What is transgender?

Transgender is a term used to describe many groups of people, such as transsexuals, cross-dressers, and transgendered individuals. These groups of people do not match the sex category they were placed into at birth. Transexuals are people who seek to change their sex. Cross-dressers are those who occasionally or frequently dress in the cloths of the opposite sex. In addition, there are those who are identified as transgendered, meaning that their sex and gender do not "fit" in accordance with social norms. 

Transgender refers to how an individual wishes to express himself/herself , regardless of "sex." As a result, gender attribution is disrupted because a person cannot be placed easily into the appropriate sex category. Transgendering frequently results in gender being correctly assigned, but incorrectly categorized. 

Although the gender binary of masculinity and femininity is seen as mutually exclusive, transgendering can highlight the  ways in which these two  genders can be combined in order to produce a gender that is neither one nor the other, but one that falls outside of the gender binary. Some cultures have provided social spaces fors r more than two genders

Transgendering can also disturb our ideas about the relationship of gender and sexuality. To the degree that sexual identity refers to the way which people are categorized as gay or heterosexual according to the sex of their partner, transgendering suggests a person might be attracted to the gender of the individual, not the sex. For example, a herterosexual woman might be attract to the masculinity of a biological female, but one who presented as a socially masculine transgendered individual. The heterosexual woman might not realize the actual sex of the transgendered individual given the assumption that a person who is masculine is male. 

The heterosexual-gay distinction assumes that everyone falls into one category of sexual identity. Transgendering, however, could result in "passing,"  in which a person is seen as having the sex other than that with which they were born. This would result in an recognizable mismatch (between sex and gender), and therefore could be seen as disrupting the link between gender and sexuality. For example, the "butch lesbian" is female but masculine in "her" gender presentation. And, what about "her" sexual identity? Is the butch lesbian desire for feminine women a heterosexual or gay desire?

Conclusion

In our society, sex, gender and sexuality are understood in binary terms. The only sex categories available are male and female, the only gender categories are masculine and feminine, and the sexual categories are chiefly heterosexual and gay. Moreover, it's been assumed that there is a logical order between sex, gender, and sexuality. For example, a normal female will become a woman whose femininity will express itself in a heterosexual identity. Most Canadians and Americans understand these binaries and this logical order as natural. The recent visibility of transgendered individuals challenges the presumed naturalness of these binaries. Transgendering allows for varied relationships between sex, gender, and sexuality. It challenges the binaries and a presumed natural order between sex, gender and sexuality. 

This is why transgendered individuals face hostility and many challenges in their daily lives.

In the face of this hostility and challenges, transgendered individuals have rallied around a gender identity movement. 

The queer movement, women's movement, men's movement , and transgendered movement need to work together in order to ensure freedom and protection for all.

 For understanding why and what we are see;http://drlarryfalls.blogspot.ca/2014/07/the-biology-of-gender.html

The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes used to be called "juvenile" diabetes because most people were diagnosed with this condition as children. It was also known as "insulin -dependent diabetes.mellitus."  It has since been learned that type 1 diabetes is mostly diagnosed before the age  of 30 years.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's pancreas does not produce insulin, which leads to glucose (sugar) building up in the blood, instead of being used by the body for energy.

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known. It may have to do with the body's immune system sending signals to attack the insulin-producing.  cells in the pancreas, or it may be .related to genetics or environmental factors, or combination of both.

Type 1 diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar. A family history of type 1 diabetes can put you at a slightly higher risk but there are no risk factors that can be changed.Base on current trends of type 1 diabetes, it is thought that the majority of new cases of diabetes in coming years will be type 2 diabetes , rather that type 1. The number of people being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is rising by about 3 - 5% per year. The age group with the greatest increase is five-to-nine-year-olds. 

Some of the subtle and more common symptoms include:
* Extreme thirst
* Frequent urination
* Feeling very tired
* Constant hunger
* Blurry visiont to 
* Weight loss

Type 1 diabetes can also appear quickly and without warning. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important that  you seek medical advice as soon as possible. If you have noticed any of the listed symptoms ,you may want to consider seeing your doctor to be tested.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a health condition where your blood sugar level is above what is considered "normal." The body's pancreas makes insulin to break down food nutrients to be used by the body's cells and tissues. However, in people with type 2 diabetes, insulin is not being used properly by your body. This leads to increased sugar (glucose) which builds up in your blood. 

