變異的性行為

性少數: 7.易性癖者

拒絕性別指派手術

也有反對任何性別指派手術的易性癖者。他們想要保持現在的這個模樣，並代之以強烈要求社會對所有類型的性變異要有更多的容忍。的確，一些研究者認為不僅指派的性別（性別角色）而且性自認（性別認同）都是被社會建構的結果。所以，歸根結底，所有的性別問題可以歸咎到這個很大的社會問題——女性氣質和男性氣概的不必要的狹隘的定義問題。按照這種觀點，易性癖不是一個醫學問題，而是在特定的外部環境之下，特定個體對不適當的社會壓力和不適當的文化要求所做出的（順從社會性別標準的）反應。簡而言之，外科手術是對一個更為根本的問題的錯誤解決方法，這個根本問題是：我們怎樣才能建構一個接納人類性狀態的全部的性象譜？[1]

易性癖的這種解釋受到了那些質疑生物原因的學者們的辯駁，而且似乎他們還要具有更充分的論據。不過，到目前為止，辯論的雙方都提出了確實的證據。無論如何，即使到如今，人們可能會認為易性癖的謎底仍然遠沒有被揭開。

我們現在的導論性質的課程不允許我們就這個論題展開更加細緻的討論。它將是專門針對性別研究中的另一個主題。

Variations in Sexual Behavior

Sexual Minorities: 7. Transsexuals

No Surgery

There are also transsexuals who oppose any sex reassignment surgery. They want to remain as they are and demand instead greater social tolerance for sexual diversity of all kinds. Indeed, some researchers believe that not only the sex of assignment (gender role), but also the sexual self-identification (gender identity) are socially constructed. In the final analysis, therefore, all gender problems can be traced to the larger social issue of needlessly narrow definitions of femininity and masculinity. According to this view, transsexualism is not a medical condition, but the response of certain individuals in certain situations to inappropriate social pressure and undue cultural demands. In short, surgery is the wrong answer to a more fundamental question: How can we build a society that accepts the full spectrum of the human sexual condition?
This explanation of transsexualism is disputed by those who suspect a biological cause, and they still seem to have the better arguments. However, so far, neither side has been able to offer conclusive proof. In any case, one can say that, even today, the riddle of transsexualism is still far from being solved.
The present introductory course does not allow us to go into greater detail about this. It will be the subject of another, special course on gender.