(2009) Gender Quest: Alexander Cannon

Name: Alexander Cannon

Talk Title: “Gender Quest”

Notes: Faculty of Arts, Music, DMA in Trumpet Performance, 4th year.

Topic: Alex discusses the influence of gender in his own life in this TEDx talk, describing both medical and social perspectives of gender in our daily lives and the impact and consequences these perspectives bring to every individual.

Links:
http://transhealth.vch.ca/
http://terry.ubc.ca/tedxterrytalks.

Filmed by Craig Ross at TEDx Terry talks 2009 (October 3rd, 2009). Video edited by David Ng.

1. I.N.

   This is a fantastic talk! One of my best friends has gender dysphoria and is now finally able to begin his transitioning. I too have wondered why gender seems to be so important in our society. I think it’s amazing that you’re putting this out there/sharing your own experience with us.

   Nov 9th, 2009

2. Mike

   Fantastic. Really, just a fantastic talk. Like I.N, I have a close friend who’s now in the process of transitioning and I’m going to pass her this link.

   Thanks for your perspective, Alex. More people really need to hear it!

   Nov 13th, 2009

3. megan

   I think there is more to this than plain transgenders. There is a wide range of sexual expression and asexual/bisexual sexuality gendered persons can have and not be intersexed nor trans. That doesn’t demand a hormone treatment or the world to see you as either sex. I identify as female but fully allow myself to express what society says is normally masculine but is just a matter or level of dominance and control in interactions and sexual attraction. I finally decided screw the world, I’m a an asexual les-bi tom-boi, I can express either sex how I like and pull off looking like either to whatever degree I choose. But for the most part it ends up non-sexed non-gender specific.

   I surprising am attracted to others who float in that middle range of asexual expression/outward, either male or female, straight or gay, but who can express either gender behavioral traits/emotions openly and naturally,self acceptingly.

   Why worry about money spending on therapy or drugs unless you have a real engrained for seeing yourself with the exact gender physiology of the opposite sex? Or is it due to needing it recognized and excepted by a gender obsessed society instead of just yourself and loved ones?

   Nov 13th, 2009

4. Brenda Lana Smith R af D

   May I implore all viewers to widely share this excellent insightful video on dissociative gender identification…

   Thank you Alexander for being so professionally openly you…

   Brenda…

   Nov 15th, 2009

5. Deborah

   Thank you so much for having the courage to speak about your experience and to present the evidence that science has found to this point.

   I do wonder if an actual autopsy has to be done to assess the hypothalmus or if it could be done with an MRI? If it can, why wouldn’t this have been done?

   This was a great presentation. I learned a lot from it. Thank you again.

   Nov 15th, 2009

6. Neil Carr

   Very good. Pigeonholing people’s sexuality has always irritated me, but how to convince the (internally) dishonest majority of breeders is a problem, Alexander Cannon argues it well.
   Thank you
   Neil

   Nov 15th, 2009

7. DM

   Thank you so much Alexander.

   I have a young child who may be transgendered (he has very strong gender non-conforming behaviours and expresses a wish to become a girl when he grows up). I would love to chat with you, if possible, to get some feedback from your perspective on how best to support a young child with gender variant behaviours, how to deal with potential issues at school, etc. Are you on facebook? Could I send you an email?

   Nov 15th, 2009

8. CatherineCC

   DM – If you don’t know about TYFA yet, you should take a look at their website. You’re not the only one in that situation.

   http://imatyfa.org/

   Nov 15th, 2009

9. Shabna Khan

   I admire you. And I also admire the society, which allows its citizens’ to say what it really matters, whether a ‘boy” or a “girl.” i also hope that this freedom of being whoever you are arrives in societies where transgender individuals, despite all other talents they posess, are abandoned by their families and there is no constructive role for them, except that they are ridiculed, or pitied.

   Nov 16th, 2009

10. Barbara Nash

    Nice presentation Alex. However, as a transwoman and scientist, I have to say that I have serious concerns about the rigor of the scientific study you mentioned (Kruijver et al., 2000), and related studies by the Dutch group (Zhou, 1995; Chung et al, 2002). I don’t have the space here to go into the details of my critique. However, I will point out that in 2000, the size differences in the BSTc between men and women were attributed to prenatal influences. In 2002, they concluded the sexual dimorphism occurred at puberty. I don’t trust either of the results, but they certainly can’t have it both ways. Further we know that pre-pubescent children may have strong transgender identities. At any rate, I would not put all my eggs in one scientific basket when it comes to the etiology of transsexualism.

    Nov 16th, 2009

11. Al Cannon

    Hello all – thank you very much for the comments, I and the other 2009 TEDx talkers are pleased you would take the time to comment on the videos!

    First off, yes, DM, please feel free to find me on facebook (Alexander Cannon from Vancouver BC). And, the website CatherineCC posted may also be quite helpful for you, as may be this link –

    http://www.ctys.org/about_CTYS/FamiliesInTransition.htm

    To Barbara Nash, thank you for the more thorough scientific information. From what I have read about the BSTc from various sources, I agree that there is much conflicting information, and hence leaves the understanding inconclusive. Yet, no matter when development occurs, it is my understanding that there is a direct correlation between this area of the brain and internal gender variance. With the limited time, I felt it best to give a quick background about what little we do know – that there is a difference in the brain, in some way. Further, I don’t believe it would matter if there was not a difference in the brain at all – hopefully the talk conveyed my opinion that no matter a person’s physicality, every person should feel free to be comfortable expressing any form of gender on any conceived spectrum.

    When speaking about trans issues, I rely primarily on the paper “Atypical Gender Development” from 2003 by members of the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES), which held a symposium in London in the same year. And for more information about the many branches of gender, http://www.gender.org/ is also a great source.

    Cheers! -al

    Nov 16th, 2009

12. DM

    Hello again. I tried to find you on facebook but wasn’t successful. Could you please contact me instead? Donna Bigelow, Toronto network. Thanks!

    Nov 18th, 2009

13. GC

    Thank you Alexander, your lecture is very helpful, and explains everything in a way that many people can understand.

    Dear Megan and to all that are still confused despite Alexander’s great lecture, you are confusing gender identity with gender expression and sexuality. The three as Alexander explained are 3 different things and are independent from sex or as I see it sex, gender identity , gender expression and sexuality are 4 independent variables.

    Dec 29th, 2009

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