Another reason to be glad you're not a liberal ........

[BlueStateSaint]

BTW, what do you think of people who really do have parts for both genders? What gender are they?

Lanie, the relevant scientific literature would have said individuals front and center.  So, then, and provide links--who are they?

[Lord Undies]

No, I think calling people freaks is cruel.

If my sister's friend came to me and I was the psychologist, I first would have recommended testosterone and not estrogen to make him try to feel more comfortable with himself as a man. Otherwise, I'm going to be friends with these people. I'm going to be nice to these people unless they're an asshole. I might try to encourage them to dress their gender for particular events though.

BTW, what do you think of people who really do have parts for both genders? What gender are they?

That's an interesting liberalish first jump there, Lanie.  I didn't call anyone a freak.  I was referring to what they make of themselves.  See the difference?  You need to learn not to try to smear me by creating false impressions.  It's dishonest and not very friendly.

Your second paragraph:  Your advice as a would-be psychologist seems appropriate and worthy.  I know nothing about hormone therapy in a personal way, but I know what synthetic hormones are suppose to do.  It would be worth a try, as far as I know.

I encourage you to be nice/friendly to everyone.  Doing so comes naturally to me because I am a conservative reality-based person.  I embrace and respect individuals, not groups just because.  I hope this admission of mine highlights our difference in a positive way.

Your third paragraph:  Except for about three people in the history of the world, everyone born with both sex organs have been clearly one sex or the other.  The secondary organ is not useable in a reproductive sense.  It really is not a consideration in this discussion.       

[Chris_]

Uh..... it's going to look like a freak and eventually get its butt kicked if it doesn't stay clear of normal people, driver's license and birth certificate identification notwithstanding.

.
 

Not to mention that nasty little pair of X-chromosomes in every cell of it's body that say it's a female, no matter how badly it wants to be one of the boys.

GAIA DAMN YOU, REALITY!!!!!!! 

[Chris_]

Moreover, many (I'd even venture to say "most") FTMs have little interest in these surgeries.

Wants to be a man, but, dickless, yeah, it's a liberal alright...

[miskie]

I have to go libertarian on this topic - I really don't care one way or the other - as long as what s/he doesn't have the chance to adversely affect me or others, and I don't have to pay for it, this person can do what they want. - They call it sex reassignment, I call it extreme cosmetic surgery. - because no matter how good the doctor is at rearranging your body bits, or how much hormone you flush yourself with, you can't change your chromosomes. Sorry.

[Lanie]

That's an interesting liberalish first jump there, Lanie.  I didn't call anyone a freak.  I was referring to what they make of themselves.  See the difference?  You need to learn not to try to smear me by creating false impressions.  It's dishonest and not very friendly.

Okay, I read the word freakshow and thought you might have been calling people freaks. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions.

Your second paragraph:  Your advice as a would-be psychologist seems appropriate and worthy.  I know nothing about hormone therapy in a personal way, but I know what synthetic hormones are suppose to do.  It would be worth a try, as far as I know.

I encourage you to be nice/friendly to everyone.  Doing so comes naturally to me because I am a conservative reality-based person.  I embrace and respect individuals, not groups just because.  I hope this admission of mine highlights our difference in a positive way.

It does.   I didn't really think you went around calling people names or being mean to them for doing something like dressing as the opposite gender. But then again, I didn't give much thought as to how you might be treating people in real life.

I do appreciate you saying that.

Your third paragraph:  Except for about three people in the history of the world, everyone born with both sex organs have been clearly one sex or the other.  The secondary organ is not useable in a reproductive sense.  It really is not a consideration in this discussion.       

I don't see how you can come to that conclusion. Both sex organs are there. If both are capable of reproduction, then I would think that makes two genders.

No more arguing tonight. I need to *try* to sleep. lol.

[VivisMom]

Not the best source to link to, but it does quote a couple of reputable sources:
Article from the NYT

Doctors put the actual chance of hermaphroditic birth at somewhere between 1 in 2000 to 1 in 4500. So chances are that these people who want the gender reassignment surgery (like the DUmpmonkey that started this thread) are not actually hermaphrodites.

Also, people who are born pseudo-male or pseudo-female may have the reproductive organs of both sexes, but chances are that neither set will work. According to the article, certain criteria have to be met in order to determine which gender the child was intended to be (basically, it's about the size of the penis/clitoris and whether or not there are any medical conditions related to the hermaphroditism that would impede bodily functions.)

Anyway, back to the DUmmies...

Do I believe that the DUmmie has a SO who was a hermaphrodite? Hell no. I think their "friend" is just a very sick, very sad individual who obviously has some issues with sexuality, gender, and their body. I fail to see why society should see these people as normal or mainstream individuals, when clearly they are not. The deep-seated psychological issues at play when someone who was NOT born intersex wants to undergo gender reassignment surgery are tremendous, and I honestly do not believe that changing their sexual organs/gender will put these issues to rest. I think it may only make them worse.