Kia Ora,

This poll is design for both post and pre-transitioners

To be or not to be...

Do you feel that the condition[it's been called a congenital condition by some]  you were born with is part and parcel of who you are? Or once fully transitioned [ fully transitioned can for some be with or without any surgical procedures but living 'full time' as ones psycho-sexual gender identity] you no longer suffer from this condition...

In other words after transition are you still  trans-women/men? Or no longer trans just a woman/man ?

Even though I had found true contentment living full time as a female prior to having my surgery, that is, only a few people[close friends and medical professionals] knew what was between my legs. for quite some time after I had transitioned for some strange reason I still  considered myself  'transsexual'... It was only when my sister pointed out the error of my ways by saying "You're no longer the 'condition' you once suffered from!" In other words I had fully 'crossed' over the gender divide both physically[outward physical appearance] and mentally....

Metta Zenda

Even before, and now during my transition, I just don't tell people 'hey what's up I'm transsexual' unless it's really necessary. I am me! The only person that's going to see my sensitives is my girly friend and anyone else who pikes our smexual interest.

That's not to say that I ignore who I am and pretend I have a peen and such. I keep aware of trans-issues in politics and the like, and will be an activist when possible. Even post-transition I would gladly open my story up to someone in need, like so many have for me. People learn the most from the experiences of those who have gone through the most, for obvious reasons. And, I mean, as a FTM I will always have the genitalia that I was born with, so I can't just be male 100% ever... And that's whatever to me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'll still be Transsexual, but that's not my identity.

I am a lesbian who formerly had a transsexual condition.  Those that are in my social circle simply know me as lesbian. 

For all intents and purposes, I am done with transition; lacking only SRS.  I still have that birth defect skin tag, but I personally am no longer a Transsexual.  I am just another woman.

I am one of those who considers transsexualism to be a congenital condition, or at least it was in my case because I never fit the norm for my apparent birth sex and it was obvious to everyone from early childhood. By my teens I was living (happily) part time and when I transitioned at 24 integration was easy and complete - I never realized how "stereotypically girl" I was until then.

Having transitioned in 1974 it was the norm (and the expected objective) to drop the asterisk and just live a normal life, which I did. The only place I have any relevancy in anything trans is on a few forums.

Current identity - woman
History - transsexual

Since the word, "transsexual" is an adjective - way too many people use it as a noun, to our community's detriment - it's a description of my history, not my current identity so when my history has nothing to do with the context of a situation, it isn't an issue nor is it mentioned.  If my history is germane to the situation, then I am a trans woman.

I always insist on the "trans. . ." words be taken and used as adjectives.  Making them a noun dehumanizes us.

hugs & smiles
Emelye

I get hung up on the actual meaning of "trans" as a prefix so I can't really think of trans-anything being a destination.

Transition means changing from one state to another, so I won't be "Transsexual" afterwards. I will be a woman with a case of transsexualism in my medical history, now cured.

Quote from: Emelye on May 02, 2011, 06:28:42 AM
Current identity - woman
History - transsexual

Since the word, "transsexual" is an adjective - way too many people use it as a noun, to our community's detriment - it's a description of my history, not my current identity so when my history has nothing to do with the context of a situation, it isn't an issue nor is it mentioned.  If my history is germane to the situation, then I am a trans woman.

I always insist on the "trans. . ." words be taken and used as adjectives.  Making them a noun dehumanizes us.

Emelye

I like that!

This is an interesting question. When I first went on full time, I ID'd myself as a trans-woman. 6 months into the full time I caught myself wondering what part of the LGBT I supposedly am. I've become so comfortable living my life as a woman, and a heterosexual one, that the trans-identity is definitely starting to fade although I am not through the SRS yet.

I think i'll always be transsexual. Being trans isn't part of my identity, I don't identfy as a transman but I am a trans man in my eyes as my body will always tell me that. This is just how I see it for me, my body is a trans body. I think if bottom surgery was better I wouldn't see my post transition body as a trans body anymore.

For me my gender has always been feminine and my body was born more male due to hormonal issues so I fixed that sex "condition" with hrt and surgery, during that stage of changing my sex (transition) I medically could of been referred to as a transsexual as I was trans-ing my sex (not gender) from male to female.. or at least a messed up version of male to awesomely female. I didn't stop half way I went from whatever I was to female. So in a sense I was cured of my medical condition and am now just a plain old female, boring... not really Sure not a female like my mum so much but if she doesn't feel the need to prefix herself with cis-woman then I don't feel the need to prefix myself as a transwoman! A woman is a woman is a woman!!!!1
The idea for the most part is to transition from male to female or vice versa not from male or female to transsexual fullstop (medical condition).. which is just how I view it. If you don't change your sex completely and are say non-op then perhaps due to this technically/medically you could be considered a transsexual in a constant state of flux.
Also just to be clear on terminology. Transgender imo is someone who doesn't change their sex but only changes their gender, in the form of gender-roles, gender-expression much like a crossdresser or dragqueen, dragking does. They are more likely for the most part happy with their physical sex and happily go back to living as their biological sex, they only trans their gender/gender-expression/roles. I don't consider the two words transgender and transsexual to be linked in anyway as sex and gender are two very different things. And it's important to understand them and use them correctly. Too often do these words get used inappropriately and/or just incorrectly which is misleading and confusing for people. Transgender is not an umbrella term that transsexual falls under as transsexuals for the most part are content with their gender (of course some need therapy/counseling early on to help determine their gender before proceeding) and have no issues with it xP
In short I don't identify as a medical condition just like a diabetic doesn't identify as a diabetic as part of their self-identity, it's just a medical condition they have!

