Transgender: Transition Success Series

Question: What's the difference between somebody that's transgender and somebody's transexual?

(Posted by: Madison on 2010-02-28 18:50:03)

Posted by: Koryn on 2010-02-28, 19:00:07

Gender Identity refers to a person's actual or perceived sex, and includes a person's identity, appearance, or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's sex at birth. People who are transgendered are people whose anatomies and/ or appearances do not conform to those considered appropriate for culturally predominant gender roles. They have physical and/ or behavioral characteristics that readily identify them as having a non-conforming gender identity. In other words, transgendered people, to varying degrees, "transgress " cultural norms as to what a man or a woman "should be. " Of course, not all people who transgress cultural norms in regards to gender are, or should be, considered transgendered as we are discussing here. In that case, that would include a woman who works as a pipe fitter or a male nurse. However, when transgender is used in the case of a "sexual minority ", we are generally referring to one of the following five categories: Transsexuals were born into one gender but identify psychologically and emotionally as the other. Transsexuals are generally thought to have a condition called gender dysphoria (also called Gender Identity Disorder). Those who are born physically male but are emotionally and psychologically female are called transsexual women. Those who are born female but are emotionally and psychologically male are called transsexual men. There is some disagreement as to whether gender dysphoria is a physical condition, a psychological condition or both. Some scientists believe that gender dysphoria occurs when the developing fetus is in the womb and that a chemical imbalance occurs their development, that affects sexual difference. The primary way transsexuals differ from other transgendered people is that in almost all cases, they seek to modify their bodies through hormones, SRS (Sexual Reassignment Surgery) or both. This process (which may take several months or many years) is called Transition, where transsexuals will make major life changes in order to bring their physical appearance in line with their gender identity. Some of those changes include changing their name and gender designation on legal documents such as birth certificates, driver's licenses and social security records. However it is achieved, the ultimate goal of transition is to enable the transsexual to live completely as the gender with which they identify. It is extremely important to remember that male to female transsexuals are women, just as female to male transsexuals are men and should be referred to and treated as such. Intersexed people were born exhibiting some combination of both male and female genitalia (usually determined by the doctor to be either a clitoris that is "too large " or a penis that is "too small. ") As one can imagine, such a diagnosis is entirely subjective. At birth, the attending physician or parents or both "choose " which gender to raise the child, necessitating surgery and/ or hormonal treatment that must be continued throughout the child's life. Many intersexed people, now adults, are advocating for an end to the way intersexed children are seen as "damaged goods " needing to be fixed. Crossdressers (previously known as transvestites) identify as, and are completely comfortable with, their physical gender at birth, but will occasionally dress and take on the mannerisms of the opposite gender. Of course, cross-dressing is more onerous on men, since our culture accepts the idea of a woman wearing pants, but not a man wearing a skirt. Most cross-dressers are heterosexual men. The term transvestite is now considered offensive and should not be used because it is associated with negative images of sexual fetishism. Drag Performers include people like Ru Paul, or Elvis Herselvis (a well known lesbian Elvis impersonator). Drag performers are precisely that - performers. They dress and act like the "opposite " sex for the entertainment of an audience. For them, drag is a job - not an identity. Some are gay - some are not. Some identify as transgendered - most do not. It is important to be aware of the fact that some people, including many drag performers themselves, do not consider drag performers to be members of the transgendered community. Gender blenders, bi-gendered, androgynes and others - Not all transgendered people fit neatly into the above categories. For some, such characterizations of gender and gender identity are more constraining than liberating. Gender blenders may or may not identify as one or the other in a binary gender system (i.e. either/ or, male/ female) and many times will assume a mixture of male and female dress and characteristics, combining elements of both. Cisgeneder is NOT UNDER THE UMBRELLA but the following is what it means. . . Cisgender is the opposite of transgender. Meaning their Gender identity and their body sex match.

Posted by: Clones Don't Have 60k Pts on 2010-02-28, 19:22:35

I agree with Koryn. My version: “Transgender� is an umbrella term that covers many diverse groups that have little or nothing to do with each other. Many people assume it refers just to transsexual people, but they are wrong. Transsexual people only represent a small fraction of those who are considered “transgender�. And for the record a transsexual person is someone who was born with a brain-body mismatch, literally a female brain in a male body or vice-versa. It is a naturally occurring birth condition. Through the process of TRANSITION transsexual people change their bodies to match the true inner gender and assume a gender appropriate role in society. Also one does not “become� transsexual; as I said we are BORN that way. “Transgender� refers to anyone who varies from the societal norms for their gender as assigned at birth. Other than transsexual people other groups under the transgender umbrella include: Cross-dressers (obsolete term was “transvestite�) Drag queens Drag kings Androgynes Genderqueer Genderf*ck A-gender Bi-gender Two-spirit And more.

Posted by: Jill Edwards on 2010-03-01, 16:53:30

My personal definition of a transgender person is a person whose physical body is not in alignment with his or her gender identity, either all or part of the time. In other words, the body says male by societal and medical standards, but the mind, or gender identity, says woman, or vice versa. It is also possible for the mind, or gender identity, to say neither man nor woman, or both man and woman. Regardless, the physical body and the gender identity do not match, either all or part of the time. There are also those who define transgender in a broader sense that encompasses anyone who transgresses traditional gender norms, either intentionally or unintentionally, on a regular basis and/ or who suffers repercussions (discrimination, homophobia, Tran phobia, threats, violence) because of perceived or actual transgressions. A person’s gender identity may or may not come into play here. For example, there are some women who are very “masculine� by our society’s standards, but who have a feminine gender identity all of the time. There are some men who are very “feminine� by our society’s standards, but who have a masculine gender identity all of the time. These people would likely fall under the second definition of transgender, but not the first. These people may or may not see themselves as transgender. There are some who identify transsexual people as transgender. Many times, headlines will refer to someone who I would consider to be a transsexual person — someone who has transitioned, is going through a transition, on hrt, or who is living full-time in the gender that matches that person’s gender identity — as a transgender man or woman. This is an acceptable reference to some people and unacceptable to others. There are transsexual people (like myself) who also use the term transgender to refer to themselves. There are others who have never used the term transgender to refer to themselves, and who, after transition, do not use the term transsexual, either. After the surgery they use the proper gender identity, they are men or women. It is in my in opinion impossible to adequately represent all other people’s positions, identifications, or situations. I choose to respect everyone’s definitions

Posted by: Amy Androgynous on 2010-03-03, 13:51:09

Again they're all right, like LGTB lesbian gay TRANSGENDER bisexual. Transgender is the summery of a transperson's gender definition, pre op, post op transexual etc are all transgender i think crossdresser can be too but people just descrimate them for being whores :(