Transgender, Genderqueer and Transsexual Glossary
There is much confusion about what terms means within the area of transgender and transsexual issues, which makes discussions harder than they have to be. Some terms are also very controversial.
Below I have given a list of definitions for terms used in relevant discussions. Please note that I do not necessarily support the ideologies underpinning all of these terms. This is a blog for learning and discussion, and I will take the liberty to refine and expand the definitions as I go along. Please add comments on the definitions given and suggest terms that should be included.
Agender: A non-binary gender identity described as the absence of gender, feeling as though one has no gender, or no definable gender.
AGP: See autogynephilia.
AFAB: Assigned female at birth
AMAB: Assigned male at birth
Androgyne: a person who live without appearing or behaving particularly male or female.
Androphile: a person who is attracted to men (see sexual orientation).
Asexual: lack of sexual attraction, or interest in or desire for sex. Sometimes, it is considered a lack of a sexual orientation.
Autoandrophilia (offensive term. I prefer the term female to male crossdreaming): biological female who get aroused by the image of herself as a man (cp. crossdreamer and autogynephilia).
Autogynephilia (offensive term, also AGP, and misrepresented as "autogyne". I prefer the term male to female crossdreaming). Term coined in 1989 by Ray Blanchard to refer to "a man's paraphilic tendency to be sexually aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman." I do not consider the condition a paraphila (see paraphilia). Blanchard operates with four types of autogynephilia:
Transvestic autogynephilia (at this blog called crossdressing): arousal to the act or fantasy of wearing women's clothingBehavioral autogynephilia (at this blog called crossenacting): arousal to the act or fantasy of doing something regarded as femininePhysiologic autogynephilia (at this blog called nothing at all): arousal to fantasies of female-specific body functionsAnatomic autogynephilia (at this blog called crossdreaming): arousal to the fantasy of having a woman's body, or parts of oneBDSM (or Bondage, Domination, Sado-Masochism) sexuality characterized by the consensual exchange of power. This exchange of power can be either physical (e.g., spanking), psychological (e.g., teasing), or both. Often BDSM involves gender-related play when the partner with power adopt a male role and the partner without power adopts of female role. There are M2F crossdreamers (see crossdreaming) who take part in (or fantasize about) role-playing where the dominant is a strong woman or a she-male and where the crossdreamer takes the submissive female role (See shemale).
Bigender: a tendency to move between feminine and masculine gender-typed behavior depending on context, expressing a distinctlyen femme persona and a distinctly en hommepersona, feminine and masculine respectively.
Biphilic (also bi-philic): see bisexual.
Bisexual: a sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females.
Blanchard, Ray: the researcher that coined the term autogynephilia. See these posts for more information.
Body dysphoria: See gender dysphoria.
Boy's Love (also BL or yaoi, terms taken from Japanese culture): Female-oriented fictional media, especially Japanese style manga comics, that focus on homoerotic or homo-romantic male sexual relationships, usually created by female authors. Given that both female writers and readers identify with the male characters it is fair to say that much of this material can be considered crossdreamer fiction. The term "yaoi" (short for "Yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi", meaning "No climax, no fall , no meaning", is sometimes understood as synonymous with Boy's Love, sometimes as a more sexually explicit sub-category of BL.
Boydyke: A biological female who intentionally or non-intentionally expresses and/or presents culturally/stereotypically masculine, particularly boyish, characteristics. Also, one who enjoys being perceived as a young male (passing).
Butch: Word used to identify a lesbian (biological female) who expresses and/or presents culturally/stereotypically masculine characteristics. Some butches are clearly crossdreamers.
CD: See crossdressing.
Cisgender (also non-transgender):man or woman who has a match between an his or her gender identity and the behavior or role considered appropriate for his or her sex, also known as non-transgender men and women or mistakenly referred to as "normal people".
