It's Genetic!

This news bulletin just in: Male Transsexual Gene Link Found!

So there's this gene which is somehow involved with how your body processes testosterone. Apparently, mine is longer than found in most males which makes that androgen receptor less efficient at doing testosterone-y things, the most significant of which is turning the female foetus that we all begin life as into a male one.

Another news article from the BBC shows that there are some tell-tale traits of transsexuals: which hand we favour, the prints on our hands - events that are known to be set down during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. Mum was left-handed too; I got my creativity from her. The number of maternal aunts was an indicator too; there are many, many sisters on my mom's side of the family.

Now this is not new news; researchers have long suspected there was a genetic link to transsexualism; they're just now being able to prove it.

Geez, I was lucky. I was lucky I eventually figured out what was wrong, lucky to have had the internet (years ago) to research it, lucky to have met the transsexual people who helped my along the journey, lucky to be able to self medicate, and lucky that my body has been so receptive to the hormones, though we just learned, that might have a genetic component.

This research goes some way to unravelling the mystery that is the horror of being trapped in the wrong sex body.
- Professor Richard Green, Imperial College, London

Aw, it's only horrific at first. I feel pretty darn privileged to be able to experience a life on both sides of the gender divide, and ultimately, a life that transcends gender. No doubt, I enjoyed being a boy, and I love being a girl!

Unfortunately, I don't think this news will help my parents. They already feel like they did something wrong that turned me into me. If my mom found out it was genetic, especially with the aunts thing, to her it would sound like I'm blaming the whole thing on her!

And I don't mean to blame it on you ma, but tell me on that morn,
Did you chance any soft hosannas, did ya dig my daddy, when I was born?

Mama, how'd you get a child who's so forlorn?
Did you, did you love my daddy when I was born?
- J. Meltzer, unpublished single