1 Coming to Terms with Transgenderism and Transsexuality Moss ttn ort ae unfmiarwith the mors that wen the eanspender community we desi ures, or expres nour most presing es, Books and webststhat dics crn genders and onsen offen ini sae Kind of glory, here thes ems eid ot and defied in nic, odes a hsbc ahion. However, poi lem withthe glowary approach shai ites the pression hallo shee ransgeer- related words ad phrases re somshow wri in sonny assed down Grom erition to pneatin. Thi emt einly otthess, Many of he ems ed these diye to debe rn tender peopl id nor exit a decade ago. Convery, may of te ems tat were commonly a 3 deade a ate now conse to eo of ain, ote, evens to many people in thecransgnde comma. ren the terms thi ar we Feguty today ae regula duced, ainda teasende people may ‘tine wots n'a alghly diferent amex or have ses ot ois pecezece for aan words oe ethers, Soin es ofosay wll me this chaptr to deine many of the wansgender ‘Spec tems te thoughoa the book andro explain why Those these prtisular words and ple ther than others ssf oak about people who ae ane eas ender witha fe dining the words sx" abd “gender.” *Sex™ commonly refers to mhether person is physically female andor taal, Because the physic tis hat we ms of ake ino 26 coun whe describing sex” are blgialn origin ep ex chro- moses hormones repre sens, etal and so Forth here teeny tee ee a Being 2 Mma aspect of en: der, However thi nor euite te case, Clu expectation and sumone play = Inge cle in shaping how we dternine and conider vex. Fr example, our ele, sch astmpions ace ‘ec onal etic: person's eis aged at i ae om the prosnce or absense of penis Ths cue genital play afar more imporane sole n determining os gal ex dan do our chrono somes (which in most aes ae nese acealy examined) oF Our eordatv capaciy, Af alla woman can ave ahysteraomy, fra man can ave a very, withoot changing or alifing thie legal sx. lds the face tat we even have 2 “legal” sx nonstoes thas society gey shapes or undemtanding of ex “Tha sought this ok wil we the word ex" primary to ‘afer oa pesos psc emalenes andor maleness, bot ll “ko seine so refer to he sail an lel elses that are ined wih one's physical 5 gender” ic ely wed in 4 mamber of way. sein manne thasadstiogishable from Syhethe peso is physically soil, ond Othe people we the word "pede" ony ene wth engwsin nt aon icon os oe i ttle oan ea fi sepieaeret ny ater ealey eppipigtnmelsmnic ren gen apr einmneecger ene See Peel ebaro tics uae ne ects’ Seer meee at rege Tee a ae re Gace sen womens foppe cl eee pa ae papier raetra re a, Bes aeaciemcs ca nareccn ies Ee cea ieee een Bigs ae te ea ea eae Neaenanent ation tic cit _ eeronespinone eitcerntetss Re eae Bees gira pear acto Re elon cami aoned I orca pone ee ges eee ey | Spegthiresperenmti paris 2rigs movements Ae the same me, roses be gy ‘roblemai io the tof las eases he diinsnees fis comtunts For example, whe mle roles rane nen ae bch male denied agnde people ese groupe face ye diferent sof es with prs to maging the rr ference. Sima, dg ques nd transel women gery Tae very den experiences aid pees rea pende, espe he fact tat they ae of confine wth ane anther by has, thet wa 0 oon the elo ate ofthe word ro rcriz thes praia pata em, one sha brings toguher daa ass of people o fight forthe common goal of ening al lennon based on spender variance. Whe ell poll morgendr into vag of word inp thc commonality between inviusl people's Wen, Me expe ‘be occas Another pin shat ison ovelaks in dcstons about easgeaerom is hat many ini who fal wader the an ender umbels choose aot entity wih the et For exam le, many tere people ec the ter cae thei codon is abour physi mex ne eer andthe pinay ss sey ace fete nonconsenssl“normaaing” medial poceares din fancy or chldood) der gently fom those of the ester trans sender communi Salary, many ransennle dinsvow the rm cae of tae eranseual oto Hea hey el dha the