I was asking you to explain what a feminine "feeling" or "behavior" is. Your argument is that *real* transgender women act like women. I am simply asking what acting like women means. You are saying their bodies are wrong and that they have a mismatch between body and brain - that they have a brain of a woman? Or is it the soul of a woman?
Self identification means one absolutely can declare themselves transgender and there is no measure or diagnostic tool involved at all. One does not exist anyway. That is what activists have been fighting for - the desire to self declare and not require some sort of proof from a therapist or doctor. I understand why they have wanted to get rid of all of the gatekeeping but now there is a lot of confusion about what transgender means and how to determine one's gender identity. This is particularly critical when one is deciding to chemically or surgically alter their body - even more critical when discussing minors and young adults.
You cited the MRI study:
Scientists have found no innate gender area of the brain which is fixed at birth.
Children's brains are very plastic (neuroplasticity). They are constantly absorbing what is around them.
There is no 100% male or female brain which people are born with. There may be trends but there is no absolute marker of sex in the brain. Research in neuroscience has consistently showed that. Children develop their own personality, interests and behaviors regardless of their biological sex - so what they play with or how they dress does not indicate that they have a mismatch of body and brain. Additionally, it is harmful to suggest to children that their body is wrong or mismatched.
For people to have a brain/body mismatch it must be shown that there is a "pink" or "blue" brain. Good video here
YouTube
The MRI study you are likely speaking of was done post-mortem, and they were on MtF who were on cross sex hormones which we know changes the brain. There simply is not the science to prove a biological basis for gender dysphoria or the mismatch body and brain hypothesis. Unbiased information and conclusions are hard to come by since there are so many people invested in a particular outcome.
The science does not show a purely biological basis for cross sex identities. What about gender fluid or agender? I don't think there has to be a biological basis to accept that some people manage their distress about their sex role in society by living as the opposite sex and others have different reasons for transition.
I said each of you have gone to opposite corners meaning you are so far apart that neither can entertain the others' position or any grey areas in their own. I think that is unfortunate.
