View from the other half

Reading Summary

This podcast is about a group of transexual men who were born female and raised as girls but made the transition to male. Many of which are either in relationships, married, or are dating. One friend talked about learning how to socialize as a man as they were never taught how to approach women or give hints that they were interested. It can be awkward getting to know the opposite gender when they don’t know about the person being transgender as at any point you can be put back in to reality very quickly. One friend explains that some days are harder than others as you can forget that although you live as a man and see yourself as a man, it can be disappointing and sad when you have to explain yourself to significant others. It can be harder dating as a male than a female, because as a girl you don’t have to think about calling first or planning dates usually, but as a man you have to get used to these new codes of behavior. Sex life is a very popular question for many transgender people. A interviewee on the podcast described those questions as feeling like a science experiment. She explained missing the simplicity of having an ordinary sex life, but not necessarily missing being the opposite gender.

Outside Example

As a fan of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, listening to this podcast reminded me of Caitlyn Jenner. In an interview with Diane Sawyer one year after her transition, Sawyer asked Caitlyn the basic transgender questions. For example, “do you miss being bruce?”, or “do you ever have doubt that you did the right thing?”. Questions like these can make transgender people feel like they are a science experiment or makes them feel weird or out of place; like they are not normal. Caitlyn Jenner, being as famous as she is, does not seem to put off questions about her sexuality as she has learned how to be in the spotlight after many years being on television.

Reading Connection

Getting asked questions about your daily life or the way you choose to live your life can be very intimidating, especially when you feel as though your life is significantly different from the the ones around you, and asking those questions only divides and enhances those differences more. Caitlin Jenner, after being in the public eye for so long was used to the scrutiny and judgment that comes from being famous, so her transition was not that big of a change in public outlook as it would be for many normal trans people who choose to live quieter lives. Although many people do genuinely want to learn about how trans men and women live, it is up to the person to decide how much to how little they want to reveal about their personal lives. It may do people good, as well, to do their own research before straight up asking people they may know as transexual questions those individuals may not necessarily be comfortable answering.