V nappa, you are correct it is complex and "appropriate" treatment is very difficult to come by. What we do know is within this complex issue the transgender is burdened with who will properly diagnose the co-morbid disorders, depressive and personality disorders that are driving the desire to change. You are correct again the gender counselors will always go forward with hormones (no diagnosis for co-morbid disorders) and the road to surgery will be paved for you. But 30% commit, many like you and me wish things would have been different. Other gender changers live on the margins of life often worse off after the change sadly that is true. Thank you it is not an easy or smooth road.

There is no gender change you can only make a "gender impersonation" of after surgery a "gender imposer" because the documents were changed to reflect the cosmetic look alike you became. We should consider how distressed they are and will only after "thinking they changed" will wake up worse off. Perhaps at first it will be great fun looking like you changed genders but the folly of the nonsense from one year to 20 will will be realized, sadly.

It is not true that "all" transgender people were sexually abused. But in the letters I get telling there story, sexual abuse was the most talked about issue, as the cause for their pain. If I had known the surgery was nothing more than a cosmetic "look like" a female I never would have considered surgery. The fraud and deception foisted on good people has resulted in a 30% suicide rate for them. This is where my focus is trying to prevent anyone from destroying their life with regret or suicide.

I did not think you were picking on Mildred Brown. But because of my face to face time with her in a group setting and talking with her at her home in the living room. I just had a feeling that many years ago all was not good and it gets more and more obvious things have not been well for many years. I do think all of them including Brown thought they were helping but where are they now to advocate for less surgery and hormones, where are any of them after they filled their bank accounts with all the good folks money?

Colleen, I do hope the studies help people see the risks and folly so there lives are not needlessly torn apart. You and others are helping buy providing insight into the dark side and that is so darn important in preventing regret. Many years ago I was in a Mildred Brown group and I remember telling a friend at that time I thought she was pushing very unhealthy people into surgery. I even went to her home and spent time talking with her and just did not get the feeling she was on the up and up that was over 20 years and it was not good then and not good now.

I have lived with homosexuals and remain friends with them today. So I know from their mouth to my ears they are as homosexuals looking for their candy so why place them in the candy store? When it is not a candy store for the other kids. There is a known risk and no need to place the other kids at an unnecessary risk. The word homosexual is sodomy and it is a reckless abusive controlling behavior I see no good reason to wait for an assault because the psychological and emotional damage once done will last a lifetime and that is unnecessary.

In as much as I very much enjoyed being Laura and living as a female (8 years) in San Francisco and working at the FDIC there I was considered a success. I realized from knowing and living the transgender life I discovered truth and reality. Reality is not drinking the "cool-aid" but the mothers milk of truth changing genders is acting out a delusional gender persona fun but not real. Also, when you have 40% attempting suicide and 30% die from suicide as a result of unresolved psychological and psychiatric disorders. There at least 30% were not enjoying the gender change because of psychological issues.

It takes much courage express how the cure of changing genders is not all they say it is. Painful as it is to admit we made a mistake in trusting all the stuff about transitioning was the cure, for some of us the cure became nothing but regret years later and restoration is not so easy. To Mike I say, bravo for your outstanding courage.

My point was to show the need for as you say "I agree there needs to be caution and deliberate reasonable action on the part of anyone transitioning" My point exactly Thanks

VC, thanks for your thoughts. For me I found enlightenment in understanding my regrets are common and we are the lucky ones because we were not among the 30% who die from suicide. I just point out, we like you are here. I was excited, happy and well employed for many years but just the idea that I was a surgical replica of my feelings I thought a bit delusional. So you are correct my family was more important to me.

A wide range of university and clinical research found the development of the young mind was hard wired very early in life. Hard wiring is formed after birth with the environment of sounds, color and word commands around them. The early interaction with others will make them feel safe or not and will become important in the development of gender. this will include visual impressions of the parents all this will work in the psychological "hard wiring" of how they see the world and that includes their views of gender rolls. I found this topic so important I included a major section of the research studies in my book Paper Genders that has all the details of the studies and personal stories of transgenders who found more comfort in restoring their birth gender than they did as a transgender.