Classic or classical transsexual women(controversial term, also known as primary transsexual, secondary transsexual, true transsexual, real transsexual, core transsexual, CT. The term is related to HBS, see Harry Benjamin Syndrome, and truscum, see truscum): In this blog normally a term used to describe a political tribe of trans women who argue that they have nothing in common with crossdreamers and crossdresser (see separatist). There are two main definitions of this term: (1) A woman that that has been born with a male body. She can be androphile, gynephile or bisexual, as can any woman. (2) An androphile M2F transsexual woman, as opposed to crossdreamers (autogynephiliacs) who are thought to be gynephilic or bisexual . The female to male equivalent to classic transsexual is truscum (see truscum).
Closeted (or in the closet): Not disclosing (coming out) or being secretive about an individual's own sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Crossdreamer (also XD): A person who is crossdreaming (see crossdreaming)
Crossdreaming (or cross-dreaming, also XD, covers some of the same phenomena as autogynephilia/autoandrophilia): Term made by me to describe the act of dreaming about being ones target sex or getting aroused from the idea of being ones target sex.
These feminization fantasies (in case of biological men) and masculinization fantasies (in the case of biological women) are often found sexually arousing. Male to female crossdreamers often imagine themselves having breasts and female genitalia. Some crossdreamers will play the culturally defined role of the opposite sex in these fantasies. Female to male crossdreamers may fantasize about taking the proactive, dominant, thrusting, role when having intercourse. Crossdreaming is often, but not always, expressed through crossdressing, role playing and/or transgender erotica.
Many argue that most crossdreamers are attracted to persons of the same sex as the target sex of their fantasies. M2F crossdreamers are attracted to women. F2M crossdreamers are attracted to men. Research indicates, however, that there are also androphilic (man loving) M2F crossdreamers and gynephilic (woman loving) F2M crossdreamers. A majority of crossdreamers identify with their biological sex, at least partly and in public. Studies of M2F crossdressers indicate that close to 20 percent of them may consider sex reassignment surgery, however, and some of them do transition.
The term crossdreaming was originally a response to the concept of autogynephilia (see autogyenphilia), which was developed by Ray Blanchard. However, the term autogynephilia (or autoandrophilia for F2M crossdreamers) indicates that the conditions is caused byauto in the meaning of "self") whereby the person has internalized the external love object, becoming sexually attracted to the idea of him or herself having the body of the opposite sex. The term crossdreaming does not entail such an explanation. Personally I think crossdreaming is at least partly caused by a biologically based gender variance. The term crossdreaming can also be considered a parallel to Harry Benjamin's types 1, 2, 3 and 4. They may develop into type 5 and 6.
Julia Serano has suggested the terms Male/Masculine Embodiment Fantasies (MEFs) for FTM crossdreaming and Female/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (FEFs) for MTF crossdreaming.
Crossdressing (or cross-dressing): the wearing of clothing and other accouterments commonly associated with the other gender within a particular society. If M2F crossdressing is associated with sexual arousal it can be categorized as crossdreaming (see crossdreaming).
Crossenacting: arousal to the act or fantasy of doing something regarded as feminine (in the case of men) and masculine (in the case of women).
Crossexuality: Term coined by me to describe a hypothetical condition that can lead to crossdressing and crossdreaming. Crossexuality is the cause, crossdreaming and crossdressing are the effects. (I no longer use this term).
CT: See classic transsexual.
Demigirl: A non-binary gender identity where one assigned female at birth feels only a very weak connection with ‘woman’ or someone assigned male at birth who feels a vague association with female, but not one strong enough to identity completely as ‘woman’.
Demiguy: A non-binary gender identity where one assigned male at birth feels only a very weak connection with ‘man’ or someone assigned female at birth who feels an association with male, but not one strong enough to identity completely as ‘man’.
DFAB: Designated female at birth
DMAB: Designated male at birth
DG: see drag queen.
Drag Queen: a person, usually a male bodied person, who dresses, and usually acts, like a woman often for the purpose of entertaining or performing. Drag queens often identify as homosexual (androphilic) males, as opposed to crossdressers, who are most likely gynephilic males (see crossdresser, androphilic and gynephilic). There are also female bodied drag kings. As gender variant people drag queens are included under the transgender umbrella. Some of them are also gender dysphoric, and may end up transitioning.
