For your typical heterosexual man or woman the transgender world can seem quite perplexing. Not only is the whole concept difficult to grasp (‘you’re a man, why do you want to be a woman?’), but even within transgendered there is great diversity.
None of this is helped by the myths that have become widely voiced within society. To begin with I will first dispel some of the most common myths about the transgendered:
Myth 1: The transgendered are homosexual
This is probably the most common misunderstanding. There is a difference between sexual orientation (straight, gay, bisexual) and gender identity (self identify as a man or a woman). The transgendered identify or express themselves as a gender that is different from one in which they were born. This video gives a good overview of the differences between sexual orientation and gender identity. Most transgendered are not homosexual, in fact the vast majority of crossdressers are straight.
Myth 2: All transgendered are sex workers, adult entertainers or freaks seeking attention
Thank you Jerry Springer for perpetuating this myth! Most of us live normal lives – we go to school / work, spend time with our families and friends and engage in other hobbies just like the rest of society. In fact, being treated as a normal woman is often a sufficient motivation that many of us endure long hours practicing and perfecting our femininity. It is unfortunate that discrimination has forced some transgendered people out of their jobs, and they feel they must turn to less wholesome professions in order to survive.
Myth 3: All transgendered want to get a sex change
This myth still causes controversy within the transgendered community, as some who have undergone sex reassignment surgery (SRS) struggle to understand why someone would act and dress as someone of the opposite sex without wanting a sex change. The truth is that the transgendered experience is a spectrum, from those who only occasionally wear clothes of the opposite sex, to those who undergo SRS and live full time as the opposite sex.
The Truth about Transgendered
I’m always weary of creating nice, neat categories, and then sorting people into these categories. This ignores the natural diversity, and by showcasing the differences can also increase discrimination and instill an ‘us vs them’ mentality. However, even with these pitfalls, I think describing the commonly used categorizations within the transgendered world we are able to have a better conversation about what it means to be transgendered. As you’re reading this, please do not try to define a person by the category, but keep in mind that while people may identify with a particular group it is only a small window into who they are as a human.
I mentioned earlier that transgendered is a spectrum. I’m going to define and discuss some points along this spectrum. For the purposes of brevity I’m going to talk about the male transgendered, though there are female to male transgendered as well.
Transgender: An umbrella term used to describe a person (male or female), who dresses or behaves in a way that is different from their sex at birth.
Cross dresser: A man who dresses in woman’s clothes either part time or full time. Often taking on the mannerisms and appearance of woman. Most crossdressers are straight, and many are in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex. Cross dressers normally do not want to feminize their body, or undergo SRS.
Transvestite: A person who cross dresses. The term cross dresser is preferred, as sometimes the term transvestite is (wrongly) associated with a transvestic fetish (which are those who occasionally use clothing of the opposite gender for fetish purposes).
Drag Queen (and King): A stage artist, host or performer who wears makeup and woman’s clothing with the purpose of entertaining or highlighting transgender issues. If only done for the performance, these people are not considered cross dressers.
Transsexual: A person who has the desire to live and be accepted as the opposite sex. Typically men will feel like ‘a woman trapped in a man’s body’. Having undergone SRS (or post operative transsexual) is not a requirement for being a transsexual. Often times a transsexual will take steps to feminize their bodies (e.g. through hormones)
Intersexed: A person who is born with sexual anatomy that does not fit the typical definitions of male or female. There are many different varieties of this difference, e.g. being born with genitals that seem in between male and female, or male on the outside, female on the inside, or even having both XX and XY chromosomes.
Some valuable resources for continued reading are:
> in fact the vast majority of
> crossdressers are straight
Which ‘tranny chasers’ just don’t seem to get. I hesitate to use the word ‘grasp’
I don’t post pictures on Flickr, but I know folk who do and they do get a lot of dodgy comments from people trawling for action.
“Hey, it’s a bloke in a skirt. He must be gagging for it.”
Ummm. No, not really
Sad isnt it that if we dress the way we feel then we are instantly sex workers or weirdos. I live full time as my transitioned gender and have received some of the nastiest comments from the students at the middle school my wife works at.
I do manage to ignore them, and wish the administration would do something about it, however at that school the inmates run the assylum.
Hehe
Yes, indeed. Though I’m hopeful that as more transgendered folks are visible in the community as ‘normal people’ this trend will slow down – at least to the level that any pretty girl would get unwelcome attention.
many a pretty girl does garner unwelcome attention already. I strive to be another woman on the sidewalk, to fit in and not stand out. Maybe that is counter productive in the greater light of bringing our cause to the attentition of the masses. I find I can do much more good by meeting the objections head on with love, information, and logical argument.
