Any other gender diverse people here?

TRue sometimes I hate labels, as they can be so restrictive, such as describing a band as a specific genre of music when really there's a musical diversity that encapsulates so many genres.
As re normality wnat is the state of being "normal" I think if I was called "normal" I'd take that as an insult. I was at my mum's a few weeks ago and a trailer  came on for "Off THeir Rockers" it's senior citizens playing practical jokes on people, and being rather eccentric. My mum and uncle were like thinking maybe people will think all senior citizens are like that, and it wasn't really their thing, but I said it's right up my street. That will be me when I'm a senior citizen.

I know some friends say that men and women can't be equal, which yes on a physical level, yes men can't get pregnant and give birth and our bodies were intended for different roles in surviving. Equally I don't see many women wanting to become firefighters or miners, equally I don't see many men in nursing or care work or working in a nursery full of infants. However I say good luck to anyone who takes up that challenge.  Go into any toy store and you'll see "Girls Toys" and "Boys Toys" rather than listing toys by type.  
Yes true women can play Rock/Metal music and sing the Blues, Girlschool, Suzi Quatro, Joan Jett, L7 and Janis Joplin spring to mind to name a few. 

Maybe in this day and age it's the PC thing to do to be "gender neutral", tho as you say true diversity is embracing differences, so maybe the old fashioned ways tho they may seem "sexist" in this day and age tho a look at some of these Christmas  ads seem to define gifts for women and gifts for men  www.youtube.com/watch and this one www.youtube.com/watch. I think true gender diversity is about being a girly girl or a blokey bloke and the various stages in between as you so wish.

I know myself I consider myself a 100% straight female when it comes to sexuality, I know I fancy men and the more alpha male looking they are the better. I tehd to dislike men with more rounded, or baby looking faces. I know that I don't identify as a gay male, born into a female body, and I personally feel repulsed at the thought of myself getting sexually involved with another female. I think maybe it's me feeling a dissapointment to my mum as I think she thought she was expecting a boy, and if I was male I was going to be Steven, but I don't think she'd thought about me being a girl, as from what she'd said she was convinced I'd be a boy, a girls name was an afterthought, so I don't think she was very happy when I turned out to be Louise. In terms of interest when I found out I liked railways I know my mum has said to me "You should've been a boy" as if there's someting "odd" about a female having an interest in railways.   

I love the modeling pics, that's really androgynous I can;t work out if you're supposed to be male or female in the shots, but then again that's celebrating the eqality between the sexes, are you being your male or female self.   I don't think many men can pull it off to dress as a woman or embrace their masculine and feminine sides. David Bowie sure could look good in a dress, and Roger Taylor from Queen in the video for I Want To Break Free sure looked good dressed as a female. I know it was supposed to be a parody of Coronation Street, but if I didn't know it was Roger dressed as a female I would've said that he (or rather she)  was a born female. I've seen some trans people who look convincing as their chosen sex. I know I did read of a former Para by the name of Ian , who I believe is now a woman called Jan, and I would've said Jan had been female since birth to look at her.I've heard of a few  trans  people April Asley, Lily Elbe, Kellie Maloney,  Chelsea Manning Kaitlyn Jenner and Roberta Cowell and Michael Dillon, I remember seeing a documentary on the latter two, and in the case of Roberta I knew the RAF never had female fighter pilots , so I was a little confused at how she became a fighter pilot then found out she was male at the time!!! I would say many of them look convincing at being their chosen sex!!!   

KillerQueen1971 said:

Agreed tho how do you define male & female activities, I've got a female friend into aviation and railways, and I'm a female who loves things  with engines, especially railway locomotives. I collect teddy bears

Well I don't collect teddy bears but I certainly have plenty of plushies! Including a gargantuan Pikachu lol...

I try not to define things, I reverse-engineer my definitions technically from what goes on around me. For instance if more than 50% of people do X (or if the largest segment of the local population does X, even if they don't make up 50% or more) then I start to 'see' (not 'define') that as 'normal'. What is normal? The average action, reflection, representation or response numerically. Normal does have a definition.

