RE: One more clarification...
>I remember an interesting lecture in sociology class dealing
>with gender. It seems that people are not nearly so hostile
>to women who have sex changes to become men as opposed to men
>who want to become women. The switch from female to male is
>more (subconsciously) understood because it is a more
>"powerful" position in society.
It is exactly the opposite IME and from what I have read and studied. Males giving up power (MTF, male-to-female) is seen as non-threatening whereas females gaining power by becoming male is seen as a serious attack on masculinity. Perhaps you remember the rape and murder or Brandon Teena in Nebraska? Unfourtunatly FTM attacks are quite common. I have a very close family relationship with a post-op and hormone therapy FTM and have lived the issues around it extensively. MTFs are far more visible in society (think of the pop culture references) than FTMs are generally. It is ok to forfeit power but claiming it is something that sparks deep seated feelings in many people.
Katie, mama to a pair of boys.