Transgender Intelligence Levels

[Guest Chandra]

Hello everyone,

The time I have spent on Laura's, I've noticed one thing stands out.

I am just blown away how extremely smart the average is here, you guys and gals seem to me that the intelligence

levels here are above average.

If they are higher than average that sure will add question about myself because I feel like such a dummy sometimes.

What do you think about trans intelligence levels?

Love, Chandra

[Guest Pól]

I don't know if we have an appropriately random sample size here to make a judgement like that about trans people as a whole because I think sites like this tend to attract the sorts of people who are willing to seek answers out online, post their questions themselves, etc. etc.

That said, we do have a lot of smart people here, including yourself, Chandra.

[Guest]

Hi Chandra,

You're right - everyone here seems so with it !

I've been told all my life that I'm smart, but it doesn't seem that way to me - just have talent in some areas and weaknesses in others.

I never think of whether people are smart or not - it's more how they apply themselves. Some folks just seem to trip over themselves and not utilize what they have - sad!

But what makes us smart? I think that we've had to use creativity in ways that most people don't. The challenges of remaking ourselves opens up channels that many don't have the opportunity to explore. Adversity isn't all bad!

Love, Kat

[Guest nelo]

I agree with Pól. I mean, some people might not be as computer savvy, or prefer to go to support groups in their community instead of online.

Besides, what's "smart" anyways? I see plenty of "high-IQ" people that can act quite stupidly, and plenty of "low-IQ" people that seem to get more out of life than most.

I see it less as being "smart" or "dumb," and more as "well informed" or "ignorant." I find how much I've learned from researching, teachers, reading other's experiences, books, dictionaries, online essays, forums, experiments, studies, experts, etc. to be way more important than what I scored on an IQ test I took when I was in 1st grade or what I scored on a multiple choice test (like the SAT).

[Guest vertigo]

Yep, I've noticed that too :] and that's exactly what makes this forum so awesome.

I think people here just have a deeper understanding of what gender is all about, so I guess they tend to have a deeper understanding of society in general, because society is pretty much based on gender when you think about it...

[JJ]

Actually I have read on some of the sites discussing research and studies that trans people as a group score highest on IQ tests of groups that have been tested. Apparently there is a sector of LG that score 1 deviation higher than the norm (whatever that means) and we score 2.

They speculate that it is because our brains have different or more extensive wiring. There is also evidence that we are more creative than the average population although I don't see how that can be objectively measured.

But bottom line -it isn't important how intelligent you are-it's how you choose to live your life and the kind of person you become that counts!

Hugs

JJ

[Guest Donna Jean]

Maybe it's the incredibly well rounded education we get from being Trans...

We learn medicine...T levels, E levels, doses, what pills and injections do what....

We learn human nature...

We learn what it's like to be the most minor minority...

We learn acting...often being two people at once...

We learn tolerance from the lack of it given to us...

We learn fashion and sizes/colors....

We learn how to be compassionate, caring loving human beings..

We learn life in both genders...

We see more...

And the most important is that we learn ourselves like few people ever do....

Yeah...we're way ahead of the curve...

Donna Jean

[Guest Pól]

Apparently there is a sector of LG that score 1 deviation higher than the norm (whatever that means) and we score 2.

What's LG?

One standard deviation above than the mean is about the 84th percentile, and 2 deviations above the mean is about 98th percentile. Percentile is basically what percentage of all the things you're measuring fall at or below that value, so 84th percentile means that people with that level of intelligence are 'smarter' than 84% of the population, and 98th percentile means (in this case) 'smarter' than 98% of the population. (Leaving aside the obvious problems of measuring intelligence in a quantitative way).

I'm skeptical that we as a population score 2 full deviations above mean. That seems extremely unlikely to me.

[JJ]

What's LG?

One standard deviation above than the mean is about the 84th percentile, and 2 deviations above the mean is about 98th percentile. Percentile is basically what percentage of all the things you're measuring fall at or below that value, so 84th percentile means that people with that level of intelligence are 'smarter' than 84% of the population, and 98th percentile means (in this case) 'smarter' than 98% of the population. (Leaving aside the obvious problems of measuring intelligence in a quantitative way).

I'm skeptical that we as a population score 2 full deviations above mean. That seems extremely unlikely to me.

Transsexual.org quotes 2 standard deviations with a 30 point average higher intelligence but does not cite sources. I know I have seen this on at least 33 scientific or medical sites. I'll kep researching and see if I can locate them.

Meanwhile here is a site you may like. It does cite sources

http://www.tsroadmap.com/info/transsexualism-causes.html

[Milly]

Not me. I'm pretty damned dumb. Math enrages me, but art I lerves art. Still I suck at it. I can type verbose paragraphs but they are generally riddled with grammar errors. So yeah I is dumb, dumber than hell. Like Meatwad dumb. >.<

[Guest Evan_J]

My information matches JJ's -Supposedly, the majority of lgb people average one standard above the norm , while transgendered folk average two standards. A standard is most easily measured as "20 points" if you will. The average intellect (when IQ scores were given credence) was at 100. One standard beyond then would be 120. Two standards 140- the approximized range that the majority of trans folk (how they defined /differenciated transsexuals as opposed to cds or transgendered but not transsexual I couldn't tell you) average somewhere near 140.