I see female activities as those which most female humans perform numerically with a sharp drop-off in male-oriented activity adoption. I see male activities as the reverse (makes sense to me). Of course - all of these have exceptions as you quite rightly point out.

Where I'm different is that instead of wanting everyone and everything to 'forget' what gender is and means, I remember - but celebrate both 'aspects' of the self simultaneously. This is the true application of diversity, as it allows people al their different internal selves to remain 'distinct' and therefore 'diverse'. If you average everything out to a genderless quantity, you factually have no diversity as everyone and every inner-self becomes homogeneous ("the same") with no differences. Where you have difference, you have diversity - and it's diversity which I really rate.

I like to engage in girly stuff and do girl things and relate to those activities in that way and identify as female. I also like to engage in manly activities and have a crazy chest-thumping, beer pounding time on occasion as well. When I do that stuff - I like to identify as male. Instead of trying to 'flatten' gender I like to celebrate it in all its many forms and engage with gender and its many different aspects. This helps me to grow as a human being - and to understand those around me better, most of whom have very strong gender affinities.

In this way I never have to be left out, but I can also celebrate gender-diversity and get the full human experience which is very important to me!

I love Tolkien tho does he appeal more to men or women? I love Rock and Metal music where the fanbase seems to be more male.

I think you'll find that Tolkien's works such as LoTR and the Silmarillion are celebrated by an audience relatively equal, both parts masculine and feminine. I have had loads of female ex's who loved it, I love it myself, many of my male friends love it. I love things that bring the genders together I think it's fantastic!

Alternative music at the very heavy / extreme end does tend to have a more masculine following, but there are also loads of awesome metal-chicks. I know plenty.

All I'm saying is, instead of neutering gender, why not allow them to remain distinct whilst celebrating femininity and masculinity in equal measure? That's what I do

I have done amateur alternative modelling when I was younger to help my friends who were photography students:

• http://darkanvas.deviantart.com/gallery/29008280/Modelling

I wore loads of makeup and did all the long hair, bright colours and crazy outfits. It was really fun! I went on nights out like that too - but I got some negative responses as well as positive ones. People would ask me if I "thought [I] was a girl?" which for a start, isn't an insult to me as I believe both genders equal. That being said, the aggression was unmistakable and that I did find insulting.

In the end I decided to have a male self and a much more feminine self. I don't regret my choice and am very happy whilst remaining biologically male (though obvs I have lots of trans freinds and think that is great too! Just not for me...)

Agreed I don't think there's such a thing as a male or female preserve as such anymore, which is good, and good that I feel I don;t have to be male to like railway locomotives or things with an engine.   
I'm not sure what a non gender is I think the only one I read about was a female who had her boobs chopped off as she identified as they or genderless.  Tho I gather go in a toy shop you'll see "boys toys" and "girls toys" , tho I think they should be catergorised as type, rather than what sex they would traditionally appeal to!!! 

Agreed tho how do you define male & female activities, I've got a female friend into aviation and railways, and I;m a female who loves things  with engines, especially railway locomotives. I collect teddy bears, tho are also quite a few men who collect bears. In terms of physicallity I'm 100% female and I prefer the alpha male type pyhsically tho my alpha male is also the  caring type, I know if people hurt my I maybe have to talk him out of harming them (shame he's 60 miles away).
I know physically I'm a straight female, tho mentally maybe I'm more fluid, I found out that I love reading Chris Ryan & Andy McNab fiction , after reading their factual books. I love Tolkien tho does he appeal more to men or women? I love Rock and Metal music where the fanbase seems to be more male. I think depending upon the occasion I;m equally at home wearing a boiler suit or a long flowing dress!!!     

I am what I term as dual-gendered . I  was born male but also have a female side which I identify with strongly. That being said I also (at other times) firmly identify as male and have no qualms with my biological gender.