eangender movemeat tends to pve howe iene, scons and appearane thr mos visibly anaes” gender noms This tendeny ender nisi the fact hat many of strug mote With sts ltd 6 our psa omaleness or lees than we % Cangas henna sey do with our exprenions of femininiy malin, Throughout this books I wil we the word tra 6 cele eo people who e0 acyng degrees} arogple with subsonsios ndnsanding or Jnnison tae thee something rong” wil he ex tey were assigned at bie andlor who fel tae hey shold ve ben born scr wih he could bee other se eshoolbe nota hat some People ute the wo “trans dient ava yonye oF bees ion foe the word rage) Fr many rane ole th fc that their appearances or behaves may fll oui of ail goer ‘norms avery al ne, bt one chat fn seen a second ay the copie dssonance that aes om the at that hie bonis zee doesnot match tipi sx, Thi gender tsonance sully expend kind of emotional pin ot ‘oes that grows moe iene oer tims sometimes ching 2 ne where tan Boome debilting “Thee ae mary dierent sraeps thats pope may we to ee thei ger dionane. Phi the st common oe is tengo suppres or deny onc bconsous x: Othe may low shee abconcons ex 0 come to the sore sana, for ‘example drough ciker cossdeing of rolenfayng, Sil ots may come fo see themes a genre (hing 3 minnare of tox femininity and muscle andor females and miles) gender id moving ely bree pe) genderancer ie ‘ying ouside ofthe malelemale gender Baar. And those of ws who make the choice nea te sex the thin the ane we we signe at bith re comnonly ile mera ships the most uaderacnowllged isewith rid othe ramgender command de that continuing source of aa en eee atte nae astapes and ores tat wars peopl wave toward i det ‘olive thie geder dsonance te abo shared by people wha da not experience any domo with reps thi suonsious tnd physical sex For example, some maetotid romdteners spend much fi ines wishing hey were acl femal, while hers ee hei crosdreting simply a way wo expe feninine sie of hie penalties While many dag aise view themes imal a eect 0 exioy efoing sd proving gem er seretyps, sme tras people ravine toward dag besa roids them with rate oppor to exes pect thet subconscious sex in 2 socially sncioned sting, Aad while many sean people dent ax gederquese Brae it eps chon make tes thee gens Ergin wld whether esanding of themseles ifs so grea from the way they are pei by sc, oe people ie 2 endear bea, oma purely ila evel hey ueton he vay of the inary sede system, “has, nt only do transnder people vay in thir pips: ‘ives an expences ut nvidia within he ane wansgeder subeategory whether it be crore, dapat, genera, 8) may alo dite gral in wha vs then embrace that ‘ety. And whe his book pray focuses on taney, and more spall on ane women that my expanse ad pepsin) it ot became elie dat tamper people wi te ot seassexal are any ss important o iat thei ex: resins of gender test as ald sin and ee rman they may face at are shove xpresions sta a: ils ri fous eos hae seul valid fr rans pen to die teas ad ine athe ater ee a8 for tem 10 a Cig ene Heenan stead chose wo la gender boundaries ol identity dense, cutie the gene binary. There i no ome gh af be 08 sch of us simply eds 1 gure out what works bes for and whotallows ato bet exper who we el we ate ‘When discussing ransexu, is ofen necessary to din ts bewuer thos who raisin rom ml female ae commonly refer 098 ra women thse who tansiton ee ane ere ee ee over others eau they acknowledge the ned and selieniod endef he tans peson c., woraa or man, whe ing the sjcve "ane ara way deste ae pesca apes of hat pecson's ie experience. Inthe words, tas woman” ad ans pee ele gree ae eee ‘oc "Asan ma.” Bese many ans pelechone wo rleve hie eaderdasonancein ware than ranining wl fen we the phases mules,fomale (MITE) spe and fralesomae (ETM) specinan wo dsb all ans people ears of whther they are poder, transec,cowdee, et.) who expe ence eigenen ifn rom enor complex tha