Why I'd Never Make a Good Social Philosopher

You know in a world of monosexual, gender-normative, erotically conventional people I’m so very lucky to have found Alex.

She’ll be seeing her National Health Service doctor Friday and see if her hormones will be covered or if she’ll be penalized for going to a private doctor to deal with gender reassignment.

My life is complicated enough right now. I hope she won’t find similar encumbrances.

The desire to protect people who wish to physiologically adopt a different gender leaves me a little confused at times.

I can see how for the physician the possibility that the person is making the wrong and essentially irreversible decision must be a real burden. But it also restricts transpersons, demanding that they conform to a system of rules largely created by people who aren’t transgendered.

My “libertarian” side says let individuals - not corporate entities - do what they want. Put all the drugs on the counter next to the aspirin.

If they destroy themselves, it was their choice.

My pragmatic side realizes that it isn’t that simple. There’s an enormous social cost. People who make seriously damaging decisions create a real social burden.

If they have dependents the latter may find themselves in poverty. (Not much can be done about the emotional pain of a loved one’s craziness: I’ve learned that all too well.)

And it isn’t as if most of these people are just going to kill themselves and we’d bury them. They’ll become dependants and want “the government” to give them food and housing. And very expensive medical care.

I’ve wandered away from gender reassignment.

The consequences of a sex change that proves to be an error is more than “Oops!”

Oh well, it isn’t as if social policy will ever be anything near to the ideal.

I just want Alex to be happy.