I identify as male and female simultaneously, not an average of the two. This being the case I'm technically not transgender, but I'm also not gender typical. I celebrate both male and female activities, used to be a huge goth so probably know more about makeup than most women! 

True maybe as re the scale of things I didn't don't have a major gender dysphoria. As regards sex there's only two, well three as some people are born hermaprodite, sexuality and then gender are whole different kettles of fish. I'n confused I thought I'd read that there were 37 genders tho I read this and see Facebook gives users 51 possible genders to choose from www.thedailybeast.com/.../the-complete-glossary-of-facebook-s-51-gender-options.html I know biologically I feel female,tho in my brain I sometimes feel gender fluid or gender non conformist. I know women are supposed to be the nurturers and men the grafters,hunter gatherers, income earners. Tho I've never had strong parenting instincts. I think babies look nice, but if they start crying I wouldn't have a clue what to do. I prefer to have dogs or cats.I know some friends who are perhaps more traditional in their roles, and maybe think women work as usually need two incomes to keep the mortgage going, to pay bills and put food on the table.  I know in my former brother in law's case he has two teenagers, tho his eldest is now 20 from his first marriage, and a son of I think he's about 4 or 5 with his second wifeworks, she has the higher income, tho I don't think more traditonally minded friends say it's wrong if agreed between the couple.As re  typical traditional male or female roles I do think it's a mix of both nature and nurture. I wonder what a careers teacher would've said had I been a teenager in the 1930's and I'd have said to him/her that I wanted to be a train driver!!!

WOW this thread seens to have taken a diverse turn, and I'm not just talking about gender, but we've gone on to books, music, railways, the military to name but a few and agreed it would be boring if everyone conformed as to typical male/female interests. I did say I got involved with the Royal British Legion, due to my friend/fella having combat PTSD, and I know sometimes the men have their own meet up as do the women, and I can't help but think the men's meeting is more interesting, one night they said about their "steam night" and I said I'd like to have joined in. I've one friend who is a Baptist( before I knew about her beliefs)  and once or twice I've gone along to the ladies group, but I find it isn't me, I think I went along to stop her pestering me to go, tho you'll never take my Pagan away. Don't get me wrong if others want to be Christians I'm fine with that but please accept that it isn't me. Also I think it's an age thing, the church seems geared up to groups for mums & tots or older women, I know it's for women of any age, but I do feel out of place as I gather most 40 somethings are out at work, when the groups are on. I think I went to avoid isolation, maybe that's another myth that people with ASD prefer to be alone. I do like to be alone, but sometimes I just feel like interaction with another human.

OH yes as re Black Sabbath I think Masters Of Reality is perhaps my favourite album, for Into The Void. I like Black Sabbath , Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Paraniod esp for Hand Of Doom, and also Sabotage. AS re ukuleles check out the Ukeboys channel on youtube, they cover songs by Deep Purple, Metallica and Judas Priest, can't quite seem to work out "Breaking The Law"  www.youtube.com/watch. I'll have to try and find "Smells Like Teen Spirit on ukulele.

AS re Jamie Oliver not keen on the bloke. I like those ales, have you tried Bishops Finger or Spitfire ale, not quite as strong, or Brewdog do some great craft beers, they also do one "Nanny State" which is alcohol free , well 0.5% so I do like those for when I want an ale but can't really have one.  I do like some lager through a friend I got to know some veteran  Army Air Despatchers who served in the Borneo conflict, they were based in Singapore so would often drink Tiger Beer, so I've a liking for Tiger Beer, tho the Edinburgh brewed beer isn't as good as the Singapore brewed version, tho it's much harder to find the Singapore brewed version here, some specialist Chinese supermarkets may stock it!!!                           

