Transgender

Posted: September 3rd, 2013

Transgender

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Transgender

Part one

            Transgendered people are those with different gender behaviors from the ones related to their assigned sex. For example, a person born to be a male may develop feminine body parts. When people are transgendered, they do not have any specific sex orientation. This is because they have mixed characteristics of both sexes. This term was introduced in 1970’s. It was used to refer to people who wanted to change their sex orientation. Later, it was made a general term to include all people with different gender behaviors. They include heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and other gender identification. Therefore, the explanation of this word is viewed to be flux but has to include two principal definitions. The first is it refers to people who feel their gender does not bring their true nature. The second is a person birth sex does not correspond with the common male or female functions. A transgender may have traits related to a certain gender or adapt those that are outside the gender continuum (Lombardi et al, 2001).

Transgender identification consists of many categories, which some of them overlap. They are transvestite, androgynes, cross-dresser gender queer. In many cases, people who are cross- gendered are mainly transsexual. There is a group called transvestic fetishist is more considered more of a psychological issue than a transgender identity. It has been observed that it is complex to understand the types of transgender. This is because some of the characteristics of these categories are overlap. When talking about a transgender, it is polite to refer to them with a preferable name or pronouns no matter their legal sex identification (Clements & Katz, 2006).

There are several effects associated with being transgendered. The first effect is trauma after realizing one is transgendered. No one would want to have gender abnormalities. This is why most people become traumatized because they least expect it. This is followed by emotions like anger anxiety, sadness, and self-denial among others. Others will feel hopeless and shameful about themselves. This leads to withdrawal and detachment from the society. These emotional effects could become severe if not treated. In severe cases, some people will suffer depression, which could result to suicide. Forty one percent of transgendered people in the United States are reported to have attempted suicide. In Seattle, twenty percent or more attempted suicide were recorded. The analysis also concluded that there is likely to be an increased rate of these cases (Dean et al, 2010). In some community setting transgendered, people are discriminated. They are seen to be abnormal with unacceptable character. This manly affects the homosexual community. All these effects are negative and affected people should seek medical help immediately. The first stage of treatment should be mental. If one is in a position to carry out physical treatment, they should go ahead and do so (American Public health, 2006).

People or are transgendered face many challenges regarding their conditions. Most of them have to deal with internal conflicts about their exact identity. These are led to psychological uneasiness because some have found it hard to accept themselves. Mental health experts advise such people to seek medical help. The most recommended treatment for this problem is attending therapy. These therapies include talking to a specialist or will counsel individuals and assist them to get help. The patients are allowed to talk openly about what they feel and think in reference to their situation. In severe situations, transgender people can be diagnosed for gender dysphoria. This is a condition characterized with distress, and a person is unable to relate with others or work normally. Normally, the victim suffers depression, and this is why he or she becomes withdrawn (Chochran et al, 2002).

Advanced medical studies have found solutions for persons who are transgendered. It is possible to correct some transgender conditions through medical surgery. For example, hormones can be used to change the biological development of a person. It is possible for a woman to develop breasts if she never had. Men with feminine parts can have removed and replaced with the appropriate ones. Physical treatment is most preferable because it will assist in mental recovery of those in conflict. When a woman is operated and can have a normal biological and physical development, she will be at peace with herself (American public Health Association, 2001).

Part 2

The rationale of doing this project is based on several things. This topic is controversial among many people. Most of them do not understand it well hence; they end up misunderstanding concepts of this topic. The project has been done to shed light on some of the misconceived facts. These groups of people may not receive enough help from their environments. This could be due to discrimination or ignorance of the society. This project will help such people to know what to do regarding their conditions, for example, seeking medical assistance (Hughes & Eliason, 2010). This project is also useful to those who are not transgendered. Through the activities, they will understand about this condition and change their perception towards affected people. This will apply to those who believe in discriminating transgendered people. The project will make the participants understand that transgender is mostly caused by factors beyond human control. For example, DNA is one factor that influences this condition. People are born transgender, and no one should be judged for it. Understanding this fact may help people to stop discriminating transgendered people.
In a family setting, relatives of a person who is transgender often have a negative attitude towards the transgender. This is because they do not know what it means to be a transgendered person. They fail to understand that being a transgender person is beyond human understanding (Guditis, 2009). Additionally they fail to comprehend that the transgender person is in a world of confusion and without the necessary help he or she might end up being depressed or emotionally sick (Stryker, 1998). In this case, the project will educate both the transgender and the family members how to handle such a situation if it may arise. Additionally, it will educate the public that one does not choose to be transgender but one is born with; thus, it is beyond the control of the human beings.

Parents are the most influential people in the life of a person. They brought us into this world thus people should always be thankful to them. However, they are mostly the first to discriminate transgender people (Guditis, 2009). This is because they are cooped up in their own world filled with traditions and ignorance. In the past, there was no ample research done on this topic, hence, people had mixed reactions towards the transgender. Parents used to and still think that their children have become gay. In this case, based on the traditional values and beliefs, they will tend to discriminate their own children. What parents fail to understand is that these children struggle with something that they were born with not something they chose. Therefore, this study will be educating the parents on the topic of transgender in relation to what the children expects from them.

