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Largo Was Wrong

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coconut



Joined: 13 Feb 2006
Posts: 238
Largo Was Wrong

Largo was Wrong
As a nation, we have been taught that we are afforded certain rights as citizens. Of these life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are all guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. When this document was drawn up by our forefathers, there was no mention that certain segments of the population would not be afforded the same rights as others. In Largo, Florida, as well as in other parts of the nation, these rights are not shared equally. They are only permitted for those who adhere to certain standards or conform to society.
In February of 2007, Steven Stanton, a well respected and long-time city manager, was terminated from his position after it was disclosed that he was in fact perusing gender reassignment surgery. The city council acted swiftly to remove him from office. Their reason for his dismissal was that they, as a city, could no longer trust nor respect him. They used the fact that he had not mentioned his desire to change his gender previously as being dishonest (Largo Officials Vote to Dismiss Stanton). Bob Goss, a resident of Largo, said, “The issue is not the gender change here. It's the fact that he deceived people. He wasn't honest with us."
Steven Stanton, now Susan Stanton, dedicated more than seventeen years to the city of Largo after being asked to take over for the previous city manager who resigned. During his time as city manager, he was well respected, received several positive evaluations and had recently been given a raise because of his performance.
Gender identity is something that many of us take for granted. We are, as a general rule, born as male or female, learn from our family and society what is and is not expected of each gender, and grow up to be proud of the gender we are assigned at birth. There is a segment of the population who do not have it so easy.
A transsexual is defined as a person who strongly identifies with the opposite gender and may seek to live as a member of this gender especially by undergoing surgery and hormone therapy to obtain the necessary physical appearance (Webster’s Dictionary). This definition could be interpreted in such a way that it could seem this is something that someone can choose to change in their life and therefore have to accept the reactions of society. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.
Science has been exploring this for many years and with each new test, new evidence shows that it is not as simple as not liking the gender you were assigned. A recent study published in the Journal for Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that male-to-female transsexuals have a high number of female neurons in the limbic nucleus. The numbers more closely correlate with those found in females identified at birth than those of males identified at birth.
This study shows that gender identity disorder, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, is in fact a birth defect. The D.S.M. IV defines Gender Identity Disorder as “strong, persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with one's own assigned sex.”
Maybe this is a simpler, more easily understood definition:
Transsexualism is a birth defect. It is a neurological version of the condition known as 'intersexuality'. Intersexuality is where a baby (of any species, it happens to all animals, including humans) is born with sex organs that cannot be identified, or which are some blend of male and female that is all mixed up. The usual procedure in the past has been to just choose a sex and surgically alter the baby to fit that notion. However, this is no longer being done as much, because it has been noticed that about half of such babies, when they grow up, are very upset; they say the surgeon guessed wrong, and they want the situation corrected. This is just one small demonstration, among a vast many, that gender -the internal, mental and emotional sexual identity of self- is inborn. People are born male or female not just on the outside, but in the very way their brains are constructed (transsexual.org).

