It's very simple. If the person I'm talking with has used the word first, then I don't define "man" at all. They do.
If the common definition of "man" was "any adult who 'identifies' as male" then would you accept the definition? If so, then I think you would be an idiot. People shouldn't let common definitions decide for them what ideas they are thinking and communicating.
That would be a circular definition. I gave the definition of man, which is adult human male. You cannot identify as a male, because what exactly are you identifying as? A male is described as an individual who produces small gametes (sperm) naturally.
So of course I would not accept the definition of man being “anyone who identifies as male”. You cannot identify as someone who produces small gametes if you do not produce small gametes.
By definition, trans women are men. They are adult human males. They cannot in any way be construed as females, and therefore, they cannot be women.
One's gender doesn't necessarily have to correlate with sex.
You can think of a gender like a name: a self-assigned identifier to refer to someone as. A "Joe" is anyone who expresses a wish to be identified as "Joe", most commonly (but again, not always) by being assigned the name of "Joe" and being happy with it. Yes, it's theoretically a circular definition, though doesn't cause problems in the real world for the vast majority of people.
(Also "Adult {sex} human" is gramatically correct, not "Adult human {sex}")
Gender is a grammatical construct, not a trait of a person. The definitions of man/woman are reliant on sex. It is by definition impossible for a tranwoman to be a woman.
But my chosen name has actual semabtic meaning. It's possible to have the WRONG name, and there are actual criteria by which someone can judge a name. What are the criteria by which a person chooses their gender? Ask 100 people where their username came from 99% of them will have an answer. Where did your gender come from?
Why do people choose to be transgender if their gender dysphoria results jn so much suffering?
Gender dysphoria results from someone's displayed gender/appearance not matching with what they feel it should be. Eg. if a young person realises they're transgender while going through puberty, they're not gonna sit around and wait while their body changes into something that they dislike. They haven't as much chosen to be transgender as they have chosen to act on it.
From what I've seen with trans people I've met they seem a lot happier after their transition, only a tiny number of people choose to have extensive gender-affirming surgery or for some, to detransition. Granted I live in a fairly progressive area with lots of support and acceptance for these people so their happiness will depend a lot on that.
Then your previous post completely mislead me! Gender ISN'T a self assigned identifier like a username, only gender identity is. A person doesn't choose their fundamental, best possibe gender, they only identify it and act on it.
You know, I experienced something similar to that when I went through puberty. I'm actually a pedophile, and when I was going through puberty I was very unhappy with the changes my body was going through. I'm curious, if I had had the opportunity, should I have taken puberty blockers in order to avoid my body changing into something I disliked?
Also, is it possible for someone's gender to be opposite their biological sex without them wanting to switch sexes? If someone wouldn't trade their body for one of the opposite biological sex no matter how healthy, then is it possible for them to still be trans? Or is it impossible for a person's sex to differ from one's fundamental gender without someone experiencing dysphoria?
That's fine, it's just a different way to think of the same concept. To me, the distinction between fundamental ideal gender (internal) and perceived gender identity (external) seems arbitrary as the identity is what matters primarily to others, and entirely internal ideals have little external effect. Sorry if my previous posts were unclear in that regard.
Puberty blockers and education of their effects and side-effects should be readily available to all of suitable age, and less restricted prescriptions for others to minimise bureaucracy and potential suffering (I believe this could be applied to a lot of other modern medicine as well). It ought to be up to the individual to weigh the benefits and disadvantages against each other and make the final call.
While the provided scenario does spark in me a hint of suspicion, you should have been given such an opportunity.
For the last point, if I'm reading it correctly, that's a relatively common scenario given that most transgender people don't go through with gender-affirming or 'sex-change' surgery, so it would be possible. Some do experience dysphoria in this aspect, or express a wish to have been born into the opposite sex but not wish to trade their current body. It's different for everyone.
