5 ms·

> personally affected because they are trans That's something I find surprising about reddit - I can't remember what the exact percentage is, but I think it's

> personally affected because they are trans That's something I find surprising about reddit - I can't remember what the exact percentage is, but I think it's something like 0.1% of the world population is trans... but it seems like 90% of the moderators on reddit are. What is it about reddit that attracts them?

Toutouxc 4y ago
I have similar questions about the apparent over-representation of LGBT people among high-profile software developers, but it feels like it's never okay to ask those questions.
- Natsu 4y ago
  I've heard some theorize that there's a link with ADHD, but I don't claim to know for sure: https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/5v6wlq/adderall_and_gender_dysphoria/ https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/5v6wlq/adde...
- baby 4y ago
  My own explanation is that to be good at computer science you need to have had spent a lot of time in front of a computer during your childhood. The LGBT community used to be much less (and still is in most places) accepted IRL, and as such you'd have to find your community online. So here you have it, that's my theory, a lot of LGBTs spent a lot of time online and then got hooked on computer science stuff.
- nostromo 4y ago
  Part of it is Alphabet Tourism. I'm gay and many of my legit LGBT friends have noticed a trend where lots of younger folks are claiming to be queer, bi, non-binary, asexual, pansexual, trans, etc., without a lot of evidence that they're anything other than a straight person looking to feel special.
  - fleddr 4y ago
    Same thing on Mastodon, which I tried for a month or so. It seems every single profile you open some of the claims you mention are there, followed by disabled, and a bunch of (self-diagnosed?) mental illnesses. It's like they're collecting pokemons. And it's not used as a list of characteristics, it's their "identity" and an accomplishment. It is center to every single thing they say, whom they associate with, etc.
  - ilyt 4y ago
    "You are now banned from /r/games" lmao
  - DiscourseFan 4y ago
    I'm done with even calling myself gay or straight or anything, the moment you do you are surrounded by insufferable people.
- yellowapple 4y ago
  One possible factor is that GSRMs are still widely persecuted and thus are not inclined to be "out of the closet" about it. That's also why people can get a bit defensive about asking questions; enough people ask such questions in bad faith that it makes it hard to identify when someone's asking in good faith.
jimmygrapes 4y ago
Perhaps it's because they feel more comfortable expressing themselves in a pseudoanonymous forum. Perhaps they discovered that they were trans by virtue of being eternally online. I believe it is the latter to a great extent. I don't know if there are any studies of this (or if studying such things is even permitted), but in my own fairly small family/friends groups there are 6 people (out of around 30 or 40) who have apparently learned they are trans within the last 6 years, and to a person they are highly active on social media, chat rooms, and reddit or other internet forum sites (resetera, kiwifarms, 4chan, etc.). Prior to becoming internet addicts, not one of them expressed any behaviors or interests suggesting they were born the wrong gender, despite it being relatively acceptable in their social groups prior.
- fleddr 4y ago
  Just learned this week that an extended family member is trans. Not a single sign of gender dysphoria throughout her entire 21 years of life. 6 months of university and surgery is pending. The social contagion is so plain to see but I guess talking about it is a taboo.
  - TheFreim 4y ago
    > The social contagion is so plain to see but I guess talking about it is a taboo. This is very sad yet, regrettably, very true. It is becoming increasingly popular to promote drugging and mutilating not only adults, which is bad enough, but also children. This goes far beyond just the most obvious extreme of so-called "transgenders" but also beyond to the entire "LGBT" complex. I've personally heard, firsthand, college students express sadness about being "straight" or put various "identities" on a pedestal.
  - BonoboIO 4y ago
    Acting like you are trans, why not, who cares. What ever feels good to you. Surgery is permanent, and we all did stupid things in the past. 6 month is pretty short for a life changing surgery where there is probably no comeback.
    - 4y ago
TheFreim 4y ago
> What is it about reddit that attracts them? The internet is the only place where the reality of who they really, down right to the DNA, really are. In real life, in the average case, it's not difficult to see that someone is a man dressing as a woman or vice versa, not so on the internet. When you combine this with the near-complete domination of certain political ideologies on the site it becomes much clearer.
bobsmooth 4y ago
There's a big overlap between people with autism and people that are trans.
- ChickenNugger 4y ago
  Yep. Same with speedrunning community, autism, and trans. In the Jordan Peterson interview with Chloe Cole is where I learned that autism is correlated if not causally related to transitioning. Two hour interview warning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3MzPeomqs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3MzPeomqs
  - ilyt 4y ago
    I find it funny that the same kind of people seem to attack Jordan Peterson and not it "here is why you are wrong and here is evidence" way but in "<a bunch of insults>" way.
paganel 4y ago
Many such cases.
mannyv 4y ago
“On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” A corollary to that might be “on the Internet you can be whatever you want to be.”

