UNIB30004 Sex: Science and the Community

Discussion Sex and Gender

Passport guidelines remove trans, intersex discrimination LAST UPDATED // Thursday, 15 September 2011 12:28 Written by // Brendan BolgerSex and gender diverse (SGD) Australians will no longer have an official identity document that differs from “the way they identify and present” following the federal Government’s announcement of new passport guidelines yesterday.Under the new guidelines announced by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Attorney-General Robert McClelland SGD Australians will be able to apply for a passport under their preferred gender – gender affirmation surgery will no longer be a prerequisite.

August 16 2013

M, F or Blank: 'Third Gender' Official in Germany from November

Germany is set to become the first country in Europe to introduce a third, "indeterminate" gender designation on birth certificates. The European Union, which is attempting to coordinate anti-discrimination efforts across member states, is lagging behind on the issue.http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/third-gender-option-to-become-available-on-german-birth-certificates-a-916940.html

but in Germany same-sex marriage still illegal though 74% of population in favour

Nepal – court decision Jan 2013 ‘third gender’ possible on identity papers…

Sweden – instituted third person pronoun ‘hen’ in addition to masculine ‘han’ and feminine ‘hon’

Australia / NZ have ‘X’ option for gender on passport applications.

India and Bangladesh allows ‘third gender’ to register to vote as ‘E’ (Eunuch)

Jean Webb• born in 1936 in Sydney & brought up in Melbourne• loving but strict upbringing: “Mumma had a strong,

almost Victorian attitude concerning morals. For while, in her opinion, one could be of poor circumstances and be quite acceptable, for one to be dishonest, immodest, or of loose morals, was most intolerable.”

• Catholic primary school • large for age, and “sickly” with dermatitis & asthma• fairly assertive and aggressive• tomboyish

• by 14 has deep voice and has no interest in boys

Jean age 4½

Jean age 3½

I also became friendly with two cousins who lived at St Kilda ...Clarice, nicknamed 'Mitch', was nineteen and had lovely fair curly hair. ... It was during these outings that I realised that I had taken quite a fancy to Mitch, but she was never to know it. ...

Also, by today’s standards I would have been dubbed rather emotionally Immature, for during those times one's sex education consisted of finding out as one went along. Most mothers, or so it seemed when as teenagers we discussed such things as ‘where babies came from’, were disinclined and embarrassed to inform their offspring of anything other than the fact that, ‘No the stork did not really bring you.’ If one asked for further explanations one was told, ‘You will find out soon enough.’

So the fact that I began to feel an emotional attachment towards Mitch did not disturb me at that time.

Quote from biography:

1954: At 18 Jean joined the WRAAF

We had spent the evening playing records in the W.R.A.A.F. recreation room until, at eleven o'clock, the other girls had retired –leaving Lene and me to tidy up. 1 was standing with my back to her placing records in the cabinet, when she said quietly, 'I love you,Jean.'

I stood stock still. I knew that Lene was waiting for a response - and my brain was working overtime trying to come up with the right reply. Turning, I said lightly, 'And so you should, that's what friends are for,' I smiled.

She let herself drop heavily onto the settee where she sat shaking her head while staring down at her clasped hands.

'No, you don't understand,' she whispered. 'I love you ... as I would love a man.' She pushed out her last words, then lifting her face to me said, 'Don't despise me, Jean,' as the tears began to flow down her cheeks. 'I've tried not to love you but I can't help it.' Her voice trailed away to a whisper.

… not long after …

I was holding a match to light the cigarette Lene held between her lips when she. placed her hand on mine to steady the flame. It was like an electric shock. I looked into her eyes which seemed to speak dlrectly to my heart as I heard the words, quietly spoken.

Yes Jean, It‘s still there.'

'What has happened?' I thought as I extinguished the match. 'Here I've been trying to help Lene rid herself of her affection for me, only to find that I'm now in love with her.' I looked steadily at her shadowed. profile as she stared across the park, and I knew that the emotion I was feeling went far deeper than anything I had ever felt for anyone before.

