Over time, transsexuals have fought against being pressured into mandated stealth, stereotypical homosexuals, an extension of 'queer', and now into being redefined as 'trans'. Is the current interpretation of 'transness' now the true self-expression of transsexuals? Or is it yet another coerced self-interpretation and an imposed self-expression that may work for some, but not for others? Are some transsexuals' minds and bodies colonized, yet again? Within a framework of gender-torture and imperialistic governance, many transsexual life experiences are manufactured, destroyed or erased. What does this do to the individuals subjected to such experiences? How are people manufactured into what is acceptable, but not who they are? What would it take for society, service providers, friends, and allies to recognize this? How can individual transsexuals finally realize their own dreams, explore their own selves, and be celebrated for their authentic complexities?

Trans communities are in the headlines. Everybody has an opinion on 'what transsexuality is'. But how do trans people themselves describe being trans? This community based study examined this question. Findings include that the diversity and complexity of people's experience by far exceeds what is commonly acknowledged. Physical embodiment and social acceptance are important to trans people, but the most unifying themes are self-finding, self-realization and spirituality. Experiences described cover a wide range. They can in fact be mutually exclusive. This suggests that any simplistic 'one fits all' explanation will be oppressive to at least some trans people. In a sad twist, the research finds that trans people who challenge the clinical model of transsexuality the most, are also the ones who most likely will not participate in clinical studies - thus guaranteeing that much of the diversity within communities remains hidden - except to community based research like the one at hand.