“Jap” is short for Japanