So I've just recently entered this community, due to my best friend, Hannah, and I love, love, love the art and camaraderie that is evident among you. The only thing that makes me uncomfortable while spending time here is a lot of ignorance involving the transgender community. I hope and believe, however, that if people knew to be more respectful, it would be a healthier community for people like me.

First of all:

This website, and the furry community in general, uses super offensive words and descriptions to signify that a character (or worse, a real person is trans. Here's a list of offensive words that make my stomach turn, as an advocate for sensitive and accepting speech.

CUNTBOY/DICK GIRL/ETC: A person's gender is whatever they say it is. Anatomy plays ZERO role in gender identification, except when that person, and only they, wishes to change, keep, or modify it. It has no role on their pronouns, identifying gender, or anything else. Saying "cuntboy" implies that a trans male is not a boy, because of a difference in trans anatomy versus cis anatomy. This is superbly awful and the highest offense I have noticed.

He-she/shemale: Again, you are discounting a person's gender by modifying it to imply they are not cisgendered. A trans person chooses their own pronouns, which are respected, NO MATTER WHAT. If they do not belong on the gender binary, IE they are agendered, genderfluid, or otherkin, they may chose their own pronouns. Always ask a person's pronouns before speaking to them in order to be respectful and not put them in a situation where they feel like they need to "out" themselves.

Herm/hermaphrodite: While some trans people still prefer this term, it is rarely used. Instead, they use the term "intersex" to describe the physical difference that they have. It is offensive to use the term hermaphrodite without prior permission. Intersex people rarely out themselves, as in the trans community, it is largely understood that somebody's genitalia and anatomy is NONE of your business, and is NOT the way to see gender. Nobody's genitalia has any gender attached to it. We strive to see the day when doctors stop designating a child's gender at birth, before they even have a chance to understand the gender spectrum and decide what they would like to identify as.

Using transgender as its own gender: a trans boy is no different from a cis boy. they both are male, they both use he, they both expect to be treated like any other human. Using "transgender" as a gender designation both ostracizes us and implies we are not really boy, girls, agender, genderfluid, bigender, trigendered, or otherwise.

Truscum speech: truscum are people that refuse to respect a person's gender, pronouns, and chosen name until they physically transition. This is like telling somebody they aren't a lesbian or bi because they've never dated a person of that gender. That's stupid and basically bullshit that too many of us have had to deal with in one way or another.

Asking a trans persons birthname and designated gender from birth: Don't do this. Ever. Assume somebody has ALWAYS been the gender they identify as, because they have. Having to call yourself your birthname and your birth-designated gender is very triggering for dysphoria, physically and mentally.

Secondly:

I understand there is an adjustment period when somebody comes out to you. I understand that upon hearing somebody's voice, something that we cannot control, you may feel inclined to use a particular pronoun. I ask that you just remember to correct yourself and strive to get better at remembering. Voices do not have genders attached to them, just like anatomy. Always ask somebody's pronouns. This is the most respectful thing you can do.

If you want to join in helping everybody not assume gender here, please put your preferred pronouns on your page! It is a big help to the trans community for you to be accepting!

Feel free to tell me any transphobic/cissexist speech and actions that I have NOT already listed. I will update this list ASAP.[/u][/i]