Dyke (also Femme Dyke, Butch Dyke, Bi Dyke): The term has been appropriated by the lesbian community, but some find it offensive): A female-bodied person or a woman who identifies with other women, and is attracted to women. This is a term that is used by many different types of people and used in a positive way for self-identification. The term may be political. Historically the term was used only in a negative context to ridicule and label lesbians who were perceived to express and/or present culturally/stereotypically masculine characteristics.
Effeminate (offensive): Used to identify a person (usually male) who expresses and/or presents culturally/stereotypically feminine characteristics.
Fetish: (on this blog used for sexual fetish) the sexual arousal brought on by any object, situation or body part not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature. If you followthe official definitions of fetish, as found in the psychiatric manuals, crossdreaming cannot be understood as a fetish. Some crossdreamers seem to think that the term has a wider meaning, including any sexual desire that can -- presumably -- be explained as the end result of a personal psychological development (as opposed to being caused by an inborn, biological, factor). In my opinion this use of the word can only cause unnecessary confusion and further stigmatization of crossdreamers.
Female/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (FEFs): Julia Serano's term for MTF crossdreaming (see crossdreaming)
Femme (may be understood as derogatory):Used to identify a lesbian (biological female) who expresses and/or presents culturally/stereotypically feminine characteristics. The word is also used by transgender people to express a feminine gender expression, regardless of sexual orientation.
F2M (or FTM): Female to male: Refers to the state of the biological sex before and after transitioning, or to the assigned sex at birth and the target sex in crossdreamer fantasies.
Gender: (1) In social studies: the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. (2) In biology: the state of being male or female. The biology of gender is a scientific analysis of the physical basis for behavioral differences between males and females. In this blog I will use the term in both ways, trying to remember to tell you which is which.
Gender bender (controversial term): informal term used to refer to a person who actively transgresses, or "bends," expected gender roles.
Gender binary: classification of sex and gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine.
Gender dysphoria: a condition where a person feels that he or she is trapped within a body of the wrong sex. In the DSM-5 gender dysphoria is defined as "a marked incongruence between one's experienced/expressed gender, of at least six months duration." Dysphoria is often defined as an unpleasant or uncomfortable mood, such as sadness (depressed mood), anxiety, irritability, or restlessness. See also gender identity disorder. I sometimes use the terms "sex dysphoria" or "body dysphoria" instead, as this suffering may primarily be about the body, and not exclusively about cultural gender roles.
Gender expression: the physical manifestation of one's gender identity, usually expressed through clothing, mannerisms, and chosen names (see gender identity)
Gender identity or core gender identity (controversial terms): the gender a person self-identifies as (see gender 1).
Gender identity disorder (or GID, controversial term that has been replaced with "gender dysphoria"): formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe persons who experience significant gender dysphoria (discontent with the biological sex they were born with). I have recently started using the term "sex identity" instead of "gender identity", as this -- in the case of gender dysphoric transgender -- is more about alienation from the sex of one's birth body than from cultural gender roles. The latest edition of the American psychiatric manual, the DSM-5, no longer consider gender dysphoria a mental disorder, and uses terms like gender incongruence, gender dysphoria and transsexual instead.
Gender non-conformity: Behaving and appearing in ways that are considered atypical for one’s gender.
Gender variant: A subjective sense of not belonging completely to the gender of one’s birth-assigned sex. The term gender-variance is used to refer to the behavioral expression of this identity which could range from occasionally dressing as one’s identified gender to living full-time in this gender. (from J Veale). This term is often used in the same way as transgender (see transgender).
Genderfluid: A non-binary gender identity where one’s gender changes over time as opposed to a single, permanent and unchanging gender. The gender can shift after a period of time or due to certain situations.
Genderfuck (or gender-fuck, controversial term): a form of gender identity or gender expression, using parody and exaggeration to call attention to its transgression of gender roles, seeking to expose them as artificial, often by manipulating one's appearance to create gender dissonance or ambiguity in stark opposition of the gender binary. Used for crossdressing with contempt for any concern about passing; e.g., a male wearing a skirt, but with a beard and unshaved legs.
