Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transgender talk => Topic started by: MugwortPsychonaut on April 17, 2014, 11:53:49 PM

Title: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: MugwortPsychonaut on April 17, 2014, 11:53:49 PM
We all get this. Or, most of us do. Or Christ, I do! "What the f--- are you? What the f--- is that?" My new response is that I'm a human being.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: MadeleineG on April 18, 2014, 12:21:44 AM
water, proteins, lipids, various inorganic compounds...
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 12:26:21 AM
Quote from: MugwortPsychonaut on April 17, 2014, 11:53:49 PM
... I'm a human being.

Nice response, but seriously what kind of person asks a question like that?
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Jill F on April 18, 2014, 12:31:42 AM
I was you before I came out as trans.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: MugwortPsychonaut on April 18, 2014, 01:14:13 AM
Quote from: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 12:26:21 AM
Nice response, but seriously what kind of person asks a question like that?

I live in Philadelphia.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: immortal gypsy on April 18, 2014, 01:23:09 AM
I'm me


Quote from: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 12:26:21 AM
Nice response, but seriously what kind of person asks a question like that?
Drunks and gamblers (personal experience)
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 01:41:36 AM
Quote from: MugwortPsychonaut on April 18, 2014, 01:14:13 AM
I live in Philadelphia.

um, OK? Doesn't mean much to me, I live in Australia.  :P
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: big kim on April 18, 2014, 01:54:34 AM
WTF's it got to do with you? my usual reply or why are you interested
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: TerriT on April 18, 2014, 02:17:53 AM
People don't ask me that. They refer to me as "you" "client" "customer" "person" etc. if they need to. Nobody confronts me like that but I am very particular about where I go and the situations I put myself in.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: HoneyBunny on April 18, 2014, 02:36:36 AM
people seldom ask me what gender i am, but rather seem to don't use pronouns. However when they do ask I normally say something like the gif.

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_lpsm1oj90w1qgig3a.gif&hash=0717d80e6b0b9436ca0ba3b2cb6fbb54ed91c402)

Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: FalseHybridPrincess on April 18, 2014, 03:27:03 AM
When someone asks me what are you my reply is "I dont know what I am"

lol
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Cindy on April 18, 2014, 04:01:33 AM
I don't think anyone would dare say that to me >:-)
And never twice.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Northern Jane on April 18, 2014, 04:49:54 AM
That used to happen to me in my teens and my response was "Whatever you are looking for, I am the opposite!"
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Carrie Liz on April 18, 2014, 05:50:55 AM
I've often dreamed of various witty retorts if someone asked me this... for example:
-"If you have to ask, you don't need to know."
-Either "Take your pick, I don't care" or its opposite, "What kind of man has a shape like this, mister?"
-"What are you, the genital police?"

Fortunately, the situation has never come up. During my andro phase, anyone who couldn't tell right away just avoided pronouns altogether. And some did hilarious things like calling me "she," calling me "he," then calling me "she" again without even realizing what they'd just said.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Alyssa Rae on April 18, 2014, 07:37:34 AM
My response would probably be something smart ass like "better than you".  Your reply is perfect though.  It hits every note on why that's such a disrespectful and innappropriate question to ask anyone, without any hostility.  Seriously, people need to wake up and open their eyes and hearts.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: TeaCoffee on April 18, 2014, 07:59:04 AM
I haven't been brave enough to go out, yet, but that is a question I'm afraid of hearing. I really like your answer, and will remember it :)
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: MugwortPsychonaut on April 18, 2014, 01:06:04 PM
Quote from: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 01:41:36 AM
um, OK? Doesn't mean much to me, I live in Australia.  :P

Philly's one of the most miserable, violent cities in America. For all the art and culture we have here, we also have huge sections of the city that are covered in dog ->-bleeped-<- and littered with... litter. Nobody cares. Blue-collar, cheesesteak-eating, sweatpants-wearing, racist, jingoist, homophobic, transphobic slobs. Obnoxious, self-important dirtbags who own six vehicles and run the engines, just because they can.

I think this photo sums it up:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Genos_Steaks.JPG/320px-Genos_Steaks.JPG)

Note the giant cheesesteak at the top. There's propaganda all over that place, calling for the death of Mumia Abu-Jamal. (Disclaimer: I know nothing about the facts of that case.) They have a policy that all orders must be made in English. They print stickers with the owner's picture in front of an American flag, and it reads, "Press 1 for English. Press 2 for deportation."

A friend of mine also got spit on there, for leaning up on his boyfriend.

I love South Philly, because you can do whatever you want, and there's nobody to tell you not to. I hate South Philly, because ANYBODY can do whatever they want, and there's nobody to tell them not to.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Ms Grace on April 18, 2014, 02:22:18 PM
That kind of makes it quiet a bit clearer! :-X
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Rachel on April 18, 2014, 04:36:28 PM
I like your reply.

I will not eat at Gino's steaks.

I love some parts of Philadelphia, fears some parts and have worked and lived there all my life.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: Amy1988 on April 18, 2014, 05:16:08 PM
Quote from: MugwortPsychonaut on April 17, 2014, 11:53:49 PM
We all get this. Or, most of us do. Or Christ, I do! "What the f--- are you? What the f--- is that?" My new response is that I'm a human being.

Fortunately I'm passable enough as female that no one knows so I don't have any problems.  Thank God!  But what's  interesting is people at places I visit regularly who have figured it out are always nice to me and use the female pronouns without reservations.  In fact I think most people would not feel comfortable referring to me as a sir.  I don't look like a sir so they don't seem to have any problem with miss, mam sweetheart, darling,  baby.  I guess I got luck in that respect.  Honestly I don't think people have a problem with other people being transgendered.  I think the problem they have is when they don't pass.  It's shocking to see a masculine man presenting as female and to be honest I have experienced the same shock. I'm going to get flack for this but I've seen transgender men that weren't passable and I was like "oh my God".  Please don't take that the wrong way because my point is that such reactions are automatic.  People are very visually oriented.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: JessicaElle on April 23, 2014, 08:28:51 PM
I am very fortunate to have never been asked this...that is extremely rude, i can't imagine any civilized human being asking that questions lol.
Title: Re: When people say, "What are you?"
Post by: MugwortPsychonaut on April 23, 2014, 09:20:00 PM
I mean, I'm not super masculine. I was always a feminine boy. I'm 31 now, and I look way younger. My body's soaking up the hormones really quickly. After a year or so on estrogen and getting my facial hair lasered, I shouldn't really have these problems.