The society is another party that has been in the forefront in discriminating and abusing the transgender. In most cases, the society tends to harass the transgender, yet they have done nothing wrong. They fail to grasp the concept that they are people like others, and it is not their own choice they turned out to be transgender. On the other hand, there are those people who know it is beyond their own choice they are transgender, but they continue to harass them like it is a disability or they are outcasts to the society (American public health Association, 2001). In this case, they are often mistreated regardless of the situation. Therefore, the project will aim to fill the gap between the society and the transgender people by educating people that it is normal to be a transgender, and there are ways to solve the problem. In addition, the research is aiming to reduce the amount of discrimination directed towards the transgender.

In conjunction to the above, the society tends to view transgender as the most immoral people in the society. People believe that this people are the most immoral people in the eyes of the society. Often, they are accused that they spread HIV/AIDS to the society. As a result, they are often mistreated by the society. According to studies done, not all the transgender people have HIV/AIDS, there are others transgender who live honest lives by trying to embrace the situation (American public health Association, 2006). This results them to suffer a lot in the society because they are not welcomed at all. In this case, the society humiliates them instead of helping them to have a normal life. For this reason, the study will try to eliminate most of these theories that exist in the society by showing facts about transgender.

According to the public health organization, there have not been many researches done on the issue of transgender. The public health society has developed a theory where they have not believed transgender is a medical problem that is worth researching (Boehmer, 2002). This is because there are no many researches done by scientists or doctors to indicate that the people who are transgender have a medical problem. In such a situation, the public health society has instilled a theory to the society that transgender is not something one is born with but a choice. This leads the society to mistreat the transgender due to lack of enough knowledge that ought to be provided by the public health society (Boehmer, 2002). In this case, the study is meant to eliminate the theory that has been silently created by the public health society by educating the society the biological issue of transgender.

Additionally, there has been increasing rates of harassment to homeless teenagers who are transgender and live in the streets. In most cases, they are at risk of being injured both physically and emotionally. Additionally, these transgender teenagers decide to move out of their homes because most of their relatives discriminate them or hurt them (Cochran, Stewart, Ginzler & Cauce, 2002). This results them to be homeless. On the other hand, when they are in the streets, they are not safe at all. They end being injured and sometimes they are killed due to harassment. Studies indicate that they are the minority group among the homeless people. Due to this fact, they are unable to protect themselves. As a result, they are hurt (Cochran, Stewart, Ginzler & Cauce, 2002). This study aims at reaching out to the parents and other parties that are involved to help the transgender teenagers with problems they have by educating them with the necessary facts.

Health implications are the other issue that affects the transgender. According to study done, they show that a number of a number of transgender are affected by health problems. The health problems range from both physical and emotional health problems. The physical health problems range from the violent abuse they get from their parents to the violent abuse they get from the streets (Guditis, 2009). On the side of the emotional health problems, the transgender people are most of the times depressed leading to mental illness (Dean, Meyer, Robinson, Randall, Silenzio, et al. 2010). Additionally they tend to form posttraumatic stress disorder that has been brought about by the violence they have been experiencing from their parents since they were born. This shows that transgender suffer from illness due to misunderstanding and yet they can be helped.

On the other hand, the emotional problems that lead to mental illness like stress and depression cause suicide. According to the research done it shows that children or people who are transgender are prone to suicidal activities (Clements-Nolle, Marx & Katz, 2006). This is because the society has failed to understand that they did not want this on themselves. On the other hand, the society fails to comprehend that these children are confused, and they do not know what is happening to their bodies. In this situation, they feel cast off by their parents and the society (Guditis, 2009). Additionally, they are constantly harassed by people causing them to feel rejected by the society (Clements-Nolle, Marx & Katz, 2006). For these facts, the research aims at educating the society, the health problems experienced by the transgender and their causes. Additionally, the study aims at educating people how these health problems can be prevented from occurring.

After all the emotional heartbreak and the harassment, those who are not suicidal end up doing drugs. Recently, studies indicate that there has been an increase in alcohol abuse by the transgender. However, there has been an increase in the use of the hard drugs like cocaine by the transgender (T. L. & Eliason, 2010). These people engage in these drugs to reduce the amount of stress or depression they might be having. Additionally, they engage in drugs because they want to forget the harassment they are receiving from the society. Moreover, they feel that drugs cannot harass them, they only thing they do is to help them feel better. This results to the increased use of hard drugs.

Economic discrimination is another issue that is affecting the transgender. Studies show that the business community has also been affected by the theories that the society holds about the transgender. As discussed earlier, transgender people are believed to be outcasts in the society. They believed to be immoral people who are perverted. The business community has absorbed the theory and they are in the line of discriminating the transgender (Lombardi, Wilchins, Priesing & Malouf, 2001) In this case, transgender people are finding it hand to get employment. Many companies when they realize that these people are transgender they fail to employ them in their companies while other are fired with other claims. These studies show that the theories have not only been extended to the public health society but also to the business community (Lombardi, Wilchins, Priesing & Malouf, 2001). Therefore, the research aims at increasing knowledge to the business community to stop discrimination because the employment act applies to all.

