[AnnieBL]

[...]at present in our society we can only truly express the feminine portion by presenting as a passable female, which can be difficult to achieve without some degree of 'transition'. By all means strive to improve the societal framework, but we are here, now.

I do see your point, and it is valid. However, I think it's colored somewhat by the fact that you've got a few more decades on Earth than I do. You probably carry some of the social mores and prejudices still, that have long gone out of fashion before I was born. To folks of your age, seeing certain things is still off-putting, whereas for a 20-year-old now, they wouldn't even notice them.

Note, as one example, the attitudes of the 20-somethings to the notion of gay marriage. It's almost universally a shrug and a "so what?"

Point is, the times they are a'changin'. We all prepare the way for the younger generations.

Me, I'm not super "passable" and at 6' barefoot, I'm certainly not invisible. A "passable" voice is rather out of the question -- I sound like Johnny Cash. But I am pretty bold... I present myself how I wish -- which is always neat and well-groomed regardless of whether it's more female, male, or in-between -- and I always hold the expectation that I will be treated with the modicum of respect with which adults should treat each other in a polite society. I've never had anyone give me any kind of trouble, though woe betide anyone who ever did....

I probably shouldn't raise this, but I steered clear of the issue at the time and I'm definitely not now intending to be contentious, but my own impression was that your choice of thread for the previous most forceful expression of your views was possibly unfortunate. [...] If I'm right, you could have been more a victim of backlash from raining on the parade than any strong dissent with your views as such.

Perhaps. But we are now talking about it in a productive fashion, and that's what matters.

There is always backlash when one upsets apple-carts... challenging the conventional "wisdom" of any age inevitably lands one in hot water. But it must be done, if for no other reason than to make sure we've all heard all the possible arguments before making a decision as to the best course of action.

I'm thinking that possibly I should take exception to your first paragraph of response. It strikes me as, dare I say it, "ageist'. I don't actually recollect whether you have disclosed your age, but accepting that I have a few more decades behind me, I would reckon that I've also had a few more decades than you to recognize and tackle my prejudices, of which I've had many, some a little odd. Yes, seeing certain things is certainly off-putting, but the list of things concerned has kept on changing. Life is a long journey, and the only direction available to us is forwards: any attempt to go backwards is a recipe for real unhappiness. I'm still interested in what lies around the next corner, and if I were to lose that interest I would probably die. Times are indeed changing, but not so fast that while I can take interest, I can't reasonably expect to take much advantage beyond what applies to me here and now. I'm interested in your choice of 'gay marriage' as an example. I think that some of my views on that subject could possibly surprise you, and I do tend to find people of all ages quite resistant (including my sister in law who is a highly qualified psychiatrist, more than thirty years younger than I am, and very narrow minded in her views on that subject).

Moving on to passability, I read you as saying that we should all assert our true gender, and that is consistent with what you say in this post. For myself, being at least somewhat bi-gender, I still don't know what I am supposed to assert, And that assertiveness is one of the (I think masculine) characteristics which is missing in my brainset. PM certainly helps me not to worry about some deviations from societal orthodoxy, but it doesn't make me assertive.

Likewise, upsetting apple carts is not in my nature and I don't see it as a duty of mine, but if you do, I still consider that it is important to be careful and unprejudiced in selecting carts. People can get hurt in the upsets.