Who would have thought that a website created to offer "Support at Every Step" to men diagnosed with gynecomastia... a condition that in itself carries no health consequences but which is often considered a cause for breast reduction surgery? Honestly, over the last few years this website has definitely shifted from "the sky is falling" view to a more nuanced consideration of gender and its expression. I was speaking with a close friend last night, observing that our worlds generally consist of no more than a few hundred family members and friends. From this incredibly narrow slice of humanity we come to all sorts of conclusions about who we are, who other people are, how the world should work. My guess those among us who've had an opportunity to travel to other countries have had experiences similar to mine. Other languages, other cultures, other religious practices can shock our senses. Yes, we can fall back into our prejudices but the opportunity is there to widen our perspective on what this human journey is all about. Of course, as I've observed often, it is usually the perception of differences that leads to violence simply because giving credence to the possibility other views are equally valid threatens our insecurity about who WE are.
I honestly don't expect anyone to be as thrilled by my voluptuous breasts as I am. I'm simply relieved that I no longer look at either the development of breasts on my chest OR how I relate to them as evidence of my defectiveness or perversion. Every human being is the amazingly complex product of a lifetime of experiences. A great deal of my life journey has been trying to understand how I came to be this person. My journey on the estrogen highway which has led to my wearing a brassiere and feeling erotic pleasure in doing so is a recent chapter in a long story. When we tell our stories here we invariably focus on the development of our bodies. Only rarely do we talk about people and events that have shaped who we are in the world. We certainly don't need to do so, but it is good to remember that our view of the possibilities of what it means to be a human being can be quite narrow. A little humility is called for in my opinion. A fellow I worked with decades ago loved the line "You never know until you're in the bullfighter's shoes." Truth is, meeting life can be very challenging for most of us. We talk about contending with breasts as men but that is a relatively insignificant problem to face. I live in one of the wealthiest regions in the United States and I drive by many people standing at intersections with a sign that says "need help". Watching violence in other parts of the world is bracing as well.
We are fortunate to have found a place where we can talk about breasts that have developed on our chests... about traveling on the estrogen highway. That we are able to do that with respect is wonderful. A few laughs and rolled eyes along the way can be good. Hopefully, we can find a way to be fully ourselves in our lives, whether we want to or need to share this part of ourselves or not. It is all up to each of us... to simply be who we are.
Topic: Intersex diagnosis or symptoms (Read 2751 times)
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