Transgendered children

[Neo-Scholastic]

[Mudhammam]

My confusion lies in what gives anyone the authority to classify differences between people as a "psychiatric disorder," individual identity, and/or mere desire.

[Pizza]

My confusion lies in what gives anyone the authority to classify differences between people as a "psychiatric disorder," individual identity, and/or mere desire.

What do mean by "authority?" And do you mean by "psychiatric disorder?" I think you may just be arguing over semantics at this point. 

[Neo-Scholastic]

My confusion lies in what gives anyone the authority to classify differences between people as a "psychiatric disorder," individual identity, and/or mere desire.

That's because you're a bigot! So just shut-up. Ignorant bigots like you are throwbacks to Victorian repression. How dare you express any doubts about my personal truth. You're a bigot and I don't need to explain anything to you. Bigot!  (ironic)

[Longhorn]

[Neo-Scholastic]

I can certainly sympathize with someone that has a medical issue. I also know how personally how people who do not have a specific medical condition have difficulty understanding the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. At the same time I consider sexism a serious social evil and it seems to me that the transgender issue reinforces problematic stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Does anyone else see this tension?

[Dystopia]

That would be true if it wasn't for the fact that many trans people don't identify as male/female but as genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, etc. It's not just TransmenV.Transwomen.

[Longhorn]

I can certainly sympathize with someone that has a medical issue. I also know how personally how people who do not have a specific medical condition have difficulty understanding the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. At the same time I consider sexism a serious social evil and it seems to me that the transgender issue reinforces problematic stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Does anyone else see this tension?

Yes, this is a valid question, but, as has been said before, transgendered people don't experience gender dysphoria based on societal norms or gender roles, it's a mixture of genetic, hormonal, structural and psychological causes and as always it's hard to figure out how it works exactly

I see your point, though
The DSM-V only includes gender dysphoria as a disorder, which refers to the discomfort felt by transgendered individuals
This was done specifically to resolve the problem of enforcing the concept of gender being binary

[Esquilax]

I can certainly sympathize with someone that has a medical issue. I also know how personally how people who do not have a specific medical condition have difficulty understanding the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. At the same time I consider sexism a serious social evil and it seems to me that the transgender issue reinforces problematic stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Does anyone else see this tension?

Not particularly, mostly because the spectrum of what's actually happening is broader than you might think. Trans people don't necessarily wish to transition from one idealized gender stereotype to another, they simply wish to be themselves, which they view to be a different gender than their biological one; their desires, from what I've heard from trans and queer friends, have less to do with gender constructs and more to do with the literal physicality of what's happening to them. Imagine waking up in a body that isn't yours, consider the dissonance in your mind from that, and you'll have something close.

But more broadly, hypothetically, let's say you're right: what would you actually want done about that? Should potential trans folk just have to suffer to make correcting sexists an easier job? Surely there's some form of lesson about gender identity that could be drawn from that situation that aids in dispelling sexism?

[Neo-Scholastic]

I would like to see someone address Nestor's question. I think it has bearing on furthering understanding:

My confusion lies in what gives anyone the authority to classify differences between people as a "psychiatric disorder," individual identity, and/or mere desire.