…It worried me. In fact, it absolutely horrified me. I knew it wasn't normal and I wanted to be rid of this attraction. Up until that time I had never been physically attracted to anyone in my entire life and now, to experience these feelings towards another female was more than I could cope with.

Lene seemed oblivious to the fact that ours was not a normal relationship. For the next five months she was in the happiest of spirits. Although I loved her desperately, I hated myself for feeling the way I did...

Quote from biography:

Pressure from the WRAAF hierarchy, who would not tolerate this relationship, ended the relationship

Jean asks (quote):

'Why do I attract girls this way when it's the very last thing I want? What's the matter with me?'

Jean left the WRAAF and gained employment in a shoe salon …

After some months one of her co-workers, Mary, broke off her engagement to be married – it transpired that she had become infatuated with Jean.

Jean left the shoe salon and found other employment …

… and not too long after there is another ‘incident’ with a female workmate.

Bridal part of Jean and Robert Dent, 1957

… Jean ends up getting married to a friend Robert, who she finds easy to get on with although has no sexual attraction to.

The honeymoon was a disaster….

Poor Robert, his initiation into wedded bliss can't have been anything like he had anticipated, although he was kindness itself and most patient and understanding with me. It was because of his kind attitude that I tried to overcome my aversion to his lovemaking, and I kept telling myself that as this was my first sexual experience with a man I must not expect too much, nor become impatient with myself.

quote:

…I suppose it was to ease the guilt I felt, because of my inability to respond to his lovemaking, that ...…In truth, I was most disappointed at my inability to respond to Robert's advances, and it was only with the greatest of self-control that I was able to conceal my feelings of repugnance from Robert during our lovemaking.

…

nonetheless, Jean became pregnant 18 months later. …

pressured by mother and Robert to procure a pregnancy termination, but she secretly does not take the pills and carries the pregnancy to term

labour was prolonged and difficult.

Jean was unable to produce milk for baby

Lorraine who was then bottle fed

postnatal depression referred to a psychiatrist.

…

Eventually, I decided that if he was to be able to help me I would have to give him the benefit of having all the facts. I decided that I would tell him everything about myself. I did not look forward to doing this ...

I rambled on a bit about my not being like other mothers. Finally, with gathering courage, I took the bit between my teeth and told him why I was different. I told him about my past relationships with girls. I told him I was more attracted towards females than I was towards the male sex. I told him of the repulsion I had regarding Robert's intimacy and of my utter disgust with myself for being this way. Of the shame I felt and how, without success, I had fought to overcome these inclinations. I kept nothing back and finally, when I had nothing left to tell him, I felt a great burden had been lifted from my shoulders and I sat back in the chair waiting to hear his comments.

… and I sat back in the chair waiting to hear his comments.

'I don't believe a word you have said,' he told me as he stared across the desk at me.

I couldn't believe I had heard his words correctly and just stared back at him, stunned.

'You've just made all that up,' he told me angrily. 'You come in here wasting my time like this. I've never heard such a lot of nonsense. I don't know what you thought I would say about it, but my advice to you is to go home and grow up and to leave the storytelling to the fiction writers, those who do it best,' he said testily, as he rose from his large swivel chair.

…

I had buried my previous resentment towards Robert, as I realised a child needs both parents and a happy secure environment to grow up in. This decision meant I would have to indulge his sexual advances once more, but I was determined to do everything in my power to make this marriage work, as I wanted my daughter to have the security she needed and deserved.

I tried – God knows, I tried. There were times I thought I would actually be physically ill. For months I pretended our relationship was that of a normal healthy married couple and no-one guessed, not even Robert, the torment I endured to ensure my secret, that our marital relationship was anything other then it should be, remained just that.

My torment and guilt at knowing I could not be the type of wife Robert deserved was compounded by my anxiety to conceal this fact while finally accepting that even though I had given birth to a child, there was something wrong with me.

