Question for everyone

[cjoe400]

I was wondering if someone could please clarify something for me. I have always wanted to know this but never asked. So here it goes...

Whats the difference between a

Shemale

Transvestite

Transsexual

Lady-boy

Tranny

Transgender

I think I can figure some of them out but wanted to see what everyone else had to say too.
Thanks!

[welickit]

We asked that question at a drag queen show at a GLBT lounge about six months ago. The answer we got was that it all depends on how the individual views themselves. There were about 120 of them there for the show and my wife and I were amazed at how very passable many of them really are. We walked right past a close friend because we didn't recognize him.

[cjoe400]

I know what you mean. The Ru Paul show on the LOGO channel he has a drag show that is really funny to watch but man some guys just look better as a girl for sure. Not me though! lol I would make one ugly woman but I do love seeing a sexy guy dressed up like a women its a big turn on for me.

[ubersmack]

Well, this is how I have been introduced to the answer to your question.

I have spent sometime (ok years) on a transexual forum. This forum consists of MtF transitions. I could not tell you anything about FtM transitions.

Transvestite is being a person who dresses as a woman but does't nessessarily live as a woman.

Shemale, Tranny are porn derived names that are generally taken badly when a transgenders person hears them.

Lady-boy another porn derived name for asian transsexuals. Like the above statement, the term isn't always recieved well.

In my experience, using the term transgendered or transsexual is a better words to use, recieving less negativity. Typically, refering to the trangendered person as a woman (MtF) is your best option as it shows respect for the person as a person.


A Chaser.... A person who wishes to date a transgendered woman. You want to date her because you know she is a transsexual. You are now a Chaser in many transsexual's minds and guess what? Your not getting any.

[MarieDelta]

Shemale/ Lady-boy- An invention of the pornography industry used to describe what are, effectively, effeminate gay men with breasts. It's a very offensive word and using it here is akin to yelling "The N-Word"

Tranny/Trannie- A shortened version of "transsexual." This is offensive because people who use it are ignorant, or they're know-it-alls who can't be bothered learning about what transsexuality really is.

Chaser, tranny-chaser - Semi derogatory term refering to men who date transsexuals exclusively. Most trans women avoid them like the plague. Why? Because they dont see us as the women(or men) we are.

Transgender - someone who evinces charateristics not common amongst their assigned birth gender. Could be a transvestite , crossdresser, drag queen, drag king, an effeminate male or masculine female. (Trans - crossing , Gender)

Cisgender / Cissexual - Someone who conforms with their assigned birth gender. This is a relatively new term, combining Cis - not crossing - with gender.

Transvestite (US) - a person who dresses for the sexual thrill of being dressed as the opposite gender.

Transvestite (UK) - Someone who wears the clothing of the opposite gender.

Cross Dresser ( US) - Someone who wears the clothing of the opposite gender.

Transsexual - a person who desires to live as the gender opposite to the one they were assigned at birth. Person may want to have Gender confirmation surgery, or not, for many different reasons.

[MarieDelta]

These terms are not offensive to me and I am TG!

I'm Transgendered and I call myself a tranny. My FTM and MTF friends also use the label tranny to refer to ourselves. We do not care if other people call us a tranny because it is a shortened term for Transgendered and it is not a slur or offensive.

I have MTF friends who call themselves a shemale or a ladyboy.

They are still TG women and are not gay men. They just decided not to get full surgery for a variety of reasons.

Who are you to tell them that the terms shemale or ladyboy are offensive and that they are akin to being racist even though these are TG people who are fine with these terms?

In Thailand there is an entire culture of Ladyboys or the Kathoey. These TG women are fully accepted as women in Thailand and most of SE Asia. They are not gay men.

Keep in mind that not everyone finds the same terms offensive as you do and that yes language, labels, and terms for gender do change.

I have noticed that the same people who are TG that flip out about the terms shemale or tranny and say how these terms are something that nobody that is TG like us should use or identify with live sad sheltered lives, are not out about being TG, and want everyone to think that if you are out as being TG you will become the next Brandon Teena or Gwen Arjuno.

http://media.abovetopsecret.com/thumbs/650d0b0d4707aaf7.jpg

[darkeyes]

LMAO Marie that's rich, you think I'm a troll just because I am Transgendered and call myself a tranny. I do not get all up in arms about the term tranny.

Marie honey, language and terms change. Stay in the dark about this all you want but you are only hurting yourself and showing everyone how you do not have an open mind and like to bully people who have different opinions than you do.

Who are you to tell all TG people like myself that call ourselves trannies and use the term that it is somehow wrong for us to do this?

No, sweets.. it has nothing to do with you being transgendered and what you call yourself.. I think it has more to do with the whole tenor of your rather troll like contributions to debate... I really don't care whether you are a Troll or not.. I do love a laugh at people's idiocy as much as the next person..:)