Ironically, I've actually ran into stereotypes in the trans community itself on occasion. Here are some I've ran into and have been told to me by other trans women -- yes, I've had other trans women telling me to be such and such away etc, Here are some off the top examples of ones I've had, as well as others, and stuff that I over hear with the constant drama that goes on locally, and on the web sometimes:
1. You need to be more girly. Wear skirts more often. Is that a boy t-shirt with a metal band on it you're wearing?
2. It's a waste if you don't like men and get SRS (because, yeah, you can't do anything with your vag in a lesbian relationship).
3. You can't cut your hair short, and you definitely can't buzz it! Long hair is important for "blending in." (Hey, where's those clippers again... hehe)
4. You need to wear more make up, and be sure you look very girly all of the time.
5. WTF? you're MtF and you're a drag king? You can't
really be trans, or it must be some form of regret or something.
6. This is what you're supposed to do to transition -- it worked for me, it will work for you.
7. Insert tons of trans drama here about how so and so must not be really trans because they act differently. Be nice to their faces when you see them, then talk behind their backs again.
8. You need to have FFS in order to live as a women, even though you have no issues at the moment with your current face; and then you ask your non-trans friends what they think and they say, "Urm, maybe braces? You look cute to me." Then you realize your friends and loved ones are the ones that actually matter.
9. Bigger boobs = better. And if you don't want big boobs, there must be something wrong with you. Having small boobs and being okay with it is a trans sin.
10. You must be stealth. #11 just can't blend it, so she's got to make us all look bad and stand out.
11. Number 10 is wrong! Being stealth is selfish, fight for our rights!
12. You must use these terms, and not those terms. Don't listen to the other person, they don't know what the are talking about in terms. Especially the person in #13
13. I don't agree with #12's terms, use the terms I use. And WTF? Did you just call SRS "slice-n-dice-to-make-everything-nice" and refer it as your "pussy-cat surgery" as well? That's just plain wrong! Use the correct terms, but not the other ones so and so says, and put two ss in transsexual, not one, and urm, don't just say trans or transgender.
13. You have to speak with a high pitch, a very high pitch, sorta like like Minnie Mouse.
And it goes on and on and on. I just say, "Fu#k you, I'm clearing my own path don't let the door hit your as$ on the way out." I actually find it interesting how many transitioning women focus so much on transitioning and being perfect, they almost lose themselves, but chase after the ideal golden egg. I just do what ever, I do fine, and go along my merry way being myself -- even if others don't agree with my methods... but hey, at least I'm happy and in the end, that's all that matters. I'm not living for everyone else's approval (I lived too many years in my past trying that route). And if some douche bag on the street asking if I'm a dude or a girl, who the fu#k cares; that's one small, insignificant person in the whole scheme of life. Not even a milli-millisecond. So why give that tiny jackas$ so much power over you and your happiness? I just be who I am with out apology. >
--natalie
