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What is the ‘ middle path?”
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Christina wrote:I have been following an interesting but very wordy debate elsewhere on what constitutes the ” middle path” of TG expression.It looks like you have spawned the same wordiness here! Fueled I think by deep seated disagreement couched in the words of agreement.
Of course if we accept our gender as a rich and diverse attribute then envisioning what might be a middle ground is limited only by one’s imagination. Discussions like this continue in TG forums largely because many of us cannot accept and value others’ ideas for a middle path.
Catherine wrote:It all gets back to how each and everyone of us are prepared to either negotiate “middle ground” or go for broke and live a life that is waiting for us.I’ll be honest, I can’t follow most of Catherine’s post, but the “OR” in the final options she presents is disturbing. It sounds once again as if there is only one true path to take – and the “middle ground” isn’t on that journey.
Many of us will know others who followed the path Catherine took, a transition often based on an assumption that there is no alternative to “going for broke”. Catherine is clearly happy, but many are not, and that pathway is littered with many failed dreams.
Living an expression of total truth, honesty and authenticity is second to none. But the assumption that such a situation can only be obtained by “going for broke” is clearly incorrect – life is just not that simple. It all depends on the individual – and everyone may have a different way to transition to their true self.
I have talked with Catherine enough in real life during her “journey” to appreciate the entrenched position she comes from. Surrounding oneself with others who think the same way would make it to harder to envisage other options that might exist for a satisfying and complete life. Because those options, apparently, weren’t available to Catherine, the temptation is to assert that they can’t be available to others.
My final word on this discussion is that we all have to be accepting of the diversity of everyone’s life choices. If this thread descends into the familiar battleground of “real trans people” vs “the rest” then that acceptance may be compromised. It might be opportune to read the site ACP before posting anything that might offend.
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For clarity: as expressed previously; “middle ground” is a continuum that exists in the uniqueness of each and everyone of us. My “middle ground or going for broke” cannot be replicated in anyone else because of my uniqueness. Your middle ground is something totally differently to the next person.
“Going for broke” is not exclusive to gender expression. It pervades every stratum of each individuals life. It can be an attitude of; do I want to apply for the CEO’s job, through to; do I want to live, today. It’s all about how each person perceives, “middle ground.”
And for further clarity; I have not come from an “entrenched” enclave, surrounding myself with like minded people. If anything the opposite is true. It is perhaps the diversity of lifestyle and environments that I come from, that is creating some misunderstanding.
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Seems to me like a lot of people saying the same thing in different ways. We are who we are and shouldn’t try to be anything else. When you have reached the point of feeling comfortable with who you are and the way you portray yourself, then, I think you have reached the “middle ground” or whatever else you want to call it. As long as you are happy with yourself,not hurting anyone else or doing anything illegal then what does it matter. Be who you are and be happy about it. This discussion to me, seems to be going around in circles.
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In starting this thread, I intended merely to relate what I thought of my place on the ‘spectrum’ and to state the bounds of the ‘ journey ‘ as I was experiencing it. Of course the middle path will differ for each person but I think it is unhelpful to question what another is experiencing based purely on one’s own opinions on your own journey.
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Christina wrote:In starting this thread, I intended merely to relate what I thought of my place on the ‘spectrum’ and to state the bounds of the ‘ journey ‘ as I was experiencing it. Of course the middle path will differ for each person but I think it is unhelpful to question what another is experiencing based purely on one’s own opinions on your own journey.
“Spectrum” and “middle path” all appear to be part of a construct that has two ends that define what happens in between them. Reading the personal accounts in this thread I feel they do not fit in to this construct. Are there better constructs that we can use, like the ideas of the third gender and third sex or others? Constructs that just allow us to give voice to our experiences.
In this sense I feel “What is the middle path?” is the wrong question, it assumes to much.
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I have been following this thread for a while and at first was a tad confused. But having reread all the comments again this morning, it appears that there is many interpretation’s of this thought. I do so much agree with the positioning of so many people at either end of the gender spectrum, but associate my self as a middle ground person. Neither part time CD or full time transitioning female, and am really happy as to my position in life.
So, to all who are pondering there “place” in society, my advice is to be happy at all points in your life
Take care