I think I've learned that I can be female, but also enjoy more traditionally male interests.  I did know one dude he was into embroidery/cross stich, but then he was also into making and flying rockets. I'm not sure I'd like to become a man, tho it would be interesting if I could wake up a man, just to see what it was like,and if I didn't like it to wake up my female self. Tho putting myself through an op seems too permanent, it's not as if it can be reversed.
Perhaps it was my mum that put doubts about my gender in my mind, with her comments "You should've been a boy". I know at infants school one day I ended up having to change out of my day clothes, maybe something got spilled or I was sick, and ended up wearing my PE shorts and this boy Kevin was calling me a boy, tho I thought and said to the teacher "But I;m a girl" and she said "JUst ignore him". I know when I worked at an old folks homeone day I saw Reg one of the residents naked I was trying not to laugh at the tiny size of his manhood, poor guy. I know I said to my friend Val who worked there that he doesn;t seem to have a hair on his body. Her theory was maybe his hormones/chromosones got confused, were they male or female.
I did wonder, tho I felt the relationship with my mum was usually somewhat aloof, I know she said I was somewhat aloof, tho I felt she was often cold to me, as a kid  I often thought "Why don't you love me mummy/mum".  Perhaps I felt I was a dissapointment to her as she was so convinced I'd be a boy, so I did wonder should I try and become "Steven" which was going to be my name if I was a boy. I was also born 5-6 weeks early, tho a friend's daughter had a son who was 12 weeks early, but she connected with him. I know my mum blames my being born early on our relationship. I don't know if some females may be exposed to more testosterone in the womb and some males more estrogen, amd perhaps that's what gives these babies traditional interests of the opposite sex, if I was exposed to more testosterone then that might explain some of  my interests or why my mum thought I might be a boy.
Yep I;m the same I'm quite interested in the military I don't know what started that off. perhaps a neighbour who was a national serviceman, and I thought he looked smart in his army uniform, or maybe in 1980 I saw film on the news where the SAS stormed the Iranian Embassy following the seige, and I thought WOW!!! I like guitars, but not very good at playing them, tho wanted to be musical so I've taken to the ukulele. I've got a somg book "Black Sabbath for Ukulele", tho none of the ukulele group seems to want to play hard rock/metal. I like beer, I prefer that to wine. Most of my book shelf seems to be Andy McNab , Cris Ryan and Tolkien , also books on D.I.Y, biographies, music and railways, and things with engines, some on military history. I do have a couple by Gok Wan How to Look Good Naked, and also Gok Cooks Chinese, oh yes and one by the Hairy Bikers, I love their recipies.

I gather by "transitioned"  and having to sit to peeI take it you've had the op to become your preferred sex, but as so I understand it a post op trans person won't have the full functions of their chosen sex. Even if I've doubted my gender/sexuality from time to time. I don;t think I;m a gay male. I have a preference for men, never having viewed women sexually, apart from perhaps briefly in my teenage years. If I watch the film "Wilde" I'm not disgusted by any love scenes in it, whereas if I see a programme with two women kissing i think EWWWWW!!!!
I'm equally at home wearing a long flowing dress, (I love the hippy look, I love Janis Joplin's style , and I wish I could belt the Blues as she did, or the medieval style big sleeves, think also outfits in Lord Of The Rings), or in a boiler suit and saftey boots, if I'm polishing copper pipes in overhauling a steam locomotive. I do love the batwing, or the flowing sleeves on tops, tho can be impractical for everyday, just I've almost set fire to them whilst cooking and they get wet washing up , so either have to change clothes or put sleeves out of the way.
 

I did read of a woman (or they were born female), she or should I say they decided to get her boobs chopped off as I think they felt they were genderless and they had their boobs lopped off OUCH!!! I personally think that's too painful , tho I do wish my boobs were smaller, just I'm quite big in the boob department, and sometimes I think that's what people notice about me especially men. I guess for me that's one problem with finding a boiler suit, I had to buy  one designed for a 6ft +  man and ask a friend who is good at sewing to alter it as at 5ft4 it was too long.  I did buy a flowing dress last year, from Yours , tho standard fitting , rather than petite, and found it drags on the floor, the design means it can't really be taken up. Same thing sometimes with jeans, I love bell bottoms/bootcuts, flares (Tho to think my mum bought me some jeans in 1984 for a school trip, they were straight legged and I got the pee taken out me for wearing flares!!! Since I started buying my own jeans I tended to go for drainpipe, stretchy ones, very 80's metal, and then since c 2003 I've always gone for bootcuts, tho think 70's Roc/Metal.     

