A look at transgendered people with Celia Hooper

The experiences that are unique to transgendered people, both positive and negative, are diverse and complex, as is much of human experience. Many transgendered/transsexual people will encounter resistance, hostility, confusion, curiosity, acceptance, empathy, newfound relationships, self love, and autonomy as they "come out." According to Dr. Celia Hooper, it's hard to tell what any individual experience will be like, but there are of course typical things that one might want to anticipate and prepare for. As she worked with helping transgendered and transsexual people find a better sense of self via counseling, Hooper has found that many people, who do not live in areas where there is ample support for the transgendered community, often move to more accommodating areas in order to find the help and support they need. She also noted that there are often generational and cultural differences.

Many people who decide to come out to family members and loved ones can expect a wide range of reactions to the news. According to Hooper, some transgender people try to "fight it," and get married and have children, then later in life realize they need to live more true to their nature and to their sense of self. They often come out to their family after many years of trying to change or suppress their identity as a transgender person. As it can be very difficult to adjust for some people who are not well informed about such things, or for people who are opposed to it, some anger or rejection might be a typical response. Some people have been "disowned" by family. In which case, the transgender people are forced to find other means of support. Those who have a supportive family can run into another issue however. If a transgender person has sexual reassignment and is recognized as the opposite sex yet they are still married to their spouse, contradictions arise in the laws and over the legal right of the spouse. Since same sex marriages aren't recognized, some may not be given the same rights as a married couple who is composed of two people of opposite sex even though the marriage is still valid after the sexual reassignment. This can prove detrimental in circumstances where a spouse is in bad health and medical decisions need to be made, or if a spouse dies and the property rights are then brought into question.

Not everyone experiences a negative reaction when coming out however. Many universities, companies, employers, and organizations are implementing policies that ensure equal rights and treatment to transgender people. Many people are more educated on the issue and are curious at worst, supportive and accepting at best.

Other things transgender people go through are the decision over whether or not to have sexual reassignment through means of hormones or surgery. Dr. Hooper explained that this too is not an experience that all transgender people have. Many do not have surgery, and it is a common misconception that all transgender people do. This is affected by many things, such as age and to what degree the person identifies as a particular sex. She also noted that there is no significant difference in the amount of female-to-male, and male-to-female transgendered people. Hooper said that there are difficulties which people of both genders face in making a transition, but as far as hormonal sexual reassignment processes are concerned, medically the process is easier for female to male due to the nature of the hormones and the way a person's body will react to them.

Specifically, it can be more difficult for males due to things like vocal cord structure. Once a male's vocal cords have developed beyond puberty, there is an inherent thickness, and subsequently a deeper voice.

Of course, acceptance by the general public is always a difficulty one will face. Some people in the media have slandered transgendered people and others have spoken of it as a disease. This is something that does not, however, happen without repercussions, now that companies such as Verizon Wireless and Bank of America are taking actions to support the transgender community. Acceptance by those such as employers is on the rise, due to better information and education on the subject. According to Dr. Hooper, many groups such as Guilford Green and the Adam Foundation attend community health fairs and help provide information to the public on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. She also noted that an article was published in Ladies' Home Journal on the topic, showing more coverage by even conservative media.

Some transgender people growing up in unsupportive areas may even experience hostility and hate crimes. Violence toward transgender people has shown an increase, and up until recently was not included under the definition of a hate crime. Legislation is however changing, and a law has recently been signed by President Obama which includes crimes motivated by hatred of transgender, bisexual, lesbian, and gay people in the definition of a hate crime, and therefore it is now subject to the same consequences. The progress toward a more inclusive society, a better and more inclusively descriptive law, and sense of support by loved ones is being made. For more information on transgender issues, please look at the following web sites.

UNCG's counseling center: http://www.uncg.edu/shs/wellness/safezone/transgender.php National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: http://www.thetaskforce.org/