A Transgender Glossary

[Adrian]

source: John Mark Ministries

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/15489.htm

Transgender Alphabet Soup

SRS, HRT, RLT…what does it all mean?

Androgynous. Having both female and male characteristics; hermaphroditic. Being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or behavior.

Anti-androgen or anti-testosterone. Various drugs which suppress testosterone. Usually taken by MTFs (male-to-females) in addition to estrogen to help feminization.

Autogynephilia. In its literal translation means “self-love as a woman.” Diagnostically, autogynephilia is an “erotic obsession with the image of one’s self as a woman.” Paraphilias are sexual desires or activities that lie outside the cultural norm, and under some conditions are considered perversions or even mental disorders, though those labels are controversial. Autogynephilia is listed in passing (not as a diagnosis) in the DSM IV.

Autogynephilia was first coined in the 80’s by Ray Blanchard of the Clarke Institute in Canada. It remained a not well accepted, fringe issue until the National Academies Press publication of Michael Bailey’s book, “The Man Who Would be Queen”. It has caused a firestorm of debate within the trans community because of Bailey’s claim that there are two types of transsexuals: autogynephilic transsexuals that Bailey’s claims are people with an “erotic obsession with the image of themselves as women are and homosexual transsexuals or “extremely feminine gay men. The debate was intensified with the Lambda Literary Foundation’s nomination of The Man Who Would be Queen for their 2003 transgender category awards.

The Lambda Literary Foundation has removed “The Man Who Would be Queen” from their 2003 finalists list!

Also angering the trans community were Bailey’s references to male-to-female transsexuals as “transsexual men” or “male transsexual.” The correct term is transsexual women. He has the archaic idea that sex and gender are synonymous, when they are actually separate and distinct. A transsexual woman isn’t necessarily attracted to men and visa versa.

The most support for Bailey’s book seems to be from the queer community, many who don’t understand transsexuality (understandably, as their etiology is different from ours), lay-persons and unknowlegable psychologists who’ve bought into the autogynephilia theory. More…

Bio-boy. A genetic-born male. The counterpart to a genetic girl or natal female (see GG).

CD – Crossdresser. Usually a heterosexual male who expresses his feminine side, and sometimes gets sexual satisfaction, by dressing part-time in women’s clothes. Crossdressers don’t want to take hormones (except for experimentation) or have sex change surgery (SRS). Crossdressing is not a disorder and cannot be “cured” and is an innocent, harmless activity. Most children experiment, or play games, with taking on roles of the opposite gender. As they get older they’re taught that’s unacceptable behavior. This can cause burying of transgender tendencies and create guilt. See transvestite.

Clock. To be seen by people that one is transsexual or crossdressing. Opposite of passing. “I got clocked by some teenage girls today” (teenage girls are very perceptive at reading transsexuals). See read.

Drag King. A woman who impersonates a man through appearance and mannerisms. The counterpart of a Drag Queen.

DQ – Drag Queen. Usually a gay male who dresses as a female to attract other gay men and often perform as female impersonators in night clubs. They usually employ garish makeup and exaggerated mannerisms and speech.

DSM IV. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition. Diagnostic Criteria for the most common mental disorders including: description, diagnosis, treatment, and research findings. GID (Gender Identity Disorder) is listed as 302.6 in the DSM IV. Though listed as a “mental disorder,” the latest evidence indicates it’s biological and happens prenatally and could have genetic causes. Female brain structures have been found in the brains of transsexuals. I think gender dysphoria is more accurate as it indicates a discomfort with one’s born sex, not a disorder.

Dysphoria. An emotional state characterized by anxiety, depression, or unease. The opposite of euphoria. See GID.

FTM or F2M. Female-to-male transsexual.

Gender. The two terms, sex and gender, are sometimes used interchangeably in the vernacular. However, in a medical and technically scientific sense, these words are not synonymous. Sex is defined by the gonads, or potential gonads, either phenotypically or genotypically. It is generally assigned at birth by external genital appearance. If an intersex condition is present, one sex is often chosen with the intention of making social interactions and rearing simpler. However, studies have shown this doesn’t work in many cases. For example, someone may be surgically assigned as a female, but develop the opposite gender identity later in life, usually at puberty.

Gender, on the other hand, is a social construct that places men and women into distinct categories, each with its own attributes, such as dress, hair style, mannerisms and walk. In essence, gender is how we present ourselves to society and not necessarily a reflection of one’s sex or sexual orientation.

GG. Genetic Girl or natal female. They are often looked to as sources of knowledge and mentors, especially early in a transsexual’s transition, offering guidance in dress, makeup, mannerisms, etc.

