The Cisgender Test for Understanding

For the last two years I have tried to come up with an effective way to describe the incredibly overpowering force gender dysphoria is to someone who is cisgender and has no clue.

I think this works.

“How much money would you want to completely change your gender, including surgery, and live as the opposite gender for the rest of your life?”

“The money cannot be shared or given to anyone else.” This would prevent someone claiming they would sacrifice themselves for others.

The goal is to isolate how important your gender identification is using money as a measuring stick.

What is it truly worth to you?

Cisgender men seem to have the hardest time with MTF transitioning. Why would anyone want to give up male privileges and want to be a woman? I am not sure what precisely would be a valid test for a cisgender woman but the bluntest test for men would be to simply ask a how much money it would take for a cisgender guy to willingly cut of his genitalia.

The reaction would be totally predictable.

You have to appreciate the inherent humor in the fact that I am going to pay a surgeon a large amount of money to do exactly that.