During the winter of 1960 another issue with mutual attraction with a female workmate …

Winter 1961… Robert leaves Jean

1962 – another workmate persuades Jean to see her doctor who is “very kind and understanding”:

Doctor Nuffield was most interested … finally, on my last visit he informed me of my options.'First of all, Jean,' he said seriously. 'Why don't you just dress yourself in men's clothes and move into a flat of your own, which you could share with a girl of your choice?''Is that the best you can recommend?' I asked, amazed at his suggestion. 'That's the very last thing I want to do. Anyway, what's the bit with the men's clothes?' I demanded.'Don't you feel like a man?' he asked.'How do I know? How the devil does a man feel? I certainly do know that a change of clothes will not change what I do feel,' I told him.'You have never thought that perhaps you should have been born a boy?‘ …

He suggests she travel to London to consult with the endocrinology unit at Guy’s Hospital

left child Lorraine with mother in Australia and headed for UK

At Guy’s was treated by a team of specialist doctors – psychologists, endocrinologists, social workers etc.

initial results:

chromosomal abnormality XX / XXY mosaic

endocrine elevated testosterone

psychological mental outlook “predominantly male”

Options posed that Jean become a man, with treatments extending over the next few years …

After one visit to her counsellor:

On leaving her office, I bumped into a tall, broad-shouldered man who wore a brassy blonde wig, face thick with make-up, dressed in women's clothes and trying to balance on the very high thin heels of his shoes. 'Sorry love,' he said in a deep husky voice, as he tottered past me into her office.

'Jesus!' I thought. 'If I turn out as ugly a man as he is a woman, I will have to keep a bag over my head. He must be the ugliest person I've ever seen.'

Immediately after I thought this, I was sorry and said to myself, 'And what gives me tile right to criticise anyone? I'm as much a freak as that poor bugger. Think how he feels,' I chastised myself. But, unrepentant, thought further, 'Well, if have to look like a circus side-show, I'm not interested and they can stuff it for mine, right now,' and stormed down the stairs and out of the building.

delays in treatment…

need to legally sign consent forms for the treatment – requires legal input.

hysterectomy required husband’s consent or wait for divorce... so the process took an additional 2 years...

“... ‘They say they won't conduct an operation of this nature without the husband's consent, in case the husband should bring legal action at a later date and, as you know, I have no intention of getting Robert involved in this, so I have no option but to negotiate divorce proceedings and await the outcome,' I explained.”

1965-66… developing liaison with Miss Ford at her workplace, a relationship that was to deepen over the coming months

start of androgen treatment

changes in hair growth; behaviour; voice ...

1967 divorce finalised

hysterectomy

papers needed changing PETER STIRLING … Australian Passport office obdurately maintained designation of “female”

mastectomy completed

Peter marries Jennifer Ford – needed special dispensation as birth certificate declared Peter female.

1968

1973

Returns to Australia

Mother never really accepted the sex change

Rest of family supportive

Much furtiveness and secrecy to prevent daughter Lorraine finding out lest it distress her.

But it transpired that she had “worked it out” about “uncle Peter” :

'And how do you feel about it all?' I asked, wanting desperately to know but fearing her answer.

'Nothing!' she shrugged. 'I don't understand it but I can accept that these things happen,' she told me earnestly.

1973

Lynn Conway

 Computer Scientist,Electrical Engineer,

Inventor 

Research Manager,

Engineering Educator

My goal for this website is to illuminate and normalize the issues of gender identity and the processes of gender transition. This project began in the year 2000, as I struggled to "come out" about my past to my research colleagues. I wanted to tell in my own words the story of my gender transition from male to female three decades earlier, in 1968, and then of being outed 31 years later in 1999, while living quietly and successfully in "stealth mode".

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/

See LA Times article for a well written overview: http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/Media/Through%20the%20Gender%20Labyrinth.pdf

Debate over Gender Disorder Drug

• Concerns over using dexamethasone to treat CAH female fetuses

• “Manipulating children’s gender identities is not legitimate medicine” Alice Dreger