GID. Gender Identity Disorder. The medical definition of transsexualism. Also known as *gender dysphoria. A more accurate term, in my opinion. GID is still classified as a psychological “disorder” in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), though the latest evidence indicates it’s a biological condition and could be caused by a mix-up in the fetal hormone balance at critical periods in fetal development, or have genetic causes. One study found that the brains of male-to-female transsexuals had female neuron numbers in the central subdivision of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.

*A deep uncomfortableness with one’s gender. Dysphoria is the opposite of euphoria.

All fetuses are female by default. When the gonads kick in if they produce testosterone the fetus develops into a phenotype male, if they produce estrogen it remains female. One theory holds that due to a mix-up in fetal hormone balance at a critical times the fetus develops into a phenotype male with a female brain. There are physical differences in male and female brains.

The only successful treatments for transsexuals are cross-gender living, hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery (see SRS). Attempts at changing transsexuals’ internal gender identity, including aversion therapy, have been unsuccessful. Gender dysphoria isn’t caused by a strong identification with the mother or familial adjustment disorder, such as an absent father.

GLBT. Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans. A trend towards joining forces and working together to address issues like discrimination and equal rights (not “special rights” that the so-called religious right claims). Unfortunately, it’s still legal in most areas of the US to fire a person just for being transgender. Some states, cities and municipalities have adopted gender identity anti-discrimination laws and more are regularly being added.

GRS. Genital Reconstructive Surgery, or Gender Reassignment Surgery. See SRS.

Hermaphrodite. See IS (Intersexed).

Homosexual transsexual. A category of transsexuals coined by Michael Bailey, largely dismissed by the trans community. Bailey defines a homosexual transsexual as an “extremely feminine gay man.” These are people who had homosexual sex as males before transitioning, who Bailey claims have sex-change surgery so they can have better “gay sex.” The term “homosexual transsexual” itself is a contradiction, unless one is talking about a transsexual woman who’s attracted to women and, in that case, lesbian is the correct term.

A man who’s sexually attracted to men is homosexual. He identifies as male, likes his maleness and wouldn’t think of cutting his penis off. A transsexual woman may have had homosexual experiences before transitioning, but was transsexual to begin with and doesn’t identity as male; some trans women go through a “gay phase”.

HRT. Hormone Replacement Therapy. The taking of estrogen, and sometimes progesterone, by a MTF (male-to-female) to feminize the body, i.e. breast development, soft skin, fat redistribution, muscle shrinkage, etc. A FTM (female-to-male) takes testosterone. Transsexuals must take hormones for the rest of their lives.

IS – Intersexed. Also, hermaphrodite (an older term). Intersexed is a biological condition in which the person has the internal reproductive anatomy of one sex with ambiguous external genitalia. For example, a person might be a biological female in terms of hormones and reproductive system, but may manifest an enlarged clitoris that may resemble an underdeveloped penis. Chromosomes cannot be used to definitively tell a person’s sex. Male babies can be born with XX chromosomes and visa-versa, or a combination of XX and XY cells. There are cases of intersexuals who have been “surgically assigned” a gender shortly after birth or in early childhood and raised as that gender, but develop the opposite gender identity later in life. In some cases this is a deliberate decision on the part of the parents, while in others the parents mistook the external genital appearance for the actual biological sex. Once considered malleable, gender identity is now understood to be hardwired before birth.

Male transsexual. A demeaning and contradictory term coined by Michael Bailey, who considers transsexual women “males.” The correct term is transsexual woman. See autogynephilia.

MTF or M2F. Male-to-female transsexual.

Orchiectomy. Castration. Removal of the testes. Some transsexuals have an orchie when SRS isn’t in the near future to stop the production of testosterone. This allows the reduction of hormone intake to post-op levels which is safer and the elimination of an anti-androgen.

Pass. To pass is being able to move through society without being detected as transsexual. Generally, the younger one starts hormones (teens to early 20’s) the physical changes are more dramatic and hence it’s easier to pass. See Stealth.

Phalloplasty. Genital reconstructive surgery for a FTM. A much more involved and expensive surgery than vaginoplasty, typically consisting of a hysterectomy and closure of the vagina. Skin grafts are used to create the penis, the urethra lengthened and prosthetic testicles created. The surgery is usually done over several stages.

Post-op. A transsexual who has had sex reassignment surgery (see SRS). Post-op’s usually report satisfactory to very good sensation in their vaginas, have the ability to orgasm and some self-lubricate.

Pre-op. A pre-op transsexual is one who has not yet had sex reassignment surgery.

