I don't know if I should be considered GC or not, seeing the degree of opinions sometimes expressed, but I'll just clarify what I guess is my middle ground position. I have no problem with people getting surgery if they find it helpful. I hope we can continue to do research to find less invasive methods of help, but if it is currently the best option for some, I accept that and support everyone finding a solution to pain.

My main concern is that we keep categories clear in official documents, medical records, statistics, and any places where physical difference matters like sports, shelters, prisons, etc. We could add an "asterisk" category in some cases, like the requirements in the army - if you're post op/ on hormones, then you don't have to meet standard male requirements but MTF ones to be an infantryman.

Still, the category of "woman" should be kept specific to people who have bodies that incorporate female reproductive systems - bodies that carry eggs, have extra internal organs to release them, wombs that will grow them, stuff like that. Men don't have that even if they transition, and even when it's not working, infertile women still have to make room for most of it.

I don't think kids should make major body choices before they finish developing so I would hope we could concentrate on encouraging body acceptance / gay acceptance until adulthood. At that point anyone still struggling with dysphoria could start looking at surgical options since it is their body, but I would still not want to promote it as a cure or idealized answer. I just don't think there's a clear understanding of what's being done and a lot of fantasy about what may happen at this stage - which may be all people want, permission to disassociate and fantasize in public. IN itself that is not terrible, except for when it conflicts with reality directly, ie, someone cannot win a women's scholarship just because they are playing a "woman". It has to be understood that there are limitations...