Passing and Stealth: Two Words to Lose? Part Two

http://www.transadvocate.com/passing-and-stealth-two-words-to-lose-part-two.htm
7/24/13
Matt Kailey

I know the word has a long history in the trans community, and in that context, I take it to mean not being out (at least not to most people), and simply living in mainstream male or female culture as the man or woman that a person is.

It makes sense, but while the word doesn't offend me, and almost every trans person I know uses the word as a descriptor, even if they are not "living stealth" themselves, I'm not fond of it. To my mind, it represents a secret — not the "I have a secret, bet you'll never guess what it is, hah hah" kind of secret, but the "black overcoat and sunglasses" kind of secret ... the "I'm in disguise" kind of secret. But we're not in disguise.

A person who believes himself to be a man and who lives as a man is a man, regardless of the body he has. If he was born with a female body (or, to be PC, assigned female at birth), that does not make him a "disguised woman."

Regarding passing, I think we need a word for it. The concept of "being indistinguishable from a genetic member of one's gender" is something on a lot of our minds. We need a way to refer to this phenomenon.

We could spend years arguing for a replacement for "passing". IMO there are more important things to discuss.

Quote from: suzifrommd on July 27, 2013, 12:54:59 PM
Regarding passing, I think we need a word for it.

Yeah.  "Passing" connotes deceit or at least some sort of pretense.  I prefer to use the word "blend", as in someone who fits in with his or her society, culture or environment blends in and is not perceived to be anyone or anything out of the ordinary.