I think comparing LGBTQ+ identifications with mental illness is dangerous. Not too long ago we were quick to lump homosexuality in with these, despite the fact homosexuality is more of a state of being evidenced by real-life actions people willingly take. That being, sex with the same sex.
Transgender people often suffer gender dysphoria. You're correct that it's possible that gender dysphoria might be a downstream effect of society. Namely, we are an extremely gender-segregated society. There's truly only one way to be a man, although there are multiple ways to be a woman. People feel forced and confined to a very small subset of behavior and self-expression.
Existing between genders is, unfortunately, untenable. Society is just not built for that. But existing as the opposite gender seems to be perfectly doable. I'm not saying that it's that simple and all transgender people would disappear if we live in a society with no gender roles or expectations, but certainly they heavily feel the pressure of those gender roles and expectations.
> Transgender people often suffer gender dysphoria.
That's the definition of it.
> You're correct that it's possible that gender dysphoria might be a downstream effect of society. Namely, we are an extremely gender-segregated society. I'm not saying that it's that simple and all transgender people would disappear if we live in a society with no gender roles or expectations, but certainly they heavily feel the pressure of those gender roles and expectations.
I don't think this is the case. Strict gender roles might make trans people's dysphoria worse, but it's primarily about a strong desire to be the other sex and not have your current sexual characteristics. Even in a world where everything is unisex, a trans person would still feel that discomfort - for a trans girl/woman, that you wish your voice were higher and not like a man's, that your face seems alien, that your genitals are wrong, literally anything sexed about the human body. It's orthogonal to whether a man can wear a dress or makeup. Not all trans women are even that feminine. And if it were about gender roles, then you'd expect more trans women to exist than trans men, given "there's truly only one way to be a man, although there are multiple ways to be a woman."
There's really two components to gender identity: the socially constructed stuff, which is most of it, and the biological stuff. Usually changing the biological stuff just lends itself to better socially constructed stuff.
Most trans people I know, for example, have no desire to change their genitals. Probably, I'm guessing, because nobody sees that. So their genitals have pretty much no relation to their gender identity. Which makes sense when you think about it. I mean, I gender everyone in my life, including people I see only for a few seconds. But I see very, very little genitals. I'm really just guessing, and everyone is.
It's very complicated. Of course men can wear dressed and makeup and such, but that is a very high-friction activity, borderline dangerous. Women can do that, however. So then I question if there are transwomen out there who would be satisfied in a world where anyone can wear anything. Such a world does not exist, so we don't know.
> So then I question if there are trans women out there who would be satisfied in a world where anyone can wear anything.
So long as they look in the mirror and see a woman. There are trans women already who just wear jeans and t-shirts and other unisex wear in their everyday lives. There are also trans women who will never come close to passing even after a long time on HRT and surgery and wearing the most feminine clothing, and it's just tragic.
- People who have transitioned surgically (depends what surgeries the person that says it considers necessary)
- Using some biological distinguisher (this lets you refer to people who are currently repressing as trans, and makes it an inherent property of a person that was predetermined)
- People who want to transition (socially, hormonally, surgically)
Transgender people often suffer gender dysphoria. You're correct that it's possible that gender dysphoria might be a downstream effect of society. Namely, we are an extremely gender-segregated society. There's truly only one way to be a man, although there are multiple ways to be a woman. People feel forced and confined to a very small subset of behavior and self-expression.
Existing between genders is, unfortunately, untenable. Society is just not built for that. But existing as the opposite gender seems to be perfectly doable. I'm not saying that it's that simple and all transgender people would disappear if we live in a society with no gender roles or expectations, but certainly they heavily feel the pressure of those gender roles and expectations.