Terminology & Time

On 6/29/2021 at 1:00 PM, Emma said:

.... I just felt (and feel) that terms like "transgenderism" is like "transsexual" are obsolete.  

14 hours ago, Crusty said:

Well, I guess that's why I didn't find "transsexual" as a gender-option in the drop-down box on the profile page.  I consider myself to be a "transsexual."

The above posts came from the thread "International Journal of Transgenderism." 

I remember when the term "transgender" really got rooted in here at TGG.  Years later, I found out the term was much older, having been coined back in the mid '70's, though if I recall correctly...it was not used as an "umbrella" under which everyone not straight and cisgender would gather.  Instead, it was thought that the general public would be more accepting of a term that didn't include the word "sex," and in turn might keep people from being so adversely critical of us.

There have been several discussions here about transsexual and transgender.  Some even quite heated...but it was usually because there would be someone fly in here and try convince people that no matter one's gender identity, if you didn't transition, then you were "only transgender."  Only "real" transsexuals transitioned.  They considered themselves better than those who did not or even could not transition, and totally dismissed the fact that "transgender" was simply a catch-all kind of word.

For some time, I fought against calling myself transgender because in my mind, there was nothing wrong with my gender... my gender identity.  My mind, heart and soul weren't the problem.  The problem was my physical sex, and therefore, I felt that transsexual was indeed the more appropriate term for anyone who identified as a gender that did not correspond with their physical sex.  The way I saw it, and still do, nature screwed up my physical sex...  not my gender.  Quite often (and still pretty much today), I just use "trans."  Trans women/men, trans people, etc.

Ironically, today... if I do use a formal term, it's "transgender" ...   because it doesn't sound so harsh.  Sorta like the reason it came to be to begin with.

Go figure!