So, I hated the word transitioning because for me it meant a change from something to something.

But for me there has never been such a change, I am and always have been a female...

So, anyway, I fund a site where the author of a commentary, Dr. Ng MD from Case Western Reserve University, mentions that a better term for transitioning is the term "gender identity affirmation," which can be nicely fitted as; "I started my gender identity affirmation journey in... " or even better, a shorter version: "I started my gender affirmation journey in..."

Beautiful don't you think?

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/418/reply

BTW Dr. Ng attributes the new paradigm to the WPATH, but I did not double checked this claim

Hmmm,  I think it is a more explicit description, but it's a mouthful.  "Transitioning" just flows so freely in verbal or written communication... however inarticulate of a term it actually may be.  To me, the beauty of "gender identity affirmation" is that it makes no apologies for being transgendered and just casts the transition part as an inevitable step forward.

I use the word "inventing" because of its Latin roots. It literally means "to come into"--think veni, vidi, vici; that first veni is the 1st person singular perfect active indicative of invenio, invenire, inveni, inventus(mas.) -a(fem.) -um (neut.) (whichever gender you prefer!). The "in" is just the prefix for in or into. So literally, "come into."

I would agree with you, I despise the term transition. I dislike classifying myself as a transsexual, transgendered, transwoman. I'm just a woman who is inventing her own gender expression for the first time, and it is some 12 years overdue. 

I don't know about gender identity affirmation. It is kinda long, but if you like it use it. Use whatever you like to describe yourself. People may argue that its too confusing, but those people are to obsessed with categorization--a thing I have come to despise. We're all unique, and while most of us on this forum may share similar experiences, we are not the same people. In reality, we have nothing in common with eachother--unless you want to say we're all human--I'd agree with you there! 

meam propriam femineam inveniam. (Its been awhile since I've done Latin, may be a bit rusty!)

I would prefer "regeneration", but then again I am a Whoven.

I think if you get too carried away with trying to use such terminology to explain things, you're just going to come off as a snake oil salesperson to your average person. Most people have a pretty narrow view of gender and somethings they can get easier than others. Personally I don't care that someone sees me as having changed from one to the other so long as they respect my identity where I am at now. I think its better that way than someone just thinking "wtf kind of drugs are you on?" when trying to get too fancy with it.

I agree with Jaime, there's entirely too much over-thinking that goes into this stuff. Transition has always worked, why make it all the more confusing for newbies exploring their own possibilities? This was my take on all of the abbreviated gender designations that has cropped up over the last ten or so years. It leaves me wondering at times if people are trying to insinuate that they have left the human race and re-emerged as some new kind of alien being. I get a bit pissy and distracted by it all, it's like listening to a news business report and discovering that I'm no longer just a retail shopper or even a human being but a "consumer" like some steer in a feed lot. Meh!

Why not Metamorphosis? The Caterpillar turns into a Butterfly, but it has many stages and it already felt like a butterfly before it started.

I like both, in different ways. What I don't like about "gender identity affirmation" is the same thing I don't like about "gender reassignment", which is the implication that I need someone other than me to approve of or reassign me. I'm happy with saying I'm going through a transition, because physically, I am. The trouble is it's only a physical transition, my gender remains unchanged - so "gender transition" is pretty misleading (except generally people get what it means anyway). I'm inclined these days to refer to the reason why I'm transitioning as "gender incongruity".

Labels never quite cut it without supporting explanation, though.

I don't think I will get over calling it transition now.
OTOH, I have heard of SRS called "gender confirmation surgery" among other terms using the word "confirmation". I think it's kind of nice.

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on December 25, 2012, 12:17:50 PM
I don't think I will get over calling it transition now.
OTOH, I have heard of SRS called "gender confirmation surgery" among other terms using the word "confirmation". I think it's kind of nice.

--Jay

I started my gender confirmation journey as soon as I was able to stand in my own two legs

 One's physical journey from male to female or female to male is what it is, so the word 'transition' is an accurate enough description of it. It is a gradual journey from one place to another, even if only physically, and for many people it is also a mental journey.

Alternative terms for SRS are a bit different. The transition itself is the stage where one goes from living as male to living as female (or female to male), and the preparation involved in that. Once you are full-time the transition is already made, and anything you do to enhance your passability becomes only a confirmation of what you are.

In any case, there is definitely a transition to be made. The exception would be those people who have always lived as their preferred gender.