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I see a lot of this
13 years ago
General
Since I see a lot of this I figured I would address it. Not many people are going to see this but, oh well.
1) Transgender is an adjective. Transgender is not a noun or a verb. A person isn't a transgender and they aren't transgender. They are simply transgender. A gay person isn't a gay and they aren't gayed.
2) Sex =/= chromosomes. Sex is a lot of different factors that is not limited to anatomy, chromosomes, or hormones. Sex is also not male/female. Sex is just as convoluted as gender is. Sex, however, is based in the physical realm while gender is identity. There are cisgender people who are XX males and XY females. They are not considered transgender because they were male assigned at birth (yet are still XX) or vice-versa. The sudden determination of their chromosomes does not suddenly make them the opposite sex.
3) Gender =/= sex. They are not swappable. Gender = identity, sex = biological components though not linked to one specific set. If you want to refer to a trans woman's genitals (for whatever reason), you can always say they have stereotypically male parts. This means that these parts, by way of a stereotype, are assumed to be male when they are not always male. Vice-versa for a trans man's anatomy.
4) Trans* people are their identified gender, no matter if they take hormones, have surgeries, etc. A trans male is entirely male, just as a trans woman is entirely female. They just don't hold stereotypically male/female parts, their parts ARE male/female though since they are attached to a male/female person.
5) Gender =/= male or female. Just like sex, gender is a spectrum. People can be both, neither, fluid, or some combination. A person is not some kind of gender hipster for not identifying in a bullshit binary. The binary is a fallacy, always has been.
6) Being trans* is not some sort of new phenomenon. Being transgender has occurred for thousands of years, and I would not be surprised if trans* people go back as early as the dawn of humankind. Being trans* is linked to biology and is not something that is a mental disorder. Being transgender is just a different spectrum of the human life, it is not a disorder or an illness. We are simply unique beings whose bodies and minds happen to not exactly match up the way we were assigned at birth.
7) Trans* people never were their assigned at birth gender. Using sayings like "back when he was a she" or "I knew her before she was a woman" are hurtful, incorrect, and rude. "I know [name] before they transitioned" is more acceptable and even then, isn't necessary. You don't need to put a timeline on a person's transition.
8) Do not out a trans* person randomly. It's rude, insensitive, and can be downright dangerous. If someone bungles pronouns, just correct them. You don't have to tell this person that the person they misgendered is also trans*. Just, don't do it. It's not your place to tell someone about someone else's medical history.
9) A trans* person does not have to tell you that they are trans*. Doesn't matter if you are dating, considering dating, just met, knew them for years, etc. It is up to the person to decide if they ever disclose their medical history, if at all.
10) Being a trans woman does not mean you have to be feminine. Being a trans male does not mean you have to be masculine. Being genderqueer =/= androgynous. How a person dresses and acts is entirely separate from their gender identity. A trans woman can identity as female, but still dress in stereotypically male clothes for whatever reason they want to. Same goes for trans men. A trans male can wear a dress and still be a male without his gender identity being called into question.
11) If you don't know, ASK. This generally applies to pronouns. Asking people about their transitional status, asking about their genitals, how they have sex, etc. is just DOWN RIGHT RUDE. Don't do it unless the trans* person brings it up themselves or they state that they do not mind such questions.
Now class....Any questions?
1) Transgender is an adjective. Transgender is not a noun or a verb. A person isn't a transgender and they aren't transgender. They are simply transgender. A gay person isn't a gay and they aren't gayed.
2) Sex =/= chromosomes. Sex is a lot of different factors that is not limited to anatomy, chromosomes, or hormones. Sex is also not male/female. Sex is just as convoluted as gender is. Sex, however, is based in the physical realm while gender is identity. There are cisgender people who are XX males and XY females. They are not considered transgender because they were male assigned at birth (yet are still XX) or vice-versa. The sudden determination of their chromosomes does not suddenly make them the opposite sex.
3) Gender =/= sex. They are not swappable. Gender = identity, sex = biological components though not linked to one specific set. If you want to refer to a trans woman's genitals (for whatever reason), you can always say they have stereotypically male parts. This means that these parts, by way of a stereotype, are assumed to be male when they are not always male. Vice-versa for a trans man's anatomy.
4) Trans* people are their identified gender, no matter if they take hormones, have surgeries, etc. A trans male is entirely male, just as a trans woman is entirely female. They just don't hold stereotypically male/female parts, their parts ARE male/female though since they are attached to a male/female person.
5) Gender =/= male or female. Just like sex, gender is a spectrum. People can be both, neither, fluid, or some combination. A person is not some kind of gender hipster for not identifying in a bullshit binary. The binary is a fallacy, always has been.
6) Being trans* is not some sort of new phenomenon. Being transgender has occurred for thousands of years, and I would not be surprised if trans* people go back as early as the dawn of humankind. Being trans* is linked to biology and is not something that is a mental disorder. Being transgender is just a different spectrum of the human life, it is not a disorder or an illness. We are simply unique beings whose bodies and minds happen to not exactly match up the way we were assigned at birth.
7) Trans* people never were their assigned at birth gender. Using sayings like "back when he was a she" or "I knew her before she was a woman" are hurtful, incorrect, and rude. "I know [name] before they transitioned" is more acceptable and even then, isn't necessary. You don't need to put a timeline on a person's transition.
8) Do not out a trans* person randomly. It's rude, insensitive, and can be downright dangerous. If someone bungles pronouns, just correct them. You don't have to tell this person that the person they misgendered is also trans*. Just, don't do it. It's not your place to tell someone about someone else's medical history.
9) A trans* person does not have to tell you that they are trans*. Doesn't matter if you are dating, considering dating, just met, knew them for years, etc. It is up to the person to decide if they ever disclose their medical history, if at all.
10) Being a trans woman does not mean you have to be feminine. Being a trans male does not mean you have to be masculine. Being genderqueer =/= androgynous. How a person dresses and acts is entirely separate from their gender identity. A trans woman can identity as female, but still dress in stereotypically male clothes for whatever reason they want to. Same goes for trans men. A trans male can wear a dress and still be a male without his gender identity being called into question.
11) If you don't know, ASK. This generally applies to pronouns. Asking people about their transitional status, asking about their genitals, how they have sex, etc. is just DOWN RIGHT RUDE. Don't do it unless the trans* person brings it up themselves or they state that they do not mind such questions.
Now class....Any questions?
And mental disorders/illnesses DO have strictly biological causes as well (chemicals, electrical impulses, etc.) And just because something is "purely mental" doesn't mean it IS an illness or a disorder. I think, for some reason, there is this issue people have with admitting that a problem they have might stem from their brains. As though that makes it less legit. I don't think that's the case at all.
What they HAVE done a lot of studies on (comparatively) is treating trans people, and they've shown beyond reasonable doubt that the most effective way to treat trans people is with transitioning. I really think that's the only justification we need. It makes us happy and functional!... No matter what the ultimate "cause" is and honestly I think it could be a very large combination of factors. Blanket statements like "hormonal differences" doesn't really tell us anything, and I think trying to find single root causes for something as complex as being trans (which has traditionally physiological, psychology and social issues attached to it) is to sort of miss the point entirely.
and about adressing people: i always try to go by the clothes that they are wearing. it is probably unlikely that a person who wants to be considered female dresses in clothes that are strictly associated with men. you can still end up making a rude comment by accident that way but overall this always worked rather well for me^^;
I actually almost made a journal today, about the "transgender isn't a noun" thing. Saw people using that in my journal and holy crap, it's become a pet peeve.
I am definitely one of those "SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET" type of people. Educate, erryone.