Why are so many people closed minded towards transgendered people?

In my opinion there are several reasons. Ignorance, perception, media, at the risk of offending your religious beliefs, religion, some of our own people.

The easiest way for me to answer is with personal experiences.

Ignorance. Be honest, if you yourself did not have questions about your own gender how much would you know or understand about the subject? How much would you even care to know? Probably like most people, myself included not very much. When I came out to my family I knew I would have to try to educate most of them. The majority had no clue what I was even trying to tell them. One brother did understand as he teaches a diversity course at a university and the son of a good friend of his had actually grown up as a girl. But even he did not fully understand every thing. His family was the first to really accept me as a woman. Why? Because they took the time to learn, that included reading, talking to me and asking questions, just researching the issue. One of his daughters told me until it personally touched her life she really knew nothing about it. Think back to when you were in school. Most schools have such a hard time even teaching sexuality, let alone something so complicated as gender identity. And if they even mention us it is most likely presented as a life style choice. Look at the controversy that can and does erupt if a school has a openly gay teacher. And yes I know sexuality and gender identity are two very different things but just look at some answers here at Y.A. and you can see most people do not understand the difference.

Perception and media, I will tie these together. If all you had to judge transsexual people on is what you have seen on shows like Jerry Springer would you have a very high opinion of us. I doubt I would. I would most likely think what a bunch of weirdos. What if you had only seen the drag queens on a news clip about a gay pride parade.

Unfortunately that is all the more exposure some people have about us. They do not see the thousands of us that just live a so called normal life. All of us, myself included that are living in stealth are invisible to them. While there are people around here that do know about my past the majority do not. I live in a very rural area so more have no doubt heard about me but they do not even have a clue who I am. I run into people all the time I went to school with, that I used to hang out with that have no idea who I am anymore. I am just another middle aged woman in the store, or getting gas or what ever. And I am not about to out myself because that is how I wanted to be seen when I first started this journey, just another woman.

How often have you seen or read a new report? Man dressed as a woman. I have a lot of times, I will see the heading of a news story and that line will catch my eye so I will read it. How much attention would I give to a head line that says "Woman hurt in car accident" but if that headline says "Man dressed as a woman hurt in car accident" will it catch my eye? Yes and it will every one else that sees it. Sensationalism sells. They wont tell you she has lived for the last several years as a woman, that her name has been changed, they will find her birth name and print it. They wont tell you she has a stable job and is in a loving relationship. That is boring information that does not sell, but a man dressed as a woman will sell though.

Watch any show about transition. How much time is spent explaining the everyday struggles we face. Very little but they will show the before and after images of us, tell our birth names. Show the obligatory shot of her putting on make up. Magically changing from a "man" to a woman to fool everyone else. The only show I have ever seen was "Girl Inside" on the Logo channel, that was not sensationalized. It actually followed a young women's transition and showed some of the everyday problems we face.

Religion. Where do I even start. I was brought up in a very conservative Christian home. Strong religious views were the norm here. When I first came out I was told its OK to be gay as long as I was not practising it. I'm not gay, I'm transsexual, no connection. Look at the Catholic Church's position. Is it any wonder were hated by millions. Listen to the rhetoric of fundamentalist Christians. Ask this question in R & S and see the answers you get. I have a strong belief in God and Jesus but I will not step foot in a church for organized religion. It is not a place of love and respect for me, but a place of hate and intolerance. One brother did not speak to me for over 2 years after I came out, his family still wont. I am dead in there eyes. My moms fear when I came out was that she would be asked to leave the church. Love and acceptance, I have yet to see it from a church.

Last on my list is some of our own people. Certainly a small minority. Some of the activist.When the woman in Florida was outed and lost her job she became an instant spokes person for all of us. I am perfectly capable of speaking my own mind. Yes we need the activist and anti discrimination laws, but as a woman I am already covered under them. I see it as a choice to be a woman or a transsexual woman. I would rather just stay stealth and be a everyday woman. Sorry if that offends anyone but it is my opinion and life.

People / individuals are this way because it's NOT THEM...!! And if it's not them and their way of thinking, everything else in their eyes is WRONG...!!! There is such an abundance of intolerance in this world towards our lifestyles.