Purge. To purge — the act of throwing away, or destroying, one’s clothes of the opposite gender, often preceeded by guilt. Sometimes one will then declare themselves “cured,” but inevitably the feelings to change gender or crossdress can’t be suppressed.

Read. Being read is when someone realizes one is transsexual or transgender and not a genetic male or female. The opposite of passing. Also, to clock. When we see someone in a split-second our mind unconsciously makes a decision whether the person is male or female based on visual and/or audio clues. If one falls outside the expected norms of male or female the individual will sometimes continue looking for more clues. Facial surgery and a convincing voice can go a long way in helping a transsexual pass.

RLE. Real Life Experience. See RLT.

RLT. Real Life Test. A period of time where the individual lives and works full-time as their chosen gender. Kind of a “try before you buy” experience to see if one really wants to live permanently as the opposite gender and prepare him or herself for life in their new gender role. Usually one is required to live full-time at least one year before they can be approved for SRS.

Sexual orientation. The gender one is sexually attracted to, i.e. heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Sometimes equated with gender identity, sexual orientation is separate and distinct. For example, a transsexual woman isn’t necessarily attracted to men and visa-versa. For the transsexual sexual orientation can be in flux, sometimes not solidifying until after experimentation and sex reassignment surgery.

Shemale. A biological male who takes hormones to develop female secondary sex characteristics, but stops short of SRS. It’s been reported that the term was coined by the porn industry and is used liberally in transsexual pornography. Some find the term offensive.

SOC. Standards of Care, by Dr. Harry Benjamin. The accepted requirements that most therapists and surgeons adhere to for SRS which are: six months of counseling and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and one year of full-time crossgender living and working before a transsexual can be referred for sex reassignment surgery (see below). Most surgeons also require two letters of referral from a MD, Ph.D., or other masters level professional.

SRS. Sex Reassignment Surgery. For the MTF (male-to-female) an operation that transforms the male genitals into female genitalia called vaginoplasty. The most common procedure is penile inversion. In this procedure, the testes are removed and the erectile tissue of the penis is excised. A canal is created for the neo-vagina, the penile skin inverted and used to line the vaginal canal. Part of the scrotum is used to lengthen the new vagina and to create the labia. (Sometimes skin graphs are necessary when there’s not enough penile and/or scrotal tissue to create adequate vaginal depth and are usually taken from the hips.) Part of the glans (head of the penis) is used to create a sensate clitoris. Sex change surgery has improved to the point that with a skilled surgeon of being nearly indistinguishable from a genetic female.

SRS for the FTM (female-to-male) is more complex and not as technically advanced, usually requiring several separate surgeries. It’s easier to create female genitalia from male genitals than visa-versa, since structurally male genitals are basically female genitalia turned inside-out, with the testes corresponding to the ovaries and penis to the clitoris. The cost of SRS for the MTF varies from $4000 to $20k-plus, and $40k to $60k-plus for the FTM.

Stealth. Stealth is being passable enough to live one’s life without detection. How you’re treated by society varies significantly on blending in, or standing out and being read. Unfortunately, those who don’t pass well are sometimes mistreated, ridiculed, discriminated against, even attacked. As a consolation to those who don’t pass well, no one passes 100% of the time. Anyone who claims they do must be a mind-reader of everyone who sees them.

TG – Transgender or Transgendered. Usually, used as an umbrella term to describe the full spectrum of gender-variants, from those who don’t choose to dress in the mode that society expects for their sex to transsexuals who alter their bodies through hormones and surgery. Unlike sex, which is biological and based on characteristics such as reproductive organs and chromosomes, gender is a social construct that’s projected by appearance and behavior including clothing, hairstyle and mannerisms. Many (especially young) people challenge this construct by adopting an androgynous appearance or blending genders. It’s estimated that 1-in-2000 people are born transgender, the same ratio for intersexed people See IS.

Transition. The process of changing one’s gender. Usually involves taking hormones, living crossgender part-time then full-time, a legal name change, electrolysis (for the male-to-female), learning the mannerisms of the chosen gender, etc.

TS. Transsexual. A person who has a deep, core identity of the gender opposite to their born sex. It’s often expressed at an early age, as young as three or four. Transsexuals can’t be “cured” except through hormones and surgery and often go through guilt and confusion about their gender identity and try to suppress it, which is inevitably impossible and usually only find peace when they accept who they are and begin their transformation. Also see GID

TV – Transvestite. Crossdresser. From the Latin “trans” meaning cross and “vest” meaning clothes. See CD.

Vaginoplasty. A surgical procedure that transforms the male genitals into female genitalia. See SRS.