Some common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
* Extreme thirst
* Frequent urination
* Unexplained weight loss
* Feeling tired
* Wounds that take a long time to heal
* Extreme hunger
* Frequent infections
* Sudden changes in vision
* Tingling or numbness in your hands and feet

Known risk factors include:
* Family history of diabetes
* Being over age 40
* Being overweight  (especially if the excessive weight is around your mid-section).
* Smoking
* A previous diagnosis of "gestational diabetes" (diabetes while pregnant)
* Being diagnosed with the "metabolic syndrome," "impaired glucose tolerance," or "impaired fasting glucose."  These three conditions are considered to be indicators of pre-diabetes.

Although there is evidence  that diabetes can be prevented before it develops ( by making changes in your diet and increasing your level of physical activity), there is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes.
  

What you should know about Syphilis

Syphilis has not gone away, and in some places it is on the rise. During the 16^th and 17^th centuries, there was a rebirth of humanism and the arts which engulfed Europe. It was accompanied by a loosening of sexual restrictions which had previously been observed.  The Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others, generally advocated less negative attitudes toward sexual matters than the Catholic Church did. For example, although Luther was hardly liberal in his sexual attitudes, he thought that sex was not inherently sinful and that chastity and celibacy were not signs of virtue. At the same time, Europe was caught in a massive epidemic of syphilis – which might have worked to limit sexual freedom.

Syphilis is a spiral-shaped microorganism, Treponema pallidum, discovered in 1905. 

This photomicrograph of Treponema pallidum bacteria was taken from a tissue section. From Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa.

Syphilis is usually transmitted by sexual contacts, but it can also be acquired from blood transfusion or transmitted from a pregnant mother to the fetus.

The earliest sign of syphilis in its primary stage is a sore called a chancre (pronounced “shanker”). The chancre generally appears two to four weeks after infection. The most common locations for the chancre in 75 percent of cases, are the genitals and anus, but it can also develop on the lips, in the mouth, on a finger, on a breast, or on any part of the body where the bacteria can enter the skin.  The chancre begins as a dull-red spot which develops into a pimple. The pimple ulcerates, forming a round or oval sore usually surrounded by a red rim. The chancre usually heals within four to six weeks, leading to the erroneous belief that the “problem” went away.

                                                Primary stage chancre

Secondary syphilis is rare because it is mostly prevented by early medical intervention.  The second stage without treatment, begins anywhere from one week to six months after the chancre heals. The symptoms include a pale red or pinkish rash often found on the palms and soles, fever, sore throat, headaches, joint pains, poor appetite, weight loss, and hair loss. Moist sores called condyloma lata may appear around the genitals or anus and are highly infectious. The symptoms of this secondary stage of syphilis usually last three to six months but can come and go periodically. After all the symptoms disappear, the disease passes into a latent stage. At this stage the disease is no longer contagious, but the infecting microorganisms burrow their way into various tissues, such as the brain, spinal cord, blood vessels, and bones. Fifty to 70 percent of people with untreated syphilis stay in this stage for the rest of their lives. The remainder, pass on to the late syphilis stage.  It involves serious heart problems, eye problems, and brain or spinal cord damage. These complications can cause paralysis, insanity, blindness, and death.

Syphilis is usually diagnosed by a blood test. Although tests are not completely fool-proof in detecting the primary stage of syphilis, secondary syphilis can be diagnosed with 100 percent accuracy. Diagnosis also depends on a carefully performed physical examination looking for signs of primary or secondary syphilis. Chancre sores can be observed on male sex organs, and chancres of the cervix or vagina may be detected only by a pelvic examination. Examination of the fluid taken from a chancre under a special microscope will usually show the characteristic spiral-shaped organism.

Syphilis can easily be treated with one injection in its primary and secondary stages. Later stages of syphilis require treatment over a longer period of time, but the treatment is usually successful.

Persons who have been sexually exposed to someone with proven early syphilis should promptly seek medical help.

Islam, women and the radicles

This article is taken from a thesis written by a Muslim woman who grew up living in Afghanistan.

There is a difference between the dogma taught by the Muslim extremist groups and the teachings by the Prophet Mohammad. Fourteen hundred years ago, Mohammad permitted women to be politically active, to work and mix with men, and they were not required to veil their faces.

