Let's Talk about "->-bleeped-<-" - Meanings

[Shana A]

Let's Talk about "->-bleeped-<-" - Meanings
Filed by: Tobi Hill-Meyer
December 20, 2010 5:00 PM

http://www.bilerico.com/2010/12/lets_talk_about_->-bleeped-<-_-_meanings.php

Two years ago I wrote an article "Is ->-bleeped-<- Offensive?" which still gets cited and referenced. It's a decent breakdown, but after two additional years of watching arguments unfold around the term, I've got a little more to say. This is part one of a three part series.

To begin with, it's important to recognize that "->-bleeped-<-," like most slurs, is used to say more about someone than simply whether they are trans or not. Just as how "this homework is so gay" is less about identifying sexual attraction to other homework of its own gender and more about being generically bad. Similarly, being called a ->-bleeped-<-got or a dyke is often about being too feminine, a sissy, a manhater, or just being unwilling to accept sexual harassment.

So what's the implication of being called a ->-bleeped-<-? Let's get to that under the cut.

[Muffin]

someone who pretends to be the opposite sex? I assume that's how a majority of any public view it. that being said I now know I'm not trans anything. Which is a weight off my shoulders. pheeww!!!

[LordKAT]

Until the internet and just looking around, ->-bleeped-<-(ie) was part of a vehicle.

[Lukas-H]

Until the internet and just looking around, ->-bleeped-<-(ie) was part of a vehicle.

Funnily enough this sort of thing came up just today on a non-trans centered forum I visit. Several people attested to the fact that '->-bleeped-<-' has been used as slang for vehicle transmission in a former work-place.

Here is a direct (anonymous) quote from the forum discussion I mentioned,
"Most of the time when I say ->-bleeped-<- IRL it's in reference to a girl doing something really flamboyant.

Like, "Look at those ->-bleeped-<- hoop earrings!" and "She ->-bleeped-<-ed herself up with those pink nails." and "Reeks of ->-bleeped-<- ghetto staink."

That's what most people, especially younger people mean when they say it. It is still INCREDIBLY offensive. When you say that, it's like you are saying being transgendered is BAD or something.

[rite_of_inversion]

Yep-a ->-bleeped-<-'s a slang term for that part of a car's drivetrain that comes between the engine and the driveshaft, saving the clutch, if it's a stick shift (YAY!)

For instance, used in a small paragraph:
I don't feel like putting a new ->-bleeped-<- in my current car, because that thing has almost 200,000 miles on it and is way too much of a pain to work on.  Every time I have to work on it, I want to choke an auto engineer.

(Although, technically, my car has what's called a transaxle, as it's a front-wheel-drive.)

->-bleeped-<- has become an insult in the TS/TG community, I guess...

But  to a gearhead...a good racing ->-bleeped-<-'s a necessary part. Can't slap a racing motor down on a stock ->-bleeped-<- and expect that to hold out for long.

[Lukas-H]

And using it that would generally be considered acceptable if you were in an environment where it meant transmission, like a car shop, a car race or something with cars.

But most young folk don't even know that '->-bleeped-<-' can mean that, and that's where it becomes hurtful to the TS/TG community is because they are using it in the hurtful way.

The argument I had on the other forums regarding the usage of this word culminated in something pretty nasty, I might just stop visiting those forums.

The guy basically said that because he wasn't using the word in a way that was offensive, I shouldn't be offended and I should grow a backbone because 'Those words were offensive back then, but you see people using ni**er all the time and in Rap music, and there's gay friendly music that uses fa**ot so you should stop being so offended."

Well to be honest, rap music doesn't have much credibility in my mind, and I really like to know of this supposed gay friendly music that uses fa**ot in it.

This person wasn't even involved in the original discussion where someone clearly used the word with a rather innocent intent (this person never insults anyone, they are just a little oblivious) and I started a nice, civil discussion about how that word is often insulting to people. Then this guy had to jump in on his high horse, throw his two cents in and tell us how he used the word IRL, and I told him that he should probably be more considerate because I don't think bio-women nor trans-women like it when you call their fashion sense "->-bleeped-<-ed up".

[tekla]

Yeah, it's part of a car in mechanics land.

But the term really started in the early net chat rooms.  There was no need to distinguish all of us into 10 different kinds of trans groups because there were only 15 of us in the room to begin with.  And chat being what it is, people were looking for a shorthand and ->-bleeped-<- included all of us.  In SF a women with a decades and decades history of helping men develop their feminine side has been known as "The ->-bleeped-<- Mechanic" (a pun on the old meaning), and the longest running drag show has been ->-bleeped-<-shack, a true SF institution. 

It did not start as any sort of hate or insult, it was a term of endearment within the community for each other.

It was some fashion show that early in the 00s used the term 'hot ->-bleeped-<- mess' to describe certain victims of fashion which made it more popular.

[Lukas-H]

Just as I am ignorant of the birth of the word, other people who are (just as ignorant as me) should probably refrain from using it, especially in such insulting ways like I showed an example of. I think that much we can all agree on

It is good to know about the origin of it however.

[SidESlicker]

Mrrr......

I think a word or term is offensive depending on who's saying it and the context.

Take for example the word "dyke." If you write it on some fourteen year old girls locker who just came out and still shy about it, it's a crippling word, like all slurs.

But then when you enter the queer community, "dyke" all of a sudden becomes a term of respect and enpowerment. There are events called "The Dyke March" and special sections at the Pride Parade like the "Dykes on Bikes" and a lot of clubs have "Dyke Nights" specifically because they know there's a crowd for it. Terms like "baby dyke" or "bull dyke" are used to show affection and respect.

So as we take back words, they become powerful, uplifting words that we use to claim our own identity, especially as we become more noticable in the non-queer community.

->-bleeped-<- is the same way. When it's thrown out of a car while you're walking to the grocery store, or whispered about behind your back, it's crippling and hurtful, and how hurtful it is depends on how much you listen to what people say about you and how much you really care about some ->-bleeped-<-s opinion.

But then again, when you get to the community and a Drag Queen performs an amazing number and dedicates it to "all the wonderful ->-bleeped-<-s out in the crowd tonight" It stops being offensive, and it changes the context around it. The more we claim slurs and insults inside our community and start being proud of the way we identify, it changes our language.

Uh... so yeah. Went on a tangent for a bit, but yeah. ->-bleeped-<- can be used as an insult, but it can also be used other things as well. LIke to describe car parts. I think that used as an insult, being a ->-bleeped-<- implies gender or sexuality confusion and shows off one extreme of gender expressioni (like ultra femme with six inch heels with three inch long nails, or super super masculine with chauvnist ways).

*shuffles back to corner* Me? Ramble? noooo

[CaitJ]

In New Zealand, I can remember the word being used to describe transsexual people as early as the late 1980's.
Then again, we're notorious for shortening any word that can't be shouted in a couple of syllables across a paddock.

[tekla]

Well you don't want the sheep to get the wrong idea.

[CaitJ]

Well you don't want the sheep to get the wrong idea.

LOL IRL.