It doesn’t matter what we call ourselves, it will never be acceppted. I’m a into being real over fantasy ! I really can dream like the next guy but i’ve been fighting this since 1969. It will never change, the only thing we have is the internet. Sad but true, Love Georgiegirl !
Τι απαισια μεταφραση!!! καλα, χαθηκε να βρητε καποιον να μεταφραζει σωστα? ποιος ελληνοφωνος δηλαδη καταλαβαινει τι ειναι το ” διαγωνιο κομμο”??? ενα ντουλαπι που τοποθετισαμε διαγωνια στο δωματιο? εμφανεις η επιρροη του μεταφραστη απο τα αγγλικα ( φτανει στο σημειο να μεταφραζει το αγγλικο γερουντιο σε -ing με την ελληνικη τροπικη μετοχη σε -οντας…ημαρτον!!!
ασε που λογω της κακιας μεταφρασης, ηχουν και λιγο υποτιμητικα ολα αυτα για μας, αφου συνεχεια χρησιμοποιει το αρσενικο γενος αναφερομενος σε ατομα με γυναικειο ονομα…δεν ειναι κομψο ουτε γραμματικα σωστο…(και λεω ” εμας ” γιατι ειμαι διαφυλικη γυναικα (τρανσεξουαλ)….και δεν αλλαζουμε φυλο, αλλα επαναπροσδιοριζουμε το φυλο μας.
ελπιζοντας σε καλυτερες μερες και μεταφρασεις,
Ορμονικως δικη σας
Δαναη
Most crossdressers are straight, and many are in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex.
Though I can’t agree or disagree, since I don’t know the actual statistics of it, I would gladly agree that this is likely the case. Perhaps part of the reason is the amount by which heterosexuals and bisexuals outnumber homosexuals. Perhaps it is a variance in basic neurological processes due to the general genetic variances that are considered to be a factor in ones sexuality. I don’t know.
What I do know, and what I can say is this.
I agree greatly with your statement not to generalize people. I agree that categories usually end up in the worst of ways. I’m glad that people find this to be a realistic understanding, all through, heterosexual individuals, bisexuals, and homosexuals. I think that our populace is coming to the majority agreement, that there’s nothing wrong with diversity.
To clarify, I am a homosexual and a cross dresser, so I break out of what might be considered the average (though again I can’t say, the figures are beyond my current knowledge, perhaps it is that most homosexuals are cross dressers but this number still appears minority to heterosexual cross dressers, again I don’t know)
I think the only use pertained by categorizing, is to maintain useful, effective conversation.
For example, I agree to the categorization that I am a homosexual, however I would sub categorize myself as a moderately feminine, not very flamboyant homosexual, as only two defining subcategories. Many people would immediately assume that as a homosexual I am excessively feminine and quite flamboyant. These categories are only useful when they are used to determine main groupings for similar individuals, not when they are used to generalize all individuals of that grouping. If that makes any sense.
Sorry to ramble, just my two cents.
Effy – good observation.
Georgie, i tend to disagree the more open and out some of us are, the more that the world will see that in reality we are people with a birth defect. It will help once science can nail down some likely causes.
Birth defects need management and the same with ours, yes there are many who slander us, put us down and despise us becuase we are different and they dont/cant/wont understand why. Nobody said this trail was easy, and I am glad that it isnt, for it enables me to apprecieate just what I do have and how much I had to fight to get it.
ΚΑΛΗΣΠΕΡΑ ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ,
ΕΙΜΑΙ ΜΙΑ ΜΑΝΟΥΛΑ ΠΟΥ ΜΕΓΑΛΩΝΩ ΤΟ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΜΟΥ ΜΟΝΗ ΜΟΥ.ΠΟΥΛΑΩ ΩΡΑΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΟΔΑΤΑ ΚΟΛΛΙΕ.ΜΗΠΩΣ ΘΕΛΕΤΕ ΝΑ ΜΕ ΒΟΗΘΗΣΕΤΕ
ΜΕ ΑΓΑΠΗ
ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ
Thanks
[...] Over the years my understanding of who I was grew. I learnt that I was not alone, and discovered the difference between transgender and transsexual. [...]
Not to be rude or anyting but I dont speak Greek, could someone please trnaslate the above two messages
Hello,
What one classify me as a transgender person or just a cross dresser that is afraid to leave the house because she is isolated?
Terri
[...] also easy to describe the difference between a crossdresser and a transsexual by sharing the definition of each word and describing transgender [...]
[...] Cross Dresser Heaven Myths. This website will go over some of the myths about being transgendered. [...]