As Islamic extremism gained strength throughout the Muslim world, rigid patriarchal religious leaders emphasized Koranic passages removing its clear command giving women equality, justice, and education. For political ends, the Prophet’s intent regarding women is both altered and inappropriately applied. His sympathy for women’s rights is often no longer reflected in the law and practices of modern government.

Because Muslim women are the first to be affected by such changes, their freedoms, or lack thereof, have become a key indicator of the political direction in which such states are moving.

Muslim women who work in the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries often enjoy job benefits and equality more than most women in the western world. Since the 1970s in Iraq for example, a woman’s employment benefits are extensive and include free child care while she is working, and has the right to retire with a full pension after fifteen years of employment.  In virtually all Arab countries, maternity leave with full pay is substantially longer than in the United States and Canada.

Dichotomously, the majority of Muslim women still find their lives controlled by their closest male relatives. They are the daughters whose future marriage partners continue to be determined by their fathers. They are the brides who must be virgins on their wedding nights in a culture where if they are not, honor killings are common and often carried out by the girl’s own brothers.  To guard against this in many cases in the Muslim world, a simple surgical procedure –hymen restoration is performed. Fratricide (kill your own sister) can occur when a young woman refuses to marry a man of her family’s choice. Despite the fact that Islam states that a woman has a right to refuse a husband selected for her. In reality, familial pressures can be so strong; they may result in her death if she refuses.

Bride-price in Muslim countries confirms that a woman is a man’s property. Once married, every aspect of a woman’s life will be dictated by her husband. What she does, who her friends are, where she is permitted to go, how her children are raised, and even whether she may use birth control or be sterilized.  She cannot obtain a passport or travel abroad without his written approval.

If his spouse is not obedient, her husband may take another wife. Husbands are entitled to have four wives. According to Koranic dictates, should a man decide to marry again, he is supposed to obtain his first wife’s permission. He is also required to treat each wife exactly the same, in affection, time spent together, material possessions, and status. In practice, if his first wife doesn’t agree, he gets married anyway. And invariably he favors the newer and younger spouse.

According to the newer version of the Koran published Everyman, “Men are superior to women…”  The Koran 4:34 in most Muslim countries state;

As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and

ill-conduct, first admonish them, then refuse to share

their bed, and last beat them, but then if they return

to obedience, do not seek a way against them.

Radical Islam is not a religious organization. It is a bunch of ruthless criminals with twisted beliefs;

Hindu: The Sacred Syllable Om, Yoga, and Tantra

The word om is recited at the beginning and end of all Hindu and Jain prayers, as well as  used by Buddhists, and recitations of scripture. The word is understood to have three sounds, a-u-m; when the diphthong of a and u is shortened, it yields the sound of o. The sound of the word begins deep within the body and ends at the lips; it is claimed to be auspicious. The history in the Hindu tradition is ancient; the Mandukya Upanisad discusses its meaning and power. Hindu philosophers and sectarian communities all agree that om is the most sacred sound.

However, almost every Hindu community have different speculations about the meaning of om. Some say it represents the supreme reality or Brahman. Many Hindu philosophers believed that this word was at the beginning of the manifest universe and contains the true knowledge. Others say that its three sounds represent the three worlds: earth, atmosphere, and heaven. Still, others say it represents the essence of the three Vedas: Rg, Yajur, and Sama. A few Hindu philosophers derive the word from the Sanskrit verbal root av-, to mean 'that which protects'.

According to the followers of the philosopher Sankara, who are non-dualist interpreters of the Vedanta, suggest the three sounds a,u,m have the following experiential meanings.

* The sound of a stands for the world that we see when we are awake, the person who is experiencing it, and the waking experience.
* U stands for the dream world, the dreamer, and the dream experience.
* M represents the sleep world, the sleeper and the sleep experience.
* These three states we experience on this earth. The fourth, the unspoken syllable, represents the state of liberation.

On the other hand, some Vaisnava devotees say that a represents the lord Visnu, u denotes the human being, and the meaning of m is the relationship between the two. Other Vaisnavas say that they represent Visnu, Sri, and the devotee.

Accordingly, Hindus say that om is the most sacred sound but disagree regarding its meaning. Nevertheless, the sound of om among all Hindu traditions is greater than the sum of its parts, exceeding in significance the many meanings attributed to it. 

