May I Call You ->-bleeped-<-?

http://discoverjames.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/may-i-call-you-->-bleeped-<-/
1/31/12
By James

So recently I've noticed this debate going on all over the social networks within the trans community about the use and reclaimation of the word "->-bleeped-<-".

The issue seems to be that one side of the debate believes all transgender people are entitled to use this word to describe themselves, while the other side believes it is a term that only transwomen have a right to reclaim.

I think we all know that while the word "->-bleeped-<-" is sometimes used against transmen, the term is historically applied to transwomen. It is a slur with violence and discrimination tied to it. Sometimes, it is the last word a transwoman hears before she is murdered.

QuoteThe issue seems to be that one side of the debate believes all transgender people are entitled to use this word to describe themselves

I have a bit of a trouble to fully understand that sentence.
One of the issues, is that I have never ever seen any MTF specifically, claim to be the only ones with the right to use the term.
Ofcourse any person that atomatically falls under the TG-Umbrella, can use it to describe themselves if they so wish, which is, as described by Wikipedia;

QuoteTransgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles.

Transgender is the state of one's "gender identity" (self-identification as woman, man, neither or both) not matching one's "assigned sex" (identification by others as male, female or intersex based on physical/genetic sex).[1] "Transgender" does not imply any specific form of sexual orientation; transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, or asexual; some may consider

QuoteI think we all know that while the word "->-bleeped-<-" is sometimes used against transmen, the term is historically applied to transwomen. It is a slur with violence and discrimination tied to it. Sometimes, it is the last word a transwoman hears before she is murdered.

The exact same thing can be said about the now reclaimed word "Queer" aswell. The exact same.

If people want to reclaim the word, then I have no issues with that at all.

Shouldn't context matter? It seems like all the difference is in whether the word is used hatefully or not. I'm a gay man who's not particularly fond of the word "queer". I know people are trying to reclaim that word so I am not going to give someone an earful if they use it in a non-hateful way. I will, however, mention sort of casually that I don't think of myself as queer and don't care for the word being used to describe me.

This seems to be why no one gets upset if a gay person uses the word "queer" or a trans person uses the word "->-bleeped-<-", because you know they don't mean it hatefully or in a condescending manner.

To me, too often when trans people or gay people use it, it still seems othering and dismissive.   

If someone likes to apply it for themselves e.g. RuPaul... just fine by me.

To automatically assume if it fine by oneself it be fine for others also... NO WAY JOSÉ.

If you find calling yourself an ->-bleeped-<- - and reclaimed that for yourself when having done something 'not so nice' then so be it.
Calling someone else an ->-bleeped-<- or in this case a ->-bleeped-<- is really not on. Not in my opinion. It really isn't.

Some trans-folks also re-claimed '->-bleeped-<-y' (fem. cocky) and 'fishy' (fem. sexy) - not so sure either whether I'd like to be called that either.

It so much depends what we feel about ourselves... in fact it makes all the difference.
Some men of colour call each other merrily by the N-word... well if that's what they feel is OK... who's to say different?

Axélle