Genderqueer (or gender-queer): term for gender identities other than man and woman. People who identify as genderqueer may think of themselves as being both man and woman, as being neither man nor woman, or as falling completely outside the gender binary. See queer.
Genetic Girl (also Genuine Girl or GG, offensive term): A woman born with a female body (see cisgender).
Girlfag (controversial term): a biologically female individual who feels a strong romantic or erotic attraction towards gay males or male bisexuals or their milieu. A girlfag might partly or wholly feel "like a gay man trapped in a woman's body". Many girlfags are FTM crossdreamers.
Guydyke (controversial term):: a biologically male person who feels a strong romantic or erotic attraction towards lesbians, female bisexuals, or the culture of women loving women. Guydykes experience lesbian feelings and are commonly referred to as lesbian-identified men or lesbian men. Many are MTF crossdreamers.
Gynandromorphophilia: see transfan.
Gynephile (or gynophile): a person who is attracted to females (see sexual orientation).
Gynemimetophilia: see transfan.
Harry Benjamin Standards of Care (also: HB SOC or SOC) A list of rules dictating what is considered by a consensus of mental health professionals the appropriate way to treat transsexuals.
Harry Benjamin Syndrome (also HBS, controversial): non-medical term made up by trans women who hate the idea of being associated with crossdressers and transgender prostitutes. They argue that the gender identity of HBS women, as opposed to crossdreamers, is inborn and based in the brain. The "syndrome" has no scientific basis, and the use of Harry Benjamin's name is lamentable.
HBS: see Harry Benjamin Syndrome.
Hermaphrodite (term no longer used for humans): see intersex.
Homosexuality: romantic or sexual attraction or behavior among members of the same sex. On this blog an M2F transsexual woman is homosexual if she is attracted to women, an F2M transsexual man is homosexual if he is attracted to men. To avoid confusion I use the word androphilic (attracted to men) and gynephilic (attracted to women) instead.
Homosexual transsexual (HSTS, highly offensive term): Ray Blanchard's term for trans women who are exclusively attracted to men. In other words: They are really heterosexual, not homosexual.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): the taking of sex-related hormone s (e.g., estrogen, testosterone). Most often the term is used for post-menapusal women taking estrogen. The term also applies to a transsexual taking hormones of the target sex.
HSTS (offensive term used by Ray Blanchard): homosexual transsexual male. The real meaning of this term is androphilic M2F transexual woman (see homosexuality). Blanchard does not use this term for gynephilic F2M trans men.
Intergender (controversial term): see genderqueer.
Internalized transphobia: The belief that being a transsexual or transgendered is inferior to being cissexual or non-transgender. The internalization of negative messages, feelings about oneself and one's group, and the beliefs about how people like you should be treated, which often leads to self-hate and difficulty with self-acceptance.
Intersexuality: in humans refers to intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish male from female. This is usually understood to be congenital, involving chromosomal, morphologic, genital and/or gonadal anomalies, such as diversion from typical XX-female or XY-male presentations, e.g., sex reversal (XY-female, XX-male), genital ambiguity, sex developmental differences. An intersexed individual may have biological characteristics of both the male and female sexes. If transexuality and crossdreaming/autogynephilia have biological (brain) foundations it could be argued that these conditions also are intersexual. In this blog, however, I will not use the term in that way, in order to avoid unnecessary confusion.
LGBT (also GLBT, LGBTQ and LGBTQA) refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (and queer and asexual) people. LGBT emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity‐based cultures and is sometimes used to refer to anyone who is non‐heterosexual instead of exclusively to people who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgender. Some may also include and I for intersex persons (see intersex). Some "classic transsexual"s as well as intersexed people resist being included under the LGBT umbrella, as they feel they have nothing in common with the other members of the community.
Male/Masculine Embodiment Fantasies (MEFs): Julia Serano's term for FTM crossdreaming (see crossdreaming)
Male lesbian: (term coined by Dr. Brian G. Gilmartin in his book Shyness & Love: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment ): A heterosexual man who wishes that he had been born a woman, but who (even if he had been a woman) could only make love to another woman and never to a man. The "male lesbian" does not feel himself to be "a woman trapped inside the body of a man" and does not want a sex change operation. They envy the prerogatives of the female gender and believe these prerogatives fit their own inborn temperaments far more harmoniously than the pattern of behavioral expectations to which males are required to adhere.