Yoga

Yoga entails physical and mental discipline by which one 'yokes' one's spirit to a god. It has been held in high regard in many Hindu texts and has had many meanings in the Hindu tradition. Some scholars point out that seals from the Harappan culture 2600 BC - 1900 BC (today is Northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and Northeast India) portray a man sitting in a yogic position.

Yoga was an important feature of religious life in India several centuries before the texts were written sometime between 100 BC and 200 AD.

According to Patanjali who codified and presented an accurate version which had already been known suggests, Yoga involves moral, mental, physical discipline and meditation concentrating on a physical or mental object as a 'single point' of focus. This form of yoga is described as having eight 'limbs' or disciplines, of which the first two are yama, consisting of restraints, and niyama,consisting of positive practices.

Yama is the avoidance of violence, falsehood, stealing, sexual activity, and great desire.Interestingly, these prohibitions are included in the 'right conduct' taught by the Jain tradition ( a religion of India founded in the 6th century B.C., it emphasizes asceticism, nonviolence, and reverence for all living things).

Niyama includes cleanliness, equanimity, asceticism, the theoretical study of yoga, and the effort to make God the focus of one's activities. Cleanliness includes internal and external purity; in some forms of yoga, this aspect receives considerable attention.  

Although the theoretical aspects of Patanjali's yoga have had considerable importance in particular times and traditions, its place in the religious life of Hindus in the past 1,000 to 2,000 years has not enjoyed mass popularity over the years, nor has it been mentioned as a path to liberation by many of the religious teachers. 

In the 20th century there was a resurgence of interest in its physical techniques, that only sometimes extends to the underlying psychological and theoretical assumptions of yoga.

In the past century a distinction between two avenues of discipline has been drawn in the use of the terms raja yoga and hatha yoga. Raja yoga deals with mental discipline;occasionally this term is used interchangeably with Patanjali's yoga. Hatha yoga is concerned largely with bodily posture and control over the body. The term hatha is said to be derived from the words for sun (ha) and moon (that), referring to particular patterns of breath control. The human body is said to have 'suns' and 'moons' within it; final liberation can be attained only after different centres in the body are brought into harmony with the cosmos. This form of yoga is what has become popular in western countries.

Tantra

The tantric tradition advocated its own form of yoga, known as kundalini yoga. Kundalini (literally, 'the one with earrings') refers to the sakti or power of the Goddess, which is said to lie coiled like a serpent at the base of one's spine. When awakened, this power rises through the channel passing though six cakras or 'wheels' to reach the final centre located under the skull. This centre is known as a thousand-petalled lotus.  

The ultimate aim of this form of yoga is to awaken the power of the kundalini and make it unite with Purusa, the male supreme being, who is the thousand-petalled lotus. With this union, the practitioner is granted several visions and given psychic powers. The union leads eventually to final emancipation. 

There are many ways of looking at tantric materials. The best-known division is between the vamacara (left-handed practice) and the right-handed or more conservative school. As the left hand is associated with the inauspicious in the Hindu tradition, 'left-handed' was applied to sectarian movements that did not meet with the approval of the other larger or more established schools. The practices of the left-handed schools' involved ritual performance of activities forbidden in everyday life, such as drinking liquor, eating fish and meat, and having sexual intercourse with a partner not one's spouse. These activities were disapproved of in many other Hindu circles, so that to a large extent left-handed tantrism remained esoteric. 

One may also see divisions in tantra along the sectarian lines of Saiva, Sakia, and Vaisnava, each with its own canon of texts called tantras. 

The texts may also be classified into those intended for temple worship and those that are about individual rites at home. 

Common myths about rape

The most destructive myths about rape have cast women in the role of being responsible for the rapist’s act. According to this view, women secretly “want” to be raped and really enjoy the experience.  This nonsensical notion has led at least one rapist to give his name and phone number to his victim so she could “get together” with him again. His stupidity led to his immediate arrest. Lurking beneath the surface of this myth are some commonly held misconceptions: women find overpowering men irresistible; women’s rape fantasies indicated a real-life sexual desire; and women dress and act provocatively to “turn on” men, who somehow are the hapless victims of their own reactions to this deliberate provocation.