According to the different studies, the study aims at filling certain gaps that are left out. Additionally, it aims at changing the cultural theories, the society, the public health and the business community has towards the transgender. In this case, the study is going to educate people on how the transgender came about, what affects them, how they can be cured, what is expected of the society and what are the implications of mistreating a transgender.

Part 3

Outline

Topic

The topic of transgender will discuss several areas. For example, its existence in the society, effects on the people, how to deal with it and other issues. Discussion of this topic will equip the learners with relevant knowledge about this topic. It will assist those who are affected by this condition. Learning about transgender will change people’s perception about this disorder (Nemoto et al, 2004).

Title of the curriculum  

The curriculum consists of several programs that will be done in this project. They include activities, which will help in learning about the topic. The activities will be as follows: Discussion groups, lectures talks, a session for enquiries, and the audience will have a chance to talk. The discussion groups will help the audience to interact with each other as well as share their experiences. It will also be a way of assessing how well the topic has been understood. A schedule of these activities will be prepared. The schedule will be as follows:

1. Lecture talks
2. Discussion groups
3. Enquiries sessions
4. Opinions and commentaries from the audience

The target audience for this project is mainly young people from the ages of eleven years to thirty years. People in this age bracket are in the developing stages. Transgender signs are well identified in the stages. As young people develop, they face many challenges. It is even more difficult for those who are transgender because they are considered abnormal. They will learn how to live with their prevailing states. For those who are not transgendered, they will be advised on how to live harmoniously with the transgendered. Therefore, this workshop will be extremely helpful to these people (Stryker, 1998).

Educators of this topic will be experts from various careers. They include psychologists and sociologists. Psychologists are professionals in the study of human behavior and other mind diseases. They have been chosen to be educators in this project because they have the required information. Sociologists are experts in human development. They understand about transgender issues, and they will be good facilitators of this topic (Boehmer, 2002).

Goals

• How transgendered and not transgendered people should relate.
• How to correct transgender conditions.
• Problems faced by transsexual people
• Effects of transgender
• How to identify transgender conditions.

Objectives

• The participants should be allowed to give examples of good relations between transgendered and those who are not.
• In their discussion groups, they should discuss how to solve problems faced by transgendered people.
• After learning ways of correcting transgender conditions, participants may give additional solutions.

No one chooses to be a transgender therefore; these groups of people should be accepted by the society and assisted in every possible way. More research and studies should be done about this topic. It will help people to understand it and find even better solutions for curbing it. The transgendered people should form association where they meet and learn more about their conditions. These associations will also help them to offer each other moral and emotional support. For them to overcome discrimination in the community, they are advised to be confident and optimistic about a better life. Transgendered people are as equal as the rest hence they should be treated equally (American public health Association, 2006).

References:

American public health Association. Enhancing transgender health care. American Journal of Public Health: June 2001, Vol. 91, No. 6, pp. 869-872.

American public health Association. HIV prevalence, risk behaviors, health care use, and mental health status of transgender persons: implications for public health intervention. American Journal of Public Health. Vol 91 (6), 2006

Boehmer, U.  Twenty Years of Public Health Research: Inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations. American Journal of Public Health: July 2002, Vol. 92, No. 7, pp. 1125-1130.

Cochran, B. N., Stewart, A. J. Ginzler, J.A. and Cauce, A. M. Challenges Faced by Homeless Sexual Minorities: Comparison of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Homeless Adolescents With Their Heterosexual Counterparts. American Journal of Public Health:  2002, Vol. 92, No. 5, pp. 773-777.

Clements-Nolle, K., Marx, R., & Katz, M. Attempted Suicide Among Transgender Persons: The Influence of Gender-Based Discrimination and Victimization.

Journal of Homosexuality, Vol 51(3), 2006, 53-69.

Dean, L.,  Meyer, I. H., Robinson K., Randall L. S, Robert S, Silenzio, V. M. B. et al. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health: Findings and Concerns. Journal of the gay and lesbian medical association. Vol (4), 2010 102-151.

T. L. & Eliason, M. Substance Use and Abuse in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Populations. The journal of primary prevention: 2010 Vol (22) 263-298

Lombardi, E. L., Wilchins, A.R., Priesing, D. & Malouf, D. Gender violence: Transgender experiences with violence and discrimination. Journal of Homosexuality. Vol 42(1), 2001, 89-101.

Nemoto, T. Operario, D., Keatley, J.K., Han, L., and Soma, T. HIV Risk Behaviors Among Male-to-Female Transgender Persons of Color in San Francisco. American Journal of Public Health: July 2004, Vol. 94, No. 7, pp. 1193-1199.

Stryker, S. The Transgender Issue: An Introduction GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies (1998) 4(2): 145–158;