I was raised female too! [controversial] [cute]

[nodesignation.livejournal.com]

During some of the discussions going on last week, there were a few times that was reduced to their assigned sex and the supposedly immutable differences that come with that, I decided it would be nice to expand upon a thought I had. There is the assumption that little girls and little boys are so different that the vast majority of their experiences are distinct from each other. I don’t agree with that in general, but when we’re talking about trans folks’ childhoods, it gets even more blurry.

All this discussion about childhood experiences and the need for assigned-sex exclusive spaces got me thinking about my own childhood. I decided to talk with my mom about it. She’d have a unique perspective on my childhood, having been present for much of it. Interestingly, the two of us could not think of any specific aspect of male privilege I had experienced – perhaps subtle things that could not solidly be attributed to privilege (or to the male variety), but nothing solidly identifiable.

Now, normally, if a trans woman says she didn’t have male privilege growing up, the response is that she’s obviously just unaware of it. Because prior to transition, we’re just like all the other boys, right? Well, between my mom and me, we’ve got over half a century of feminist activism and experience. She was an editor for a second wave feminist magazine, I got a degree in women and gender studies. Now, that’s not to say you can’t know what you’re talking about without such credentials, but please, at least give us the benefit of the doubt that our opinions are not coming from ignorance.

Sigh. I’m afraid for some people that still won’t be enough. Fine, if you won’t take my word for it, seeing is believing. I cracked open my childhood photo album, you can see what I’m talking about.

( An honest look at childhood gendered privilege, with cute pictures )

Now that story is certainly a specific selection, I chose the pictures and stories that represented this point best, but I only say that "I grew up female" tongue in cheek. And I'd still say this an accurate representation of my childhood. The point that I'm trying to make is that there is no line in the sand between growing up “male” or growing up “female.” There may be trends, but in most cases, anything that someone assigned female has experienced, there’s someone assigned male who’s experienced it (and vice versa). Granted, this isn’t the case for certain biological issues, but when talking about being socialized male or female, much of it is, well, social.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone have their own trans stories about "growing up (fe)male"? Anyone disagree with me entirely?

Edit: To clarify again, I'm not saying that there is no difference between my experience and that of someone recognized as female by most/all folks around them, nor am I saying that I have experienced zero male privilege.

I'm trying to bring a more nuanced approach to the issue, such as the "straight privilege" that bisexual folks experience, the "white privilege" that light skinned people of color experience, or the "straight privilege" that queer folks "raised straight" by straight parents have.