the ee Sametines pepe have a tendency 1 iso delete ‘zane womeas and tan mens per ides and ed exer coc y retin ust cron uigu cate tht aresepurate foo woman” “man Ths zategy i fen doped by now: ‘can fls who wis odicus ta eoplewitowt ever ringing ‘nc question thio asmpion and bel abou mlepes and females. An obrous example of ths phonon isthe per lee ofthe ter “shemales,” ad "chick with dick” in clecece to ta women, Sometimes atest Hider oF a‘tnd onder an people are mot stl or bcomscon than thay such a: when people merge the phrase rans woman co make ane wordy “wabswomaa,” or as the ative: MTF and FTM as nouns or example, “Julia Sra isan MTF) Lot identify 2x male-female iden ay woman, Thee ates or cate eats peopl 0 “third en” eto no only died the profoundly fet gender deity of the ramen gut, bat to jor the very eal expences that tran eson sha eng trated ac member of the sex tht thy hive ransomed 0 When dcsing ranean’ les, sis porn 0 Fd ‘word thar acarrely dsr hie ented expences in bath the pst an preset Many tans pple they anderson them sce to he female or mae fe mos of thi is despite he fst that it ws the see they wer aig at hith, Teor, when eats pes ransoot thir sabeoncious sex gender ier sy essential says the same itis ther psa ex chat ‘hanes thence the erm taser. With sega the tans esn’s rgal ex wil often asthe somewhat clunky phrase ‘he 0 ln gondm) thy ere aig tbr eo cmp de -noncomsnsal nate of how we te i sciied eat by sociey onthe basi fo phyil sex. or conencne, may also ree as thei ase genders ot (to ales extent) ‘he it sex. Layee othe ex tha he rans pron ha = sions hei prfrved ext dtd sex Wo ermphasie ‘he fact that ic apres wth her gees identi otc ed see (to emphasize the facta they now lve and experience the world 4 member of ht sex eis common for people to amame tae bing or som ing ransemualiovooe some kind of “exchange operation Fy Cong em apie sly However, his not neces the ct, While some tase lb undergonunrows edi peacedues par of hci yea ‘rasions, others ter cannot afford rene not to undergo sch procedures Ine ang olin be word “rasa” ‘© only thoe who physical ranston snot ony casi bcs ofthe allay soe, br objecting a i res al ans eopl to the medical proedares that han ben eave out on ‘ce hoes. For these exon, wile the word aca describe anyone who cre ors work tow ing as rember ofthe ex ote th he on hey were signe ith, feels of what proces they may haved Fuh, bese thor are so many deve paths that temssexual peso may ‘ake warding incr identified nex, wi ue the word ot ‘ono dese he paces of hanging on'sived sex ther han In frnce wo any specie mail procedure The mos common meal poor fe teassevuss sec ‘ut is harmon replacment tirpy wich ieoles aking et ‘ere the ae of aos men, oF king gen and soetines Progestrone)m the eof rans women. Tiese ete sue hormones hat ick in during pubery in ll peopl and hey pro- ce many ofthe ame ily changes inal rarely on adoecems: Some es are changin kin compesion se ‘muscle dsrtrion, beat yroth n tam women, and Sop od vies and facil bir pomth in rans en. These hoon rode body changes are on eked oa secondary ex car teri to dtingiok them om 50a primary sx charac ‘eristics ch a5 reproduce nga and genta), Sasori ex ara te the coe that we most fen se when we cy sks abn ther women a men which xan why bormane a‘eplcemen thsi of safe allow rae people ve feetetiieestensie ‘Wile thre ae 3 namber of posible surges shat 3 ane peron may undetaks the one ha seo moet cape public eee ree construction of he genta ote marc haf the rarsexs eid ex. Some tas people objeto the em SRS and tad refer aeratives such 5 ental resign sae ger co mation spr bottom srry ones wih op sarge: the remoral or eniancemen of bests Personally, am ot both cred bythe chal mame fhe surge so much a Lam bythe Fach goes so mh tation ithe maa ad the ener pos le Aral a someone who s otal ar has ever ad ‘var condition, realy done el ny carping