(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

The cover story of the latest edition of the Journal of Consciousness Studies is the eye-catching "Phantom Penises in Transsexuals: Evidence of an Innate Gender-Specific Body Image in the Brain" (abstract here). Now, the phenomenon of "phantom limbs" in amputees is well-known; 60% of men who have had their penises removed experience this, but only 30% of male-to-female transsexuals experience it after their operation. Which is interesting enough, but 60% of female-to-male transsexuals also report experiencing a vivid "phantom penis", including phantom erections - in may cases, since childhood. This leads the researchers to speculate there's a "hard-wired" image of the body, including its physical sex, in the brain. Extremely interesting stuff.

ETA much later: a 2010 followup disputes their calculations.

Comments

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Very interesting indeed!

I imagine this will continue the whole "soups v. sparks, nature v. nurture" war, but fascinating all the same.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

That's really interesting.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

Having read about phantom limbs was something that helped me understand a little how gender dysphoria could be wired into the brain. But I was just thinking of it as semi-analogous. Really interesting if that's actually how it works.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

Also, regarding phantom erections, phantom orgasms, etc.: this has also just made me connect the dots between two other things I read.

One was an account of a pre-op MtF describing what an orgasm feels like, and saying that it matched descriptions she heard from women more than descriptions of male orgasms.

The other was testimony by women who had nerve damage or were paraplegics, and whose erogenous zones transferred themselves to other parts of their bodies, resulting in orgasm from stimulation of some body part that you'd think you wouldn't need for sex.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

If someone patents that latter, they're going to make a fortune.

Warning! TMI may be ahead.

[c4bl3fl4m3.livejournal.com]

This is fascinating stuff.

I'm biologically female and bisexual, but am genderfluid, and feel pretty male quite a bit of the time, especially when it comes to being attracted to women. The "phantom erections" thing only makes sense to me, as there's often times a sensation I get of popping a stiff one when I'm aroused by a woman or by femininity. I call it "having a girlie boner" for someone or something.

Re: Warning! TMI may be ahead.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Fascinating! What I think of as a "girlie hardon" is not the sensation of having the male member, but just the feeling of blood racing to one's area. But you're describing the sensation that Mr John Thomas is actually in your pants - is that right?

Re: Warning! TMI may be ahead.

[c4bl3fl4m3.livejournal.com]

It's sometimes like you've described as a "girlie hardon" but sometimes like having a John Thomas. Sometimes I feel I should look down and have a tent in my trousers.