certainly meant in no way to say that these transgender children would be content simply “acting” out the performance of their gender. One of the young girls sisters commented on this, saying that she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to watch your body develop into something that you didn’t see yourself as. Of course transwomen and men are just as much men or women as those who are born with corresponding physical attributes for their gender. I fully recognize that this is an important piece.
I was trying to convey my frustration at the pigeon holing of gender behavior, simple as when the young boy liked pink more than blue, we must see that as not just an indication that pink is a naturally “girlie” color (it isn’t
In my discussion of gender performance, I was not at all trying to say that transpeople should just “perform” their chosen gender, and ignore their bodies. Certainly not! However, again, I think that the performative nature of gender would indicate that gender is not something set, lending credance to the idea that someone born into a “man” body could identify as a woman- the two don’t HAVE TO match up as we’ve been tricked into believing, there’s nothing wrong with that (and the person is not, therfor, wrong for changing their body if they so choose.)
Your point about genetic testing is right on, thanks for bringing that up.
Thanks for expressing so acutely your experience in your comment, I am impressed with your ability to convey your story, its profound.
The Stranger in Seattle recently ran a piece on crossing dressing and some transmen… it talked about the loss of male privilege that transwomen experience, I am curious about this piece. If you care, would you comment on that also?
Thanks again