[JJ]

What's LG?

One standard deviation above than the mean is about the 84th percentile, and 2 deviations above the mean is about 98th percentile. Percentile is basically what percentage of all the things you're measuring fall at or below that value, so 84th percentile means that people with that level of intelligence are 'smarter' than 84% of the population, and 98th percentile means (in this case) 'smarter' than 98% of the population. (Leaving aside the obvious problems of measuring intelligence in a quantitative way).

I'm skeptical that we as a population score 2 full deviations above mean. That seems extremely unlikely to me.

Oops! I missed answernig something. L=lesbian, G=Gay. One-or both score 1 standard deviation higher.

That's 3 not 33 studies and I seem to remember that one of the sites was science direst-but still can't locate the original study except it seemed to be referred to in an article you have to pay to access.

I believe the hypothesis is that since the brain structure of each gender is proven to be higher functioning in different areas the influence the hormonal imbalance that has been shown to affect gender identity in some studies also causes the brain to be wired differently with additional neural pathways even though it has the characteristics primarily of the gender identity brain type.

If I find the studies I will post them for you. Here is a list from Science Direct of what I did locate:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=1417973159&_sort=r&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=21be3e66dc0c4da3beab45225060e007

When I first realized my condition I read everything I could find and the information may be in one of those articles.

It has been my purely subjective experience that I have met more people on site with my upper 1% tested IQ than could be expected in the population of active posting members. Several times more. But being subjective observation is not real evidence.

But let me reiterate-IQ is a measure of certain types of brain processing and does not reflect the worth, or lack thereof , in any individual. Intelligence is not wisdom-and given my choice I'd rather be really wise than really smart

And rather have a good heart than either one.

JJ

[JJ]

Not me. I'm pretty damned dumb. Math enrages me, but art I lerves art. Still I suck at it. I can type verbose paragraphs but they are generally riddled with grammar errors. So yeah I is dumb, dumber than hell. Like Meatwad dumb. >.<

Ah Ashley-I have observed your imagination at work and know you to be very far from dumb.

And as far as art is concerned-art is an expression of yourself through a set of learned skills. If you suck at art you haven't learned the skills or you are too self critical. My money is on the latter!

Love

JJ

[Guest Evan_J]

Intelligence is not wisdom

IQ tests in truth only measure types of rationalization and logic. (Though "logic" at one time only acknowledged "approved" routes of coming to whatever conclusions there were to be had. That may be fine in mathmatics where "laws" are absolute but fails when attempting to measure people ). AND the reason why IQ tests were "thrown out" with regard to is that in their standardization they don't account for differences in "nurture" (environment , geography, ethno influences )which affects both perceptions and paths of logic. Short answer: Whatever the studies said, it does not not only measure your worth, it doesn't even give a truthful indication of your intelligence.

[Guest ricka]

I have to agree with Evan about the veracity of IQ tests and what it is they

measure exactly. There are very many aspects to intellegence, most of

which are not measured on standard IQ tests. That said in my experience

transgendered people span levels of intellectual capacity. I knew a woman

who was borderline intellectual functioning who was transgendered.

Hugs, Miss Ricka

[Guest KimberlyF]

Okies these are some of my thoughts and theories. Nobody steal them cause I'm waiting for a big multimillion dollar government grant to study them.

Most people like Billy Bob in Slingblade are not going to ever be self-aware to ever think of themselves as gay or TS so a disproportionate number of below average people will be put in the 'gender normal hetro' box.

The suicide rate is higher than ave in the gay/lesbian community and even higher in the TS community. We all feel depressed at times but maybe the ones that have higher IQs find ways to deal and support structures or ways to make themselves keep going. I'm not saying only stupid TSs kill themselves. I've been in depressions for days. I've rubbed a knife across my wrist and left a mark. I never drew blood but I wasn't too far. But I usually overthink everything so that might have saved me then.

I've also found on average almost any message board where people like to talk about themselves seems to run on the higher than norm smarts side. not every member, but I've found some amazingly insightful people online.

Kim

[Sally]

In the wisdom department almost any group who has lived in hiding and persecution tend to develop rather keen survival skills and most often a seemingly higher intelligence - certainly more practical knowledge than just simple 'book learning'.

However, in the 'book learning' department we also find that the urge to improve their lot in life tends to lead to a good number of over achievers in this department as well as in business.

IQ test being only as close an indicator as the GOGIATI test and therefore unreliable at best but like anything else about our community is impossible to asses accurately because of the incredible number of unknown members of the group - all statistics are skewed by an inaccurate accounting of the size of the group in the first place.

This sight draws the people intelligent enough to realize that they are i need of support and also the ones who know that others need their support, on average a fairly self aware and wise group.

Love ya,

Sally