I'm a MTF, but I don't like referring to myself as a transgender person, a trans, or a transwoman. I don't even like calling myself an MTF. Are there any other terms out there that I could use? Is it wrong to just say I am female, a woman?
I'm currently on no hormones, and have not considered surgery--I would if I could though, but I feel like it would really do no good. Does that matter? Cause I read a book where the author said that people who have the surgery frown upon people who can't have it or who won't have it.

Quote from: Hippolover25 on August 10, 2012, 08:46:20 AM
Is it wrong to just say I am female, a woman?

If you identify as a woman, you are a woman, so of course you can tell people that.

Quote from: Hippolover25 on August 10, 2012, 08:46:20 AM
Does that matter? Cause I read a book where the author said that people who have the surgery frown upon people who can't have it or who won't have it.

Only a very very few. Ignore them. They don't matter. Present your body in such a way that feels the most true to the way you want it to be.

I've certainly encountered those individuals who frown upon pre-op or non-op persons calling themselves women.

I am not one such person. If you identify as a woman, then you are a woman.

In the book Transgender History by Susan Stryker, it is suggested that the words wo/man refer to gender and fe/male refer to one's anatomical sex. I often describe myself as a "male-bodied woman," as I am pre-op.

I'm planning on SRS eventually. But, plans don't always work. I could end up being non-op. If that happens, I will still identify as a woman in spite of my anatomy.

I'm from the other side of the fence, but I'll toss in my two cents. I say I'm a trans guy. I have noticed some other FTMs don't like the term, but I feel that it describes the type of man that I am so I use it. If you want to use trans to denote something about the kind of woman you are, then you should feel free too. But, if someone feels that they are just a woman, then cool.

Don't worry so much about labels. Be yourself. Whatever label you want to call yourself is cool. If you don't want any, thats fine too. Its all about being happy. As for people who are "further" in transition or post-op - most folks don't think they are better than anyone else, we all started from the beginning, so in general people who have been at it longer understand the struggles and have some pretty good advice I have found. From my side of the fence, the lower surgeries the guys can get is very expensive and is not as refined as the options the ladies have. I'll never be able to afford the 3+ procedures and even if I could, I am not sure I would. But that doesn't affect how I identify. Just Connie Anne said, you are who you feel you are.

If you are non-op, pre-op/pre-HRT, whatever, that doesn't matter. Just be yourself. If you identify as a woman, that's exactly what you are.

I tend to just say "I'm going through a gender transition", since it's something I'm going through, not something I am. Although I'm also sometimes telling people I'm a trans tomboy these days, just so they can get their heads around the fact that not all trans women are feminine - but that is more for the sake of convenience, to spare very long, drawn-out explanations . I think when I've finished transitioning, I'll just be calling myself a woman - I'm already tending in that direction.

I think you should call yourself whatever you feel most right being called.