Well, that's five bucks I'll never see again!

DO NOT BUY THIS MAGAZINE!

The current issue of Scientific America Mind, is devoted to the differences between males and females.

Normally I don't get these issues, but this one caught my eye because it not only discusses the difference between male and female brains, minds and attitudes, it had an article specifically about transsexuals called

"The Third Gender"
Transsexuals are illuminating
the biology and psychology
of sex—and revealing just how
diverse the human species
really is.
By Jesse Bering

My respect for Sci Am goes back decades, every major scientist from just about every discipline has had an article in here.  It has been around for over 150 years.  It was the major force in proving medical gadgets and snake oil were fakes and not only useless but harmful as well.  It mediated between the AMA and quack "doctors" in proving that their quackery was dangerous and prevented people from seeking proper professional help.  It lead to the formation of the FDA and the stringent medical laws that are on the books now.

I remember reading about black holes when professor Hawkings described them and how they were such a mystery.

The EPR paradox of quantum mechanics was debated and even whether or not the universe had a beginning or was eternal.

So I bought the online version of this issue and read through it.

SciAm has changed much over the years.  When I first started reading it, it was not really a mainstream magazine and had very little background in it for the layperson.

These days it is much more dumbed down.  Most of the articles are pop sci quality and more of an overview rather than an in depth discussion of an idea.

This article was much the same.  It is mostly just an overview of things that we in the community already know: Sex is not gender, gender isn't between your legs, sexual orientation has noting to do with it, etc. And it said rightfully that cross dressing and drag are not necessarily related to transsexuality.

And talks about Chaz Bono and Caster Semenya.  All fine and good, but nothing really new, even to the moderately cognizant layperson.

Ok, fine, tell me something I don't know.

Then it starts quoting from Blanchard Lawence about autogynephilia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Fully one third of the article is devoted to talking about their discredited research.  And put Lawence's book in the further reading information and also lists Zucker's article in the DSM.

I call bullsh!t on this!

There was nothing about other research or anything about the elements of medical research that may point to more physical reasons for this condition.


The Author bio:
Experimental psychologist JESSE BERING is director of the Institute of Cognition and
Culture at the Queen’s University, Belfast. He writes the featured blog “Bering in
Mind” for www.ScientificAmerican.com. Bering’s first book, The Belief Instinct: The
Hidden Psychology of Souls, Destiny and the Meaning of Life, is forthcoming from
W. W. Norton in the fall of 2010.

I am not remotely familiar enough with the field of psychology to recognize this person, nor have I visited their blog.  I may do that later when I calm down.

I am severely disappointed and disheartened that they would allow this rubbish to be published.

Save your money.  There is nothing to see here!

-Sandy