Can gender be reduced to biological sex?

There has been an intense discussion over at Crossdream Life on whether it even makes sense to make the argument "gender is the same as the biological sex". The discussion started with a reference to J. K. Rowling's support of a British trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF).

The discussion has also led to two blog post, one on Rowling and TERFs and one on the gender is biological sex argument.

"Japanese Cartoon Porn Helped Me Understand My Trans Identity"

A link to an article about how Japanese hentai comics may lead to trans awareness, has led to a very interesting and informative discussion on the Japanese approach to transgender identities and explicit erotica, including a discussion on the nature of "futanari" or women or intersex people with penises.

Carah writes:

Futanari is a word used for hermaphroditism and the intersex condition. It literally mean to be two kinds. Long ago smugglers used to capitalize on the fact that they could get away with smuggling if they dressed up like women. Eventually this lead to body searches and bang - you have the word more widely used. Lots of stories, art, etc began to emerge out of the joke the government guards thought of this. 

In Japan, most trans activists consider it offensive. Instead the word used most often nyūhāfu, (new half) and while it’s offensive, it helps separate the destructive transphobic manga culture from ourselves. It’s equivalent to Shemale. In the sex industry the term and implies you do sex work. In the general population it means cross-dressing man or trans woman. Most Japanese people use the term in reference to transgender people. The better newer term is: toransujendā. Both of these terms are borrowed words.

More here!

Is gender nothing more than a performance?

Over at Crossdream Life, ElleShock asks:

"One of the phrases I often hear is that gender is a “performance”; which is to a certain extent true. The expression of their-self is a performance through fashion, body language, and speech. However in the context of a trans person to whom these aspects of performance do not easily become expressed; I wonder how can one truly feel authentic in regards to gender identity?"

Follow the discussion on gender performance here!

On being non-binary and the fear of coming out to the family

JemimahB has written a guest post for the Crossdreamers blog called "On being non-binary and bigender and the fear of coming out to the family".

First they discuss what it means to be bigender, and how this term relates to the broader concept of non-binary.

Next they look into the risks associated with coming out to your family, and how you can deal with that risk.

You can discuss this over at CDL.

Crossdreamers on using herbal estrogen to improve mood and body

Recently we have seen doctors prescribe micro-dosages of hormones (estrogen or testosterone) to transgender and non-binary people who are not transitioning, to alleviate mild gender dysphoria and/or for them to achieve minor body modifications.

The fact is that MTF crossdreamers have done this on their own for many years now. Even if most of the herbs that are mimicking estrogen are so mild that they have little or no visible effects on the psyche or the body, there are others – like pueraria mirfica (Kwao Krua) and Black Cohosh – that can cause visible changes.

Follow the discussion over at Crossdream Life.

(Please talk to your doctor before taking medication that may affect your health!)