trans- 
1.
a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin ( transcend; transfix ); on this model, used with the meanings "across," "beyond," "through," "changing thoroughly," "transverse," in combination with elements of any origin: transisthmian; trans-Siberian; transempirical; transvalue.


To me using the definition, once you are through then you are no longer transsexual or transgender. It is described as more of a process than anything. Even under the new ill fated DSM once you have completed transition there is nothing more to be treated for, you can't be diagnosed at that point ...

So it means that you just are

No I'm definitely NOT trans anything. There seems no point in taking a medical cure if if doesn't cure you!

I now self define as post corrected cis.

I was once (unknown to me at the time) "Inter" - and I did then transition - but one that brief journey was over I ceased to be trans.

Quote from: rejennyrated on May 05, 2011, 12:38:25 PM
I now self define as post corrected cis.

Heh, I like that

I like all the opinions on here, but I am MAAB and I can't ever change that. So I will always be trans, whether pre or post op, etc. And being trans doesn't upset me at all. It's just something that not everyone needs to know.

If I transition with all the procedures I'll be a woman in society. It doesn't matter if you know if I'm a transsexual woman or not, since you're not sleeping with me.

And in bed and love, I'll be a transsexual woman. I know my history, and what I was/am, my chromosomes, my DNA, and if I found someone who accepts that then that's wonderful. 

To me that means, I'll always be a transsexual woman, but I'll always be a woman.

I'll become the Megan Fox of transsexual women, and be the most beautiful woman in the room in general. You can lust after me, but you have to love/accept my transsexualism to be in a relationship with me. I wouldn't deny it, but the general population doesn't need to know about it.

The bottom line is you are what you personally feel you are, no one has the right to define that but you.

With that said the one thing I have never understood is that we all get upset with society needing to label us. We need to fit into this neat little box for society and yet, we end up defining ourselves by labels.

Quote from: Karynm8621 on May 06, 2011, 12:06:23 PM
The bottom line is you are what you personally feel you are, no one has the right to define that but you.

With that said the one thing I have never understood is that we all get upset with society needing to label us. We need to fit into this neat little box for society and yet, we end up defining ourselves by labels.

Kia Ora Karynm,

We communicate with the use of labels...We explain things using labels... We are labels = ME-MY- I-MYSELF--THEY-THEM - ETC, all just labels used as a way of identification...

Metta Zenda

I've been thinking about this one a lot.

Part of me would dearly love to just put it behind me. I once had a problem, it's been sorted now. I no longer have a problem.

Perhaps it's just because I'm getting older, but I tend to think, while my resolve will remain the same, I will try to be there for others in my situation. If I'm honest, this is partly because I will enjoy the adulation I can give myself. But equally, I know what the problems are. My time on Susans' has opened my eyes so much more.

I will also support any who take differing points of view. I really understand those, such as the posts, a while ago, entitled, 'I'm not post anything now, Goodbye'. These annoyed me at the time. I thought them selfish. But I really do understand now.

If I were in my late teens now, for example, and had had all the available interventions available now, I would have been a pretty good looking woman. (I say that, partly because I do look very like both of my sisters but also because my feminine self is kinda vain.  )

I wonder, what would happen if I then met Mr Right? I would tell him of course. (Again, only my choice. I will try to support however others seek to manage their lives). My reasons are that part that, what will make Mr Right so right, is maturity and accepting me for who and what I am.

But if Mr Right wanted to live without the hastle of that baggage being public knowlege for example? I think I would like that.

Or if it was Mrs Right?

In the right situation I might see my teenage self, adding my name to that list, 'I'm not post anything now, Goodbye'.

It pains me to say that, to be frank.

I can never un-do the first 28-30 years of my life.
I can never change the facts of my birth.

I will never be the same as any man born with XY chromosomes and fully formed male genitals.

I will always be a man born with XX chromosomes and female genitals.

I will always need to continue to take testosterone, adding it artificially to my system to sustain normal male levels, as my body will never be able to produce it's own.

I will never escape this utterly, fully, and completely.

I can not out run or abandon my past, and I can not out run or abandon the facts of my body.
My body will never reflect my gender to 100%.

As such, I suspect I'll always be "trans", though I don't think I'll use the term "transsexual" to describe me directly.