With the scientific evidence and these definitions, it would seem natural that transsexuals would be protected under any number of anti-discrimination laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Law of 1964 says it is illegal to discriminate against an individual based on race, creed, color, sex, religion or national origin. In addition, Title I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act from 1990 and sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is illegal to discriminate against someone with disabilities if they are able to perform the tasks with reasonable accommodations. Various other City, County, State and Federal laws are on the books that protect gender identity along with gender itself.
All science aside, there are more people fighting against the transsexual than for him. The religious right likes to point out that sexuality and gender are not things up for debate. They like to quote Genesis 1:27 to support their claims: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.”(New American Standard). The common interpretation by the religious is there is no way that anyone can justify the need to change their gender; you are from God and therefore perfect in every way.
In Deuteronomy 22:5, it states, “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do are an abomination to the Lord your God.” (New American Standard) Using this verse as an argument against transsexuality makes sense but if we read the verse closely we will find that we are all an abomination. A woman who wears pants for any reason or buys men’s shoes because they are more comfortable or practical are all going against God and can be considered an abomination. Why is this considered acceptable when this verse clearly states that it is wrong?
Removing genitals seems to be a major factor for the religious when standing against accepting the transsexual. If God made man in his image then the loss of his manhood would be defiling what God created. A valid argument for sure but we cannot pick and choose which parts of the Bible we will accept or that serve our purpose and forget other parts. A eunuch is a castrated man placed in charge of a harem or employed as a chamberlain in a palace (Miriam Webster). Throughout the Bible, eunuchs have been held in high esteem. Many of the icons of the Bible that the religious and spiritual holds in high regard were in fact eunuchs. Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego were all made eunuchs and worked in the king’s household. Even Daniel was made a eunuch and went on to be second in command under King Nebuchadnezzar and then Darius of Persia.
It is true that most eunuchs we forced into this position, but if a loss of genitals is thought to be such a horrible thing, why should we look on these men with such respect?
There is no solid religious argument against the transsexual so we have to turn to the medical and moral argument.
A hermaphrodite is an animal or plant having both male and female reproductive organs. (Miriam Webster) This affects every known animal and plant in one way or another. Some are actually meant to be born intersexed and others happen by accident. We correct this problem both chemically and surgically. Most times, the problem is identified at birth but many times the problem doesn’t present itself until well into adulthood. When a girl does not experience menses on time or a boy does not display common attributes of puberty by a certain age, Doctors run tests and begin some sort of intervention. This is socially accepted and encouraged. At what age do we decide it is no longer acceptable? Is it acceptable as long as it is the doctor making the determination?
The medications necessary to correct these problems are not without side effects and most of them must be taken for a lifetime. Some of the most common side effects include altered mood during transition, depression, acne, increase cholesterol, increase risk of cardiovascular disease, blood clots, liver disease, and, most dangerous, tumor growth on the liver and liver malfunction. (King County, Washington)
Surgery is not without risk. The most common complications of surgery are urethra and anal damage sometimes leading to the need for reconstructive surgery and incontinence.
All of these risks are readily accepted for infants or for those with visible differences or when the procedures are recommended by a physician.
Morally, many people have problems accepting the transsexual because they think they are nothing more than just cross dressers. People also believe that gender identity and sexuality are one in the same. Being a transsexual is looked on as a choice and one which does not fit in with popular beliefs. Our morals are formed by our families and society. If society sees something as unacceptable we are more likely to follow that thinking. As a society we tend to look at things that are different as wrong and as a result condemn those who are different from us. Our dislike for something is usually based on fear more than a true dislike.
The transsexual wants nothing more than to live as she truly believes she is. Whether one decides to opt for hormones or surgery or both does not change who the person is on the inside. Surgery may make her appear more socially acceptable but what does that mean to the inside of a person? A person is more than just a package. They are a heart and soul with feelings and plans and a dream.
One transsexual shared this poem with me as an example of the struggles:
Why is it you
Who is supposed to be
My sister, my family
Feel the need
To define me
Make me fit into
One of your little
Gender boxes
Why can’t I just
Be who I am
Neither Pink or Blue
But maybe stripped
Or even polka-dotted
But either way
I am NOT an Illness
I am a person
Pink, Blue or
Somewhere in between (used by permission. Owned by wishonastar)

Blacks, women, the disabled, and even Native Americans have had to fight for a change. At one time, all of these groups were thought of as lower-class citizens without the rights of everyone else. Society changed through the years and protected them.
Georgina Beyer, Born in 1957, became the first openly transsexual member of parliament in New Zealand; Aya Kami Kawa was the first transsexual to seek public office in Japan and became the first transsexual municipal official; and Renee Richards, a respected physician and professional tennis player. All are successful transsexuals who have proven that their gender identity did not impact their ability to perform their jobs and Susan Stanton is no different. Gender identity does not have anything to do with her ability to perform a job and should not be grounds for termination.
I believe that I will see the day that, as a nation, we will take a step back and once again stand on the ideals this country was built on, all people will be able to benefit from the basic rights we were all guaranteed and no one will be left behind in the pursuit of happiness.
_________________
Wishing you were
somehow here again
wishing you were
somehow near
Sometimes it seemed
if I just dreamed
somehow you would
be here

Post Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:18 am 
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