Closely allied to this view of the woman as instigator is the idea that “she was asking for it, and she got what she deserved. “ According to Susan Brownmiller, a feminist journalist and author of a book Against Our Will, offers an explanation of rape:

The popularity of the belief that a woman seduces or “c--k-teases” a man into rape by incautious behavior, is part of the smoke screen that men throw up to obscure their actions. The insecurity of women runs so deep that many, possibly most, rape victims agonize afterward in an effort to uncover what it was in their behavior, their manner, their dress that triggered this awful act against them.

 Most research shows that rapists look for targets they see as vulnerable (e.g. women walking by themselves, appear unfamiliar with where they are) rather than women who are dressed in a certain way or who have a particular manner of appearance.  The “provocation myth loses its credibility when it is recognized that many rape victims are elderly women or young children. Furthermore, it is a little like believing people should dress in old, worn-out cloths in order to prevent having your purse being snatched, thus misplacing responsibility from the criminal to the victim.

Rape Patterns

Forcible rape is the most common form of rape reported. Here, the act of penile penetration is achieved by force or the threat of force. Several subcategories of forcible rape can be distinguished, although most of these are not legally defined terms. 

Date and Acquaintance Rape

A survey of acquaintance rape at 32 different colleges showed that one out of ten women had been raped in the previous year, and one in six had been the victim of an attempted rape. Fifty-seven percent of the actual rapes occurred on dates, and in 84 percent of the cases, the victims knew their assailant. Other studies suggest that women are four times more likely to be raped by someone they know than by a stranger.

Men who commit rape

There has not been much research on men who commit date rape. Some seem to be driven by a traditional view of the male’s role as sexual aggressor, which leads them to misinterpret cues (even direct, verbal statements) from the woman. Others are simply intent on “scoring,” believing that male-female relations are a sort of game and that the woman “owes” them sex.

Male attitudes about women and rape are slowly changing to a more understanding nature, but there are still some men who see women as sex objects. Much more education is needed to understand sexual rights and the impact rape has on the individual.      

Suicide Warning Signs

Individual motives for suicide vary and not all victims use the same approach for ending their life. However, there are some common warning signs.

Suicides seldom occur without warning. If you are aware of common signs and of changes in behavior, you can recognize and better help a person in crisis. These signs represent behaviours that can serve as a warning sign. The warning signs are usually physical, emotional, and behavioral in nature:

*Neglect of personal appearance

*Sudden changes in manner of dress, especially when the new style is completely out of character

*Chronic or unexplained illness aches and pains.

*Sudden weight gain or loss.

*Sudden change in appetite.

Emotional clues

*Sense of hopelessness, helplessness, or futility.

*Inability to enjoy or appreciate friendships.

*Wide mood changes and sudden outbursts.

*Anxiousness, extreme tension and agitation.

*Lethargy or tiredness.

*Changes in personality, from outgoing to withdrawn, from polite to rude, from complaint to rebellious, from well behaved to “acting out.”

*Loss of the ability to concentrate, daydreaming.

*Depression, sadness.

*Loss of rational thought

*Feelings of guilt and failure.

*Self-destructive thoughts

*Exaggerated fears of cancer, AIDS, or physical impairment

*Feelings of worthlessness or of being a burden

*Loss of enjoyment from activities formerly enjoyed

Behavioral Signs

*Decreased school activity, isolation. Sudden drop in achievement and interest in school subjects

*Loss of interest in hobbies, or sports, work, etc.

*Unexplained use of alcohol or other drugs

*Withdrawal from family and former friends, sometimes acting in a manner which forces others away

*Changing in eating and/or sleeping habits.

*Changes in friendship

*Running away from home, “skipping school.”

*Accident proneness and increase in risk-taking behavior such as careless driving, bike accidents, dangerous use of firearms.

*Sexual promiscuity

*Giving away prized possessions (e.g. CD collection).

*Preoccupation with thoughts of death.

*Sudden changes in personality

*Making a will, writing poetry or stories about suicide or death

*Quietly rutting affairs in order, “taking care of business.”

*Threatening suicide.

*Hoarding pills, hiding weapons, describing methods for committing suicide.

*Previous suicide attempts.

While all of these signs may indicate that a person is experiencing problems, the last five behavioral signs are especially significant because these signs indicate that a decision to complete suicide may have been made. A previous attempt is a particularly important sign. Such an attempt increases the risk of future ones. In any of the signs the key word is CHANGE.

The symptoms of depression, including the list of “acting out” behaviors and the common warning signs for suicide are very similar. Together they provide ways to recognize a person at risk.