ed 0 koow all of ee echical names or ea layla acount of Beet seein er eee ree eee ‘of cenberapis inorder o be roach by the sry of someone ‘who has sured cancer. Fr chi zeaon am ater tub by ‘he fc hat any poopl—vho at the mei pofeon slr ts heincher—woold want sohine aloft gy dels gh race physlrnsormations of wold fel that ‘hey have any right to aw abou the see oF one gna, Kis sfensive ha so many peopl el hat okay ply reer to ransestal bing “pre-op or “post-op” when ic would 30 sll he desing and demeaning orally dese al hays nud men being ter “tcunced” of “uncteunesd” SRS ct pei ed anki te et cedures should be realy avaable for thse comtempaing 5 reewignmet, sich information neither leant not econ. 2 oma ne hatin for one 1 andencnd the experiences and penpstvs of t08 people, Afterall while my phys tastion cred pemay ‘vera perodofa yarandall—amereracsonof my ife—what has remained constant and pervasive buh re, Sing, nd pont ‘essa has been the estnce and peje ha he fed ‘rom tose who ae noc transgene, thse who ome aon comfortable or dure by my gender exprsson anor female iy. and hose wh presume that th ei genders ore auto all han ey ove, Far threo, Hve that one sono int uly undersand tinsel thot thoroughly ‘samibiog sd ewiguing the preaces and prmprions ofthe eer cere eee ree seus throughout this bok, Ll lio be apenting «peat dex! fine dicing the hele a tides corn amon ise lb-that i people who ave only ever expend thei suber ‘cious sex and physi in root ransende maybe dsr as ving cinder although il being ths em le len ce he cs of hit Bok i ine. Smily, people who fon tanseaal women rather ha the transgende population 82 ‘ele! tne tert Locsionly sete peony terms wom sranusual and nonrongender Some nigh el that all ofthe trae and generated seems ve introduced ate oerhsning coming, And ober, tule those he els gender nd gue sad, ight lami much ofthis language as conributing ta “reverse dis course™—hacs by doscibing myself wanseral anderen teansspecc terms to dece my experines am sip ein forcing the same diotionburweentasxta and cel ee ee ed eee 2of hee argumens the same do ot beve that ansenls nd ion ate inherently dierenfom ape another. Ba che say diferent ways in which we peeved nd rte by eee eee social exerci, lad many wanes (0 see and undestand eer very diferent than or heal counterparts Ard wile reamenush ae exterey Fai with ceva prspcties of eee pe cee) ee ere largely unfair ith eos espe, Using only words hat tien ar fain ith in onder oo deb ey ended ex riences would sir o 4 macan oly choosing words hat sonics understand when desing mas ean be doe, tut something racial woul ey be lor the ranean, Just masa cannot lly explain ee ection 0 parca song iow inging up coocepe sich sno ey” oe “Hine sg ture there are certain rane words nl ideas that will ap ra trowghour this bok ha arecracl or me ei onder oie cnmey my thts an experences regarding gender. To have aillaminsng and asnced dcuion about my experenas ad perspectives a ans woman, we must begin chink interme of words and ideas ha acutely decibethat experine 2 ‘Skirt Chasers: Why the Media Depicts the Trans Revolution in Lipstick and Heels ‘As 4 muse vous, {am fen conned by people who in sis tha am nox, noe ca I etre, a “zeal wom.” One ofthe sore common lines of easing gos something Hike thi There's more to bing oman than simply puting om dre cok’ gee ore. Tha why fs frst that ope often ee confsed Deca, although I have tanstionel ro female and sean oma, Izly wear makeup des 4 ov fei Ie tesa ered eee ceatpeme 1 hese are women in geal mot people bee ht alan womeo ae on gues make canes a prey pink nd pe sivas publ. While there ate etl some cans women who ur ito minsteae dog about Besty abd inn, thers se ouspoen emis and activists hing aginst al gender se eorypes. Bayard never know it by loking he popular medi, swhichsendoasame tht all ransenl renee and ine wore want to achieve serotype finn