[Controversial] The Scientific Evidence Regarding HBS

[phoenixvtam]

The HBS movement cites recent research on the hypothalamus as definitive "proof" of their assertion that transexuality is a physical intersex condition. Divorcing myself from the issue and speaking purely as a scientist, this is either ignorant or dishonest because the papers they cite are in fact only preliminary pilot studies.

The 1997 study by

Comments

[br0k3nt0y]

excuse my total ignorance here, but I for one would welcome a "nature" involvement in the argument. We have countless people crying foul at the inclusion of GID in the DSM-IV, yet we do not want a biological cause either? for my last Psychology class I actually wrote my term paper on the biological cause of Transsexuality and referenced that particular journal article. I was actually excited to know that there may be a physical basis for my choices in life, and that this would give me a stronger ground to argue from when confronted with people who claim "I chose this life". Part of the forced acceptance of homosexuality in society is the fact that we can no longer claim it is all in the head, with biological causes and a sort of pre-determined from birth factor going on.

So I guess my question is this: Why do you not welcome this news, that transsexuality may in fact be biological in nature?

[aylira_tesayon]

The issue is with the fact that HBS advocates tend to want to draw a very very narrow line around what a "transsexual" can be, excluding the reality of other transgendered states, excluding the genderqueer/etc., excluding those who identify as transsexual but don't want surgery for whatever reason, even excluding those who are not straight in their actual gender (transdykes like me need not apply). Its the fact that they are exclusionary that bothers us, not the identifying of a biological/nature basis

[aki_no_kaze]

well, lets look at it another way... what if SOME transwomen (cause there was only one transman in any of those studies, and a study of one isn't really something you can count) have this brain thing, but some dont.

what if I did, and you didnt.

i would have my rights protected, access to healthcare and the like... and you would be labeled as little more then a delusional < insert your birth sex here >.

until they can show that a physical cause shows up in ALL transpeople, using it as a diagnostic tool, or a way in which to define who gets rights and who doesn't is a horrible idea.

[danaelaurm]

Which also could extend to lilyth's homosexuality metaphor...
After all, if it becomes something testable, then whoever doesn't show the phenotype becomes possibly mentally ill, for any kind of sexual variation issue.

[justanormalgirl]

there is a difference between biological theories of transsexuality and the HBS "cult", for lack of a better term.

[phoenixvtam]

I don't welcome the news because it's premature. The preliminary studies don't prove anything one way or the other, and regardless of your position on HBS it is absolutely wrong to say that those studies prove that there is a biological basis for all "real" transsexuals.