Transsexual

[Riley Skye]

I hate the term transsexual. It reminds me of a time when we faced heavier discrimination in the medical field. When everyone around us were gatekeepers to prevent us from receiving our medical care, when we had to live in very stereotypical and archaic gender roles just to have the honor to transition. At a time when transphobia was everywhere we looked, when we were being kicked out of the gay rights movement, when we were all assumed to be perverted ->-bleeped-<-s in every part of our lives, When they forced us to live in the closet because it was shameful to be transgender. To me it has the same negative connotations as gender identity disorder has and so much more. It is an outdated and archaic term that conjures up nothing but transphobia. I'm not transsexual, I'm transgender, transfeminine. I am not the archaic stereotype that has plagued us for so many decades!

[Joanna Dark]

I actually feel the opposite. I dislike the word transgender. I'm not changing gender. I'm female. I'm transitioning from I-to-F, medically. So, for me, transsexual fits just fine.

[Valleyrie]

I personally don't like stereotypes and grouping myself into certain categories. I'm just a girl and that's it. Technically I am transgender but I identify as female and nothing else. Sadly, discrimination and ignorance is still prevalent from my experience. Hopefully one day the majority of the population can learn to be accepting and open-minded towards things so people won't have to suffer so much for just being themselves.

[stephaniec]

I personally don't like stereotypes and grouping myself into certain categories. I'm just a girl and that's it. Technically I am transgender but I identify as female and nothing else. Sadly, discrimination and ignorance is still prevalent from my experience. Hopefully one day the majority of the population can learn to be accepting and open-minded towards things so people won't have to suffer so much for just being themselves.

well, someday society will get there I hope. The amt. of progress in the last 100 years is pretty amazing, but how stupid is it that we're still dealing with this crap of racism, bullying, etc.

[Kaylin Kumiho]

Personally I absolutely loathe the word transsexual. To me it's all about the feeling that it instills. It brings to mind a sense of negative deviance, or of an older time. Transgender just fits me so much more, or trans girl... idk, I feel like the word transsexual contributes to society's idea that we are doing this for a sexual reason.

[Riley Skye]

Personally I absolutely loathe the word transsexual. To me it's all about the feeling that it instills. It brings to mind a sense of negative deviance, or of an older time. Transgender just fits me so much more, or trans girl... idk, I feel like the word transsexual contributes to society's idea that we are doing this for a sexual reason.

And that is precisely why i hate it. Like I just cannot stand these old cissexist terms

[Juliett]

I feel the same way. I've always hated the word  transsexual for some reason, it just sounds so abrasive and harsh. I've always preferred transgender, it just sounds more tender and non sexual to me. Transsexual just makes me think of porn and prostitution.

[Auroramarianna]

The problem is not the word itself, to me. More like the negative stereotypes tied to it. Most people associate transsexualism to sexual deviancy, promiscuity and sex work. Being transsexual does not imply this at all. However I do not think we are better off throwing prostitutes or mentally ill people under the bus and shouting that we are not like them. We are othering other groups the same way people other us. We need to remind ourselves that many trans girls do sex work to survive as a last resort as well as prostitues in general. And, instead of just trying to dissociate the word from all the harsh realities that surround it, we just should just explain how the things are unrelated but there are indeed trans prostitues because they have no easier way to survive, which doesn't mean all tgirls are prostitutes. Only when we recognize these issues will they be addressed.

[androgynouspainter26]

You know, I've sort of come to the conclusion that the two are entirely separate concepts.  Trans 101 is that sex and gender are different, albiet closely associated topics, right?  So can't someone feel the need to change their sex without changing their gender and vice versa?  It's how I identify-as transexual but also genderqueer.  I think we have a habit of turning against one another because each experience is different and we tend to lump everything together. 

Some people feel the need to change their body.  Some feel the need to change their gender.  The two are completely different in my opinion.  Both are valid.

[monica93304]

I've been around the scene for almost 30 years.  I lived in one of the meccas for transsexual women.  LA and Hollywood.  I can tell you that there are considerably more offensive words than the word transsexual.

Let me list them:

->-bleeped-<-
->-bleeped-<-
shim
->-bleeped-<-got
freak


So on, and so forth.  The word transsexual is the correct term if you will.  Since we weren't born with the correct plumbing for who we know we are in our minds, it is what it is.  I can deal with being called transgendered, transsexual.  In fact, if I didn't want or didn't have the choice to have a sex change and I could only have one of two markers T (trans) or M (male) on my ID, I'll take the T gender marker any day.

