Generally excepted Gender specific knowledge and how it conflicts with being trangender

[Moira Arista]

I don't know about anyone else here but I have a difficult time being me and being transgender. I love being transgender but sometimes it can be difficult. I'll give you an example. I love Automobiles, I always have and always will. They have been the 1 constant in my life. I don't understand why society finds it weird that a Women transgender or otherwise likes cars or knows so much about them. Apparently society has deemed Automotive issues and knowledge to the specifically Male Gender. People tend to look at me weird when I can call out what a car is just by looking at it. Even a close family friend/relative who is Cis gender Female said " But you love cars." I gave her a look and then pointed out that she did to.  I said well if you didn't like cars to some degree what has your nice little convertible been doing in your garage for the last 33 years? She then caved and said "Yeah, you're right."

 

Why does society except and somewhat require Genders to know a lot about certain things and nothing about others. If you know Sports, Movies, Music, Cars, or Guns you must be a Male.  If you know shoes, clothes, make up, designers of cloths, etc you must be Female. Like Oh C'mon seriously. If you cross over the Gender Line in knowledge then you can't be one or the other. All people should be free to know about what ever they're passionate about. Knowing a lot about something your Gender tends not to know jack about just makes you special.

[Timber Wolf]

One thing about being transgender is that we will have begun seeing these stereotypical gender specific things from both sides. If one is M2F, that doesn't mean we never liked any stereotypically male things. And when we realize we are trans, we often continue to like those things. For many of us, if we liked spectator sports, we continue to do so. If we liked video games, we continue to do so, etc.. Just remember, there are cis gender people who also like those things as well. My cis gender sister has always been an athlete, and has had a job remodeling homes. Just be ourselves, and that's about the best we can be.

 

Lots of love,

Timber Wolf ?

[Jackie C.]

I wouldn't worry about it. While there are things that society looks at as "Male" or "Female," it's not usually a hard and fast rule. For example, when I was in high school... in the 80s... (I feel old typing that) I dated a female mechanic. Prettiest girl you'd ever want to meet. She made money as a stripper later. There's probably a story there but nobody shared it with me so we'll all have to wonder.

Personally, I love lizards & snakes. I've been a gamer forever. I used to build computers for a living. I'm still pretty darn girly.

 

You probably shouldn't say "society." Society as a whole doesn't care. There are just some people who have been programmed with, "Girls can do A, B & C. Boys will have to choose from X, Y or Z." It's all leftovers from bible teachings and how people lived before flush toilets. It gets a little better every year. Eventually, I think we'll be over it and people will be able to be just who they are.

 

Hugs!

[NB Adult]

Some people's interests change under the influence of cross gender hormones, it's not at all unusual, there's nothing new about it. I think what is really problematic is that others make mistaken assumptions about what they observe in others and try to tag it to gender norms. Having formerly been a NHRA fan I met many women in the pits wrenching on cars. Some of the prettiest most feminine females have even raced nitro-methane fueled funny cars in national events, not every girls dream but there are those that do it and enjoy the rush in what that do just like men do.

[Maid In Bedlam]

I know a lot about cars. I have said it before somewhere else. I am quite capable of nameing anything That was in the UK between 1975 till about now. I have even been known to strip em down and put them back together again.

 

But Now i just do not shout about what i am capable of doing. Well was capable of before the hormones took my physical strenth away.

 

I do not want to stand out. Just be a normal everyday kinda girl. maybe thats why we would never admit it. Society deems it so. If you want to fit in then thats how you play it. Us women maybe into cars but  as your Freind came over. We just do not relise it because it is not something that is spoken about in female circles. maybe we are but we would rather talk about other things normally. It was just because you pointed it out.

 

Plus I have no interest anymore in what makes them tick. I am so much more happy with shoes and bags.

 

Was it the hormones? No idea but i know what i enjoy now.

 

 

[Jani]

I worried a bit about this early on since I also participate in automotive "activities."

6 hours ago, Mahaney said:

I love Automobiles, I always have and always will. They have been the 1 constant in my life. I don't understand why society finds it weird that a Women transgender or otherwise likes cars or knows so much about them. Apparently society has deemed Automotive issues and knowledge to the specifically Male Gender.

 

Once I gave up the notion that "women don't..." I was fine.  My therapist had told me how she was a tomboy growing up and loved cars and motorcycles.  It was something that connected her with her husband.   There are no boundaries.  I've raced with a number of fierce women who were more than just drivers.  

 

Remember that change begins with us.  I'm not afraid or embarrassed to walk into an auto parts store and ask for a specific item.  I'm not dumb about cars.  But I know plenty of guys that don't know one end of a wrench from another.  

 

Be you! 
Jani

[Cheyenne skye]

Lest we forget the always amazing and beautiful Jesse Combs. (RIP) If you don't know who she was, look her up.

[SaraAW]

OMG, I had no idea she had died. How tragic. I loved a bunch of stuff was in over the years.  
 

My aunt was a women’s power lifter in her youth, an ex gf from many years ago is a mechanic, tons of girl friends I’ve known over the years have been super sporty. I know lots of guys that can’t even change a lightbulb, let alone be trusted with a set of tools. Media portrayals have not caught up with reality of gender roles in lots of places.  There is still a fair ways to go though in normalizing and degendering lots of behaviors and activities. 

[Robin]

I have been involved with classic cars my whole life, as my father collected them, and now my brother and I collect them.  It is true that cars are seen as a masculine thing, but there is no logical basis to that idea.  Women have operated machines and driven vehicles ever since such things were invented.  Who built most of the vehicles and aircraft during the world wars?

 

Robin.