Beyond Gender Identity Disorder,A Self-Narrative

• Main Authors: WANG,TZU-CHI, 王姿琦
• Other Authors: 吳和堂
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/85805932884170449730

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 教育學系 === 101 === 　I am a Transgender, a term used to describe someone who has Gender Identity Disorder. Ever since the age of 13, I have fronted the difficulties of self-acceptance and encountered the obstacles of self-adjustment in the society. There were times that I could not find the meaning and the value of life while I went through the low points in my early existence. Nonetheless, along my life journey, I have found the support and the encouragement from people significant to me. I have received the companionship from my peers, the sense of achievement from work, the gratification from romantic love, and, moreover, the comfort and the personal growth from my Christian family and my religion belief. 　　From reading DSM-IV, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, particularly the section of Gender Identity Disorder, I realized how my gender identity had affected my life. The description vividly reflects my own situation. I was inspired by what I learned from the reading to start contemplating how my religion belief in Christianity interprets the gender issues, how other people judged me, and how I had been judging myself. It also motivated me to ponder how I could learn about the lives and the minds of persons with Gender Identity Disorder from a different angle. 　　The lessons I learned from several memorable events that occurred throughout my school years and my career built the foundation of how I see the value of life. Furthermore, some people I have encountered have helped me greatly on my path to self-acceptance. Although the encounters might be short while we crossed our paths, their words of wisdom engrave deeply in my mind. All of these experiences are crucial to my self-adjustment into the society, that sees genders as two categories. 　　Being in love is the most wonderful thing in life. I have been in several romances. Some are memorable, while some are better forgotten. In some I got hurt; in some I played the other role. For some everything ended when it ended; for some a new friendship began when the romance was gone. On the other hand, the best friend of mine, who I cherish with all my life, happens to be a transgender too. Although the love we share is not romantic by nature, it is as valuable as the romantic one. 　　Life is not easy. On top of satisfying the basic physical needs, I wonder how I could find the meaning and the value of life without the supports of my friends, family, colleagues, schoolmates, teachers, and even people who enter my life ever so briefly. I believe the essence that allows me to live with meaning and to attain the value of life originates from love. I exist because love exists. Because of love, I, being a transgender, can adapt myself immensely in this society, that divides genders into two categories. I am still alive...