Transphobia within the community?

[jussie]

I just wondered if anyone had come across transphobia or discrimination within the transgender community? let me explain briefly what I mean, I have noticed a lot that transsexuals who are quite far down the line can be very reluctant to engage with anyone who is not deemed "passable" or who is openly transsexual. I have seen this quirw a lot on various social sites on the net.

I have in the past tried to be friendly to other trans people but have been hastily knocked back and informed that I'm not passable enough or genuine enough for them to talk to me and that they risk being outed if they associate with me or people like me, Surely this is still Transphobic behaviour even though it's within the trans community?

[quinn]

Sounds like transphobic behavior to me, though stemmed from their own insecurities rather than a generalized hate for anyone who doesn't fit their idea of what's "normal." Whether you pass well or not shouldn't dictate how others treat you, particularly in the trans community where it is kinda ironic that they refuse to associate with you, when they themselves no doubt went through their own stage of not passing as well as they presumably do now. As for the supposed "risk of being outed," that's just total BS because even if you don't pass well at all, people aren't going to assume that the person you're hanging out with is also trans unless they don't pass well either.