Mangina: (derogatory) 1. Derisive term for a man's feminine side - especially when he's picky, touchy or emotional about something seemingly minor. 2. A man totally controlled by a woman 3. A weak willed man 4. The partner that takes it in the anus in a male homosexual relationship 5. A male prostitute, gay or straight. 6. A male looking persons who desires to change his genitals into female for no other reason than sex.
Metrosexual: a heterosexual man (especially one living in a post-industrial, capitalist culture) that has a strong concern for his appearance or a lifestyle and who displays feminine attributes stereotypically associated with homosexual men.
M2F or MTF: Male to female. Refers to the state of the biological sex before and after transitioning, or to the biological sex and the target sex in crossdreamer fantasies.
M/M: Romance fiction written by women for women about gay male relationships. The authors are often girlfags (see girlfag and W4M2M) This is a sub-genre of slash fiction.
Neutrois: A non-binary gender identity. One may feel that neutrois is a separate gender from man or woman in a similar way to how a person experiences a third gender, or they may feel that it is the lack of gender, or that it is a ‘neutral’ gender.
Non-binary: Gender identities that do not fit within the accepted binary of male and female. People can feel they are both, neither, or some mixture thereof.
Non-op: transsexual who has not and will not have sex reassignment surgery. (See transsexual, sex reassignment surgery).
Pangender: A non-binary gender identity where one experiences all genders in one body, including binary and non-binary genders. ‘One who experiences all gender identities’.
Pansexual: sexual orientation characterized by the potential for aesthetic attraction, romantic love, or sexual desire towards people, regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.
Paraphilia: a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her. What is defined as "normative stimulation" may vary a lot with time and cultural background, something that makes this a close to useless term in my book. Paraphilia is basically a science sounding word for "pervert" (see Perversion).
Passing: The ability to be accepted as a member of the sex you are transitioning into.
Perversion: (derogatory) types of human behavior that are perceived to be a serious deviation from what is considered to be orthodox or normal. Although it can refer to varying forms of deviation, it is most often used to describe sexual behaviors that are seen by the majority as abnormal or repulsive. Since this is a cultural relative term, I find it useless when discussing the true nature of crossdreaming.
Polygender: A non-binary gender identity where one experiences many (more than three) gender identities in one body, which may include both binary and non-binary genders. ‘One who experiences many gender identities’.
Post-op: transsexual who has had sex reassignment surgery (see transsexual and sex reassignment surgery)
Pre-op: transsexual who has not had sex reassignment surgery (see transsexual and sex reassignment surgery)
Post-structuralist (related to post-modernist): Poststructuralism denies the possibility of a truly scientific study of "man" or of "human nature", as all belief systems are believed to be socially constructed through language andsemiotics. This means that all meanings and intellectual categories are shifting and unstable. The term is relevant for crossdreamers as we from 2011 onwards have seen a few crossdreamers argue that crossdreaming is a social construct based on the psychological development of the individual crossdreamer. Personally I find poststructuralist methods very useful for analyzing the social context of crossdreaming, but since the philosophy has no tools for asserting the effect of biology on mental possesses, it cannot be used to study the interaction between body and mind.
Queer: (1, derogatory) Effeminate gay man. (2, controversial) Umbrella term for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexual, genderqueer, or of any other non-heterosexual sexuality, sexual anatomy, or gender identity. See genderqueer.