Toutouxc 4y ago

I have similar questions about the apparent over-representation of LGBT people among high-profile software developers, but it feels like it's never okay to ask those questions.

Natsu 4y ago
I've heard some theorize that there's a link with ADHD, but I don't claim to know for sure: https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/5v6wlq/adderall_and_gender_dysphoria/ https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/5v6wlq/adde...
baby 4y ago
My own explanation is that to be good at computer science you need to have had spent a lot of time in front of a computer during your childhood. The LGBT community used to be much less (and still is in most places) accepted IRL, and as such you'd have to find your community online. So here you have it, that's my theory, a lot of LGBTs spent a lot of time online and then got hooked on computer science stuff.
nostromo 4y ago
Part of it is Alphabet Tourism. I'm gay and many of my legit LGBT friends have noticed a trend where lots of younger folks are claiming to be queer, bi, non-binary, asexual, pansexual, trans, etc., without a lot of evidence that they're anything other than a straight person looking to feel special.
- fleddr 4y ago
  Same thing on Mastodon, which I tried for a month or so. It seems every single profile you open some of the claims you mention are there, followed by disabled, and a bunch of (self-diagnosed?) mental illnesses. It's like they're collecting pokemons. And it's not used as a list of characteristics, it's their "identity" and an accomplishment. It is center to every single thing they say, whom they associate with, etc.
- ilyt 4y ago
  "You are now banned from /r/games" lmao
- DiscourseFan 4y ago
  I'm done with even calling myself gay or straight or anything, the moment you do you are surrounded by insufferable people.
yellowapple 4y ago
One possible factor is that GSRMs are still widely persecuted and thus are not inclined to be "out of the closet" about it. That's also why people can get a bit defensive about asking questions; enough people ask such questions in bad faith that it makes it hard to identify when someone's asking in good faith.

jimmygrapes 4y ago

Perhaps it's because they feel more comfortable expressing themselves in a pseudoanonymous forum. Perhaps they discovered that they were trans by virtue of being eternally online. I believe it is the latter to a great extent. I don't know if there are any studies of this (or if studying such things is even permitted), but in my own fairly small family/friends groups there are 6 people (out of around 30 or 40) who have apparently learned they are trans within the last 6 years, and to a person they are highly active on social media, chat rooms, and reddit or other internet forum sites (resetera, kiwifarms, 4chan, etc.). Prior to becoming internet addicts, not one of them expressed any behaviors or interests suggesting they were born the wrong gender, despite it being relatively acceptable in their social groups prior.

fleddr 4y ago
Just learned this week that an extended family member is trans. Not a single sign of gender dysphoria throughout her entire 21 years of life. 6 months of university and surgery is pending. The social contagion is so plain to see but I guess talking about it is a taboo.
- TheFreim 4y ago
  > The social contagion is so plain to see but I guess talking about it is a taboo. This is very sad yet, regrettably, very true. It is becoming increasingly popular to promote drugging and mutilating not only adults, which is bad enough, but also children. This goes far beyond just the most obvious extreme of so-called "transgenders" but also beyond to the entire "LGBT" complex. I've personally heard, firsthand, college students express sadness about being "straight" or put various "identities" on a pedestal.
- BonoboIO 4y ago
  Acting like you are trans, why not, who cares. What ever feels good to you. Surgery is permanent, and we all did stupid things in the past. 6 month is pretty short for a life changing surgery where there is probably no comeback.
  - 4y ago

TheFreim 4y ago

> What is it about reddit that attracts them? The internet is the only place where the reality of who they really, down right to the DNA, really are. In real life, in the average case, it's not difficult to see that someone is a man dressing as a woman or vice versa, not so on the internet. When you combine this with the near-complete domination of certain political ideologies on the site it becomes much clearer.

bobsmooth 4y ago

There's a big overlap between people with autism and people that are trans.

ChickenNugger 4y ago
Yep. Same with speedrunning community, autism, and trans. In the Jordan Peterson interview with Chloe Cole is where I learned that autism is correlated if not causally related to transitioning. Two hour interview warning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3MzPeomqs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3MzPeomqs
- ilyt 4y ago
  I find it funny that the same kind of people seem to attack Jordan Peterson and not it "here is why you are wrong and here is evidence" way but in "<a bunch of insults>" way.

paganel 4y ago

Many such cases.

mannyv 4y ago

“On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” A corollary to that might be “on the Internet you can be whatever you want to be.”