SRS - must you mutilate your self to become a "real" woman?

[smc]

Please excuse me in advance for my academic bent (being a trained classicist and professor) in this posting.

Transjen is on good ground, language-wise, to choose alteration -- as a comparison of two words shows.

Regarding the English word mutilation: it comes from the Latin infinitive verb mutilare, which means "to cut off" or "to lop off." Mutilare, turn, derives from the Latin word mutilus, which translates as "maimed." There is some consideration that the Latin word may be a cognate of a Greek word, transliterated as mytilos, with means "hornless" or "without horns." (I will forego commenting on the obvious joke that could be made.)

Of course, while mutilation generally refers to an act taken against something physical (a penis, for example), there is common usage referring to non-physical things. For example, this sentence: George W. Bush's way with the English language is nothing short of mutilation.

To alter something is quite a bit different. The word comes to us from Old French, altérer, meaning "to change something." Before that, it was alterare in Medieval Latin, derived from oder Latin alter, meaning "the other" (of two things). Notably, beginning way back in the late 16th century, there are references in English where alter was used to mean "to become otherwise" -- which is rather nice usage.

I like to think that someone who has willingly and with full understanding undergone SRS has "become otherwise" -- namely, to transcend the constriction of what transjen so aptly called a birth defect to reveal the true self, as self-defined (self-definition being the key). I look forward to the day when each of us, and our governments, consider this of no more consequence than dying one's hair -- and when all the pseudo-moral restrictions that exist today are eliminated.

[hankhavelock]

Originally Posted by smc

I like to think that someone who has willingly and with full understanding undergone SRS has "become otherwise" -- namely, to transcend the constriction of what transjen so aptly called a birth defect to reveal the true self, as self-defined (self-definition being the key). I look forward to the day when each of us, and our governments, consider this of no more consequence than dying one's hair -- and when all the pseudo-moral restrictions that exist today are eliminated.

In spite of my rather limited vernacular, I dare to answer... I think that THAT is exactly the whole issue. At least here in Asia. Obvously, all trans*women in the West have an IQ of above 450 and they are all totally aware of all the troubles, that SRS may bring them... so one must hope they make their decisions based on sound and intelligent consideration.

How ever, here in Asia trans*girls do NOT have all the education, that you have in the West. They are just as intelligent, but not as educated.

So it's a tricky matter.

Allow me to return to my initial point, namely that a trans*woman should NOT have to undergo full SRS to be recognized as a legal woman.

As you said, this should be (maybe not quite as easy as dying one's hair), but at least some thing that cannot be considered a threat to national security.

It's about time that we realize that transsexuality is for REAL. It's not a freak show put on by weirdos with an attitude. It's a beautiful form of self expression that we should all be proud to witness. And every decent human being should get in line to fight for the right of every trans*woman to choose her legal gender as she pleases.

It's HER choice! And we should respect her for her choice. We should love her for it.

We should be ever thankful to every single transsexual for bringing "finding one self" a gigantic step closer to being a reality and not just hollow words.

H