Whilst physically I'm female I do feel gender is more than that, I think in terms of interests and what I like that's more fluid. Tho a female friend who likes aviation says there's no reason why women can't like avaition/railways etc.

I agree. I do like sparkly glittery things, I rarely go out without s little make up on, just I feel ugly and look pale without it. A friend said to me a number of years ago "I haven't met a female who doesn't watch the soaps" I replied "Well you have now". Sitting through East Enders Or Dead Enders as I call it is like watching paint dry!!!  I hate shoppiing there's one or two female friends who tend to browse and I'm  thinking "C'mon hurry up, if you want it buy it, don't just stand there looking at it saying , OHH that's pretty". If I do need to go shopping for clothes/shoes I get frustrated if I can't find what I'm looking forin first shop and have to trawl round loads of shops. I usually browse online first to see if the store have what I want, then try it on in store, or take a chance I've ordered the right size online. I hate crowded shops (tho will happily be in the crowd at a rock concert). The only shops I do enjoy browsing in are CD/record stores, have found some gems especially secondhand or in indie shops. Saying that in 1989 I found Queen's "The Miracle" 45rpm with limited edition holographic cover in Woolworths of all places. I thought I'm getting that!!!!       

HI I seem to get confused by all these different genders, I think I did read that there were 37 in all. I think I've always believed I'm female at least physically, and also am hetero sexual, apart from a time as a teenager when maybe I had a crush on a female friend, tho I personally find the thought of me getting sexual with another woman EWWWW!!! However if others fancy the same sex I don't have a problem with that.

  I know as a kid I was never really into dolls and traditional female toys, I preferred train sets and Scalextric. I;ve never felt a strong urge to becone a mother (unless you count pets) . In terms of interests as an adult railways feature strongly, as does collecting, I especially like teddy bears (tho I do know of males who like bears) and vinyl records or CDs. I love Laurel and Hardy and Tolkien, and anything with an engine. Musically I tend to like Rock and Metal which seem to attract a more male audience. THo Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden said there's no reason why Rock/Metal should be so sexist. As a teen I wanted to be a train driver or join the RAF. I did work on the railway from leaving school 'til I got made redundant, tho haven't been able to get back on. I'm thinking that my ideal job would be in a museum, or checking out HGV driving (It was Fiona from Eddie Stobart Trucks & Trailers and Lisa & Mia from Ice Road Truckers planted that seed in my head) !!! 

AS a kid I know my mum tried to get me doing more traditionally girly things such as sewing or knitting, but I seemed to gravitate more to my Dad's interests of railways and his model railway.  I think when my mum was pregnant with me she thought I was going to be a boy, I was going to be Steven, tho she said she hadn't thought of a girls name, and I turned out to be Louise. I know at times she has said "You should have been a boy" so maybe I took that to mean I wasn't really wanted as I was a girl. I did think shall I try and become "Steven" that I felt she wanted, tho I realised I could be Louise and like railway locomotives, and I don't need to try and change my female bits for male bits. I did feel a dissapointment to her as I turned out to be Louise.  I've always thought it would be ineteresting if I could wake up a man as if by magic one day, and then decide I could be female again without the need for surgery. Tho I don't think surgery can actually change your sex, and so when I thought should I become Steven, that it seems so much pain, and would I be doing it for me, or is it me trying to be what I think my mum wanted me to be.

        I've recently been diagnosed as having Aspergers, I've read that ASD folks can be confused about their gender, I wonder how that compares to folks ot on the spectrum!!!  

I am here

I am a woman, and identify as such; however I did have a birth defect and managed to get that 'fixed' in 2005 (M2F).

I have only just been officially diagnosed as having Aspergers Syndrome and it is such a relief! finally explained so much that I had always put down to being trans.  

So to you I say hello from beautiful Dorset