[flamesabers]

Admittedly I have never seen a therapist for a diagnosis, but I wouldn't need to be officially diagnosed for a compound fracture either!

I'm perplexed as to how you say can this and then go on to make the point:

The problem with that is you are passing over self-diagnosis to individuals, many of whom may not have the ability or level of self analysis to be able to do it.

I think there's a significant difference between doing an accurate self-diagnosis and knowing there's something wrong going on. I think it's much like the difference of feeling pain versus knowing what is actually causing the pain.

Yes, pm has made changes with my mental state but not in the area of personal judgment.

I don't see how you can be categorical about that, unless your dysphoria was much milder than what I experienced. If you are significantly younger, then it may well be so.

I compartmentalize. For me there is a numerous aspects of my life that are gender neutral so it's not like I have to choose between pursuing my life's dreams versus resolving my gender dysphoria. I never had much of any interest in having children. As far as finding a wife, ever since I started crossdressing I knew for the relationship to work out, the woman I marry would have to at least be able to tolerate my nonconformity with traditional gender roles.

I'm 26 so I suppose that would make me much younger than you.

I also don't have a wife and children so I imagine that is another major difference between you and me.

The decisions to marry with the promises made, to have children whose lives depend on you, to create a family who love the husband/father image - It isn't sufficient to say "I made a mistake, I shouldn't have done it" while there are other options.

Maybe it's because I'm not married nor am I a parent, but who would really want to love a husband/father image that isn't genuine? I don't think the issue is whether transgender individuals can be a good spouse/parent or not, but whether it's beneficial in the long-term to be someone who you're really not.

As for reproduction being a yardstick of mental health, I hope to hell it never becomes one.

I agree with you on this sfem. My preference to not have children is not a reflection of my mental health.

Well, you have your thoughts, and I have mine. Hopefully we both gain by sharing them, and I welcome the opportunity to bounce ideas

I concur.