I am not asking this to be transphobic or anything but I had this debate with myself at 2 o’clock in the morning and every time I remember it I can’t focus.
On one hand, it is what they want. Let’s assume it causes no harm to them or any unforeseen circumstances.
On another hand, it would erase their identity as trans people. At the extreme you could consider it a genocide, since turning them into what they want would mean there is no more trans people and their unique identity is erased.
The cool thing is that I, a trans woman, am already a woman! Gender is a whole complicated thing, and I think maybe you have a simplistic idea of what it means to be trans. it isn’t “I wish i was a girl” so much as it is “my body/my mind/the way society treats me (some, all, or none of these) is wrong” so, from that perspective. it’d be pretty invasive to force change onto people without their consent-it’s their body, after all!
I think offering physical changes individually to trans people would be the most ethical approach. Everyone is different, and everyone wants different things. TMI but I, as an example, have no interest in bottom surgery, but am happily on hormones.
It’s important to remember that this is just one person’s opinion, too. Take it with some salt, and feel free to ask any follow-up questions if you’re interested in my perspective
First of all, I really wanted to hear opinions of trans people. What are the reasons why someone would choose not to have bottom surgery? I expect some people simply can’t afford it or find it too much of a hassle.
Surgery is terrifying! If you have no or mild dysphonia then the idea of someone removing part of you or otherwise changing it is quite disturbing even if the end result is appealing. And that’s if the end result is appealing - it isn’t for everyone. Gender isn’t necessarily tied to what’s in your pants at all.
Well, my hypothetical scenario implies an instantaneous 100% change with a 100% functionality, at zero cost, specifically for that reason.
I’m sure, if offered, many people would accept the change.
Many trans people also just don’t have any dysphoria regarding their genitals.
Do individuals that have transitioned from a gender other than the one they were born into really identify as “trans” or is that what society has classifed them as? I think ideally they would all be accepted and viewed as their preferred gender without the trans qualifier attached to them.
Oof, good point.
If I describe someone as a “tall man” or “clever man”, do those qualifiers/subcategorizations call into question whether he is a “man”?
If they don’t, I’m genuinely interested in hearing what distinction you apparently see between those two and saying he is a “trans man”.Hmmm well I would think of those more as descriptors, which I suppose the label “trans” is, but are there any people that would prefer to be seen as their chosen gender without the need of the additional label? I have a friend that has transitioned from female to male and I don’t think of them as a trans man. He’s a man and has always been a man to me.
Interesting. I guess for me the “trans” bit just isn’t as strongly coupled to the person - that it’s natural to use “man” for such a person in general, and it’s a context (e.g. healthcare or the politics of it) that can make the subcategory be relevant.
I mean, unless you also retconned their past it wouldn’t really erase their identity as trans people. The bigger problem would be that in the process you’d out a bunch of people. Also, what would constitute “turning into a gender”? Gender means different things to different people
I think the more interesting follow up would be who this actually affects. Does this magic have a magical objective truth about everyone, or is it based on personal belief. The resulting chaos from either way is fun to think about imo.
egg_irl community would go nuts, for starters. All the anti-trans people being outed as closet trans too. Which religions would try to play it off as an act of god? This is what keeps me up at night.
Yes?
It’s not cool to do something to someone without their consent.
I think yes, you doing it would be unethical as you cannot get the consent of all the people you’d be affecting. Making the option available would certainly ease suffering but your blanket statement “that’s what they want” assumes something that certainly isn’t true for every single trans person.
The lack of permission issue is muddy because you specify that it’s what they “want”, which implies some kind of magical hypothetical permission happened somehow. I won’t address it.
A concern I haven’t seen raised is the people who live in cultures where transgender issues or even just being a particular gender could be life-threatening. I would be worried about the people “outed” unexpectedly. Some trans people might decide to forego transitioning due to other concerns in their lives weighing higher, and I would want them to be able to weigh in on that.
Without consent, it would definitely be unethical.
You’ve had the main ones, but to add - not all trans people want to be one gender, or any gender at all. So yes, it would be unethical.
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In the future you’ll be able to change back and forth when ever you want.