Separatist:: persons who argue they are not part of broader transgender culture. There are separate schools of M2F separatism: (1) Classic transsexuals, who believe that there is a clear and distinct biological difference between being a woman who is born in a man's body and men who get aroused by imagining themselves as women (like crossdressers, crossdreamers, transgenderists and feminine gay men). (2) Harry Benjamin Syndrome supporters follow a philosophy similar to classic transsexuals, but are more prone to gender stereotyping. (3) Transkids are trans women who follow the theories of Ray Blanchard, considering themselves to be "homosexual transsexuals" and therefore more feminine than crossdreamers. (4) Some crossdressers and transgenderists, argue – based on the philosophy of crossdresser Virginia Price – that they have nothing in common with trans women and gay men. 1 2 and 3 believe the transgender movement is run by crossdressers and crossdreamers, while group 4 believes it is run by trans women. These MTF separatist groups fight each other and the transgender movement. It could have been funny in a Monty Python Life of Brian kind of way, hadn't it been for all the suffering this bickering is causing. (5) Lately there has appeared a second generation of separatists at Tumblr who call themselves truscum (see truscum).
Sex: (1) In social sciences sex refers to the biological differences between men and women, as opposed to gender which refers to the cultural expressions of the roles given to biological males and females. (2) In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety (known as the two sexes).
Sex dysphoria: see Gender dysphoria.
Sex identity (also sexual identity, although the term sexual identity more often refers to sexual orientation): The inner feeling or conviction of being male or female. See also Gender identity disorder.
Sexual orientation: a pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both genders. Subcategories are : heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. Some argue that heterosexual and homosexual are exclusive categories, others that these orientations exist along a continuum that ranges from exclusive heterosexual to exclusive homosexual, including various forms of bisexuality in-between. Some people identify as asexual. To avoid confusion I will often use the words gynephile and androphile in this blog (see gynephile and androphile).
Sex reassignment surgery (also known as SRS, genital reconstruction surgery, sex affirmation surgery, sex-change operation): the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble that of the other sex. I have seen the term "gender reassignment surgery" used for M2F transsexual women, but I cannot see how you can do surgery on a gender identity that is already female.
Shape Shifter (also metamorph): Used by some people who choose not to identify as transsexuals, to express their belief they are not changing their gender, but changing their body to reflect their inner feelings and gender identity.
She-male (also shemale or t-girl; derogatory terms used in pornography): A genetic male who has physical characteristics of both male and female. This term should never be used for a real life transsexual or transgenderist (to whom it may refer). I will only use it to describe a transgenderists as a target in sexual fantasies. See transgenderist and transfan.
Sissy (or sissy boy, derogatory): (1) A term codified by the mental health community for biologically male children with gender identity disorder (in the sense of displaying feminine behavior). (2 colloquial) A boy or man are accused of feminine characteristics. (3) In the sissy sub-genre of transgender MTF erotica the word is used for men who enjoy humiliating feminization.
Skoliosexual: refers to people who experience sexual attraction towards people outside the gender binary, regardless of their sex or their own sex/gender.
SRS, see sex reassignment surgery.
Third gender or third sex (controversial terms): (1) individuals who are categorized (by their will or by social consensus) as neither male nor female, as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize three or more genders. It should be noted that such phenomena could just as well refer to roles understood as a mix of the male and female. (2) In zoology: Evolutionary biologist Joan Roughgarden argues that, in addition to male and female sexes (as defined by the production of small or large gametes), more than two genders or distinct morphs exist in hundreds of animal species.
TG: See transgender.
Trannie chaser or tranny chaser: (derogatory) see transfan.
Transbian (slang, most likely used derogatory): a male-to-female transsexual who is also a lesbian - ie. a transsexual woman who is sexually attracted to other women.
Transfan (also transsensual, admirerer or derogatory: tranny chaser) man with a sexual preference for preoperative male-to-female transsexuals , transgenderists or even crossdressers (see transsexual and transgenderist). Many argue that transfans are closeted homosexuals. I suspect that many of them are crossdreamers. You will also find female bodied transfans -- especially in the lesbian community where some are attracted to transsexual men.
Transfeminine: A non-binary gender identity where one assigned male at birth feels a strong connection with the female gender and enjoys typically feminine things, but does not feel a strong enough connection to identify completely as ‘woman’. Similar to – but not the same as – demiguy.