I myself am a married transvestite, and proud to be so, and I don't "shiv a git" what others may think or say.. I'm pleased with what and who I am.. And the support I receive from my wife is worth far more than the adversity that "floats" around by "strangers"..

I'd even venture to say that I have a much larger / more extensive wardrobe including 42 pair of HIGH HEELS than many of the so-called g/g s that pass adverse remarks my way.. "I am what I am" and proud of it..

So work at your "wants" and do it well..

Regards and good luck,

Rachelle In High Heels

Before I found out what being transgender was really about, I thought that trans people had mental disorders and needed counselling. I thought that with treatment they could learn how to be happy with the bodies they were born with. Since then I've really read into it, met some trans people and learnt about the struggles they face.

EDIT- Boom Boom Boy, where did you get that island story from?

I think it is because people base their understanding of the world on lies. Most of what we think and feel about ourselves and our world is what we've been told as children and growing up. Regurgitated opinions upon opinions that we've never stopped to actually examine because for one we never seem to have a reason too since everyone else around us believes them too, and secondly because we just don't think to, we don't even realize that they are there.

We've been taught there is no such thing as gay, we've been taught that male and female are two separant entities that are never Ever mixed. It is a duality. I'm always seeing this duel pattern. Men, masculine, women feminine, man is the sexual giver, woman is the sexual reciever. Man is the provider, woman is the homemaker, man is blue, woman is pink, on and on and on. It reminds me of some primitive societies and how they really eplahsized duality. Heaven, and Earth, water, fire, man woman. Humans are constantly trying to define ourselves and categorize things.

It also reminds me of an island in Micronesia, and how there was a girl in the tribe, who starting behaving like a boy. Boys in that culture would go out at night and spy on girls they liked, and try to make them come out of their house for some hanky panky. When the tribe elders foudn out, they talked to her. And then renamed her a boys name, gave him male clothes and treated him as a male ever after. It was just beautifually simple.

It seems we need to do all these scientific tests and studies, and literature, just to accept something that a simple island tribe saw as natural and accepting. Education is the word for redescovering what we already knew before we became civilized.

Edit: I got it from a book I was assigned to read in my anthropology class last spring. It was written by a woman anthropologist in the 1960s, it was called "Nest in the Wind" and was set on the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia. I highly recommend the book as it is an easy, and entertaining read even for those with non anthropoloy endevers.

Different things affect different people differently! Haha.

But really, sometimes people would rather think "that's weird, I don't like it" than put forth the effort to really think about it and figure out the true sides to things. that's the same reason we still have homophobes. They WANT to hate homosexuals, and by not thinking about it, they don't ever have to realize how wrong they actually are. They can just keep regurgitating what they've heard from others and the media and think that its right.

sorry, I'm going to give you a "society" anwser because thats my best explanation.

People are afraid of things that they don't understand. Not to mention we live in such a conservative bible abiding society that will immediately judge and label your appearance.

Most people do not understand what it is like to be in your shoes. They are so narrow minded that they can't even baffle the thought of a man wanting to be a woman.

people are close minded because they dont understand why we would feel this way. being a huy sucks yes, but for alot of guys it doesnt and they have no idea why a man would want to become a woman. its just outside there mental capacity. you need to ignore the people who wont be your friend because your transgender. they are not worth your time. best of luck!

hey my name is Kelsey too lol, my professor thought i was a guy when he read that name because of Kelsey Grammar. And your friends should support you no matter what, at least your close friends do. And the people who give you weird looks are just plain idiotic. I would never blame it on society, because not all people are judge mental, just the ones who are close minded.

I have no problem with anybody. I do fancy shemales though I'm an bi-curious guy. anyways, i think its because the people that are close minded about transsexuals or gays etc, is because they are either just raised as that or they have no life and hate. I never hate anybody, I never hate haters either(thats not the answer). I think it's best if you ignore them like i ignore homophobic sick minded pervs. there is a difference in bisexual and bi-curious but people dont see that. but anyhow are you androgynous or a tranny? just asking, no offense.

because a lot of people are just plain flat out not used to it.

you're one of those REAL unique people that no one is used to seeing.