I don't think we need to get hung up so much on being called a transsexual.  It's not the worlds problem that we feel that we were born in the wrong gender.  It is nice when they comprehend and sympathize with our fight. I know we have many allies.  I'm not here on earth to make anybody else happy with my appearance.  My friends treat me as a female, and for that I'm grateful.

[Lady_Oracle]

I have no issue with the word transsexual, what Monica listed are the words that bother me the most. I hate those words so much because its basically invalidating my female self. Transsexual is just a medical term that I believe fits just right. But at the same time none of these words completely define who I am, I'm a woman first and foremost. Transition is what I had to undergo to save my life, a medical necessity.

[awilliams1701]

To be honest I don't like any of the T words used to describe us. They all have negative stereotypes associated with them.

[androgynouspainter26]

Why do we have to ban words because a few people have used them as insults?  I've never understood it.  What offends us isn't the word, it's the thought behind that word, and banning them isn't going to get us anywhere, it just lets us hide from the problem.

[Megan Joanne]

I have no issue with the word transsexual, what Monica listed are the words that bother me the most. I hate those words so much because its basically invalidating my female self. Transsexual is just a medical term that I believe fits just right. But at the same time none of these words completely define who I am, I'm a woman first and foremost. Transition is what I had to undergo to save my life, a medical necessity.

^This.

I hate the term transsexual. It reminds me of a time when we faced heavier discrimination in the medical field. When everyone around us were gatekeepers to prevent us from receiving our medical care, when we had to live in very stereotypical and archaic gender roles just to have the honor to transition. At a time when transphobia was everywhere we looked, when we were being kicked out of the gay rights movement, when we were all assumed to be perverted ->-bleeped-<-s in every part of our lives, When they forced us to live in the closet because it was shameful to be transgender. To me it has the same negative connotations as gender identity disorder has and so much more. It is an outdated and archaic term that conjures up nothing but transphobia. I'm not transsexual, I'm transgender, transfeminine. I am not the archaic stereotype that has plagued us for so many decades!

Yes, it sucks that the term has been associated with people thinking it for something sexual, like we're sex fiends or perverts or something, but oh well, that's the unfairness of life. It wouldn't matter what we were coined as being called we'd still be looked at the same way for those that are or choose to be ignorant of the truths about us.

People want to know or for some reason I have to tell or explain it to others I tell them I'm a male to female transsexual, then go into a quick sum up explanation of what that is. Most people know what the word transsexual is, but its up to us as transsexuals to educate those that don't understand what it is to be one, that it isn't something we do for sexual perversity, nor just to play dress up, or other oddball reason that most envision us to be.

[Veronica M]

Just my two cents here but for me, I'm Veronica... Plain and simple. And while yes I am in transition, I am just me. If someone chooses to label me with a name or definition so be it. I think the only name I was bothered about at first was the label "Drag Queen" but then I realized people using this term and others like that are merely stereotyping and it is their problem / hang up and not mine. Fact of the matter is I personally think we get far to sensitive about all this label stuff. I mean really does it really matter what someone else chooses to call you. Bottom line if it is something other than your name they are just showing their lack of understanding. That or they are trying to understand you by placing you in a category. I don't even get hung up on pronouns anymore, and worry much less about the whole pass / fail thing as well. As long as I am comfortable as myself who really gives a rats ass what other people think. After all you are the one that has to live with yourself, and not them.

[Riley Skye]

It also leaves a bad taste in my mouth because it sounds like a sexual orientation like heterosexual and bisexual. I think transgender is more accurate because it is about gender and not sex. For me it has negative connotations and yes there are worse things but I personally just don't like it.

[androgynouspainter26]

But for some of us, it IS about sex.  We can't impose our own personal perspectives on everyone else.  For some people, it's about sex and for others it's about gender.  For me it's about both. 

[Riley Skye]

But for some of us, it IS about sex.  We can't impose our own personal perspectives on everyone else.  For some people, it's about sex and for others it's about gender.  For me it's about both.

And that is perfectly fine, for me it is a bad term. Also we can't go policing each others terms but we do need to have such discussions about what's comfortable for ourselves

[Susan522]

"You know, I've sort of come to the conclusion that the two are entirely separate concepts.  Trans 101 is that sex and gender are different, albiet closely associated topics, right?  So can't someone feel the need to change their sex without changing their gender and vice versa?  It's how I identify-as transexual but also genderqueer.  I think we have a habit of turning against one another because each experience is different and we tend to lump everything together. 

Some people feel the need to change their body.  Some feel the need to change their gender.  The two are completely different in my opinion.  Both are valid."[/i]

BRAVO!  It seems that at least somebody has a clue.

[kelly_aus]

Whether you like the word or not is a moot point. It's word with a clear medical definition, one you either fit or you don't.