Transgender (contoversial term, also TG and trans): (1, common use) Umbrella term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to diverge from the normative gender roles connected to their original biological sex, including transsexuals. (2, a misrepresentation of Virginia Prince's term "transgenderist", see transgenderist) People who want to live cross-gender without sex reassignment surgery, excluding transsexuals. (3, derogatory) Crossdreamers and crossdressers, as opposed to "classic transsexuals" or HBS trans women. (4, controversial) Transsexual. I use the word as (1).
Trangender Pride Flag: Flag designed by Monica Helms. First shown in 2000. The flag represents the transgender community and consists of five horizontal stripes, two light blue, two pink, with a white stripe in the center.
Transgenderist (controversial and archaic term coined by crossdresser activist Virginia Prince): transgender people who derive pleasure from and value their genitals as originally developed. Like transsexuals, many are interested in obtaining electrolysis, hormones and even cosmetic surgery to bring their outward presentation in line with their inner sense of self. However, transgenderists are not interested in sex reassignment surgery. Transsexual men and women who for health and other reasons do not obtain SRS are not included in this definition. Some deny that transgenderists exist, arguing that they are either misled classic transsexuals or "autogynephiliacs". The term must not be confused with "transgender", which is an umbrella term for all gender variant people (see transgender).
Transitioning: Wikipedia defines this as the process of changing genders - the idea of what it means to be female or male. I am using the term for the process of changing ones biological sex, arguing that an MTF transsexual woman is a woman/has the female gender both before and after the transition (see also sex reassignment surgery).
Transkid: (1 controversial) Non-technical term for M2F androphilic transsexual, used mostly for political reasons to have a non-clinical way to refer to androphilic transsexuals as a population rather than a condition. See homosexual transsexual. (2) Gender variant children.
Transmasculine: A non-binary gender identity where one assigned female at birth feels a strong connection with the male gender and enjoys typically masculine things, but does not feel a strong enough connection to identify completely as ‘man’. Similar to – but not the same as – demigirl.
Trans man see transsexual man. Avoid the spelling transman, as this may be read to mean that trans men are not real men.
Transmedicalist see truscum.
Trans people or transpeople (controversial): in this blog used for both transsexuals and crossdreamers/autogynephiliacs and crossdressers.
Transphilic (also trans-philic): see transfan.
Transphobia (also genderphobia): The fear of transsexuals or transgendered, often assumed to be homosexuals. Expressed as negative feelings, attitudes, actions or behaviors.
Transsensual: see transfan.
Transsexual: Transsexual (also spelled transexual): (1) a condition in which an individual identifies with a physical sex that is different from his or her biological one. (2) A person who has undergone sex reassignment treatment and surgery (SRS) and/or who have legally changed his or her official gender identification.
Transsexual man: A person who was assigned female at birth, but who identifies as/is a man. Also known as a F2M transsexual or trans man. See transsexual and F2M.
Transsexual woman: A person who was assigned male at birht, but who identifies as/is a woman. Also known as a M2F transsexual or trans woman. See transsexual and M2F.
Transvestic fetishism (controversial term): having an erotic interest in crossdressing. See crossdressing and autogynephilia. I am not using this term, as I strongly believe that crossdreaming cannot be explained as a fetish.
Transvestism: see crossdresser
Trans woman, see transsexual woman. Avoid the spelling transwoman, as this may be interpreted to mean that trans women are not real women.
Truscum (also: transmedicalist): A more recent equivalent to the "classic transsexual", i.e. trans men and women who try to separate true transsexuals from whom they considered not trans. Unlike the male to female classic transsexuals they seem to want to appropriate the terms trans and transgender for themselves, using them as a synonym for transsexual. They argue that transsexuality is a medical condition and that transsexuality is defined by the symptom of physical sex dysphoria. The term originated on tumblr, and was and is dominated by female to male transgender people.
TS: see transsexual.
TV: transvestite. See crossdressing.
W4M4M: Women for men for men. (1) Women who read M/M slash fiction (see M/M and boy's love). (2) girlfags (see girlfag)
Woodworking (or stealth woodworking): for a transsexual to live in a manner that conceals her or his past sex.
XD: see crossdreaming (also used as an abbreviation for crossdressing)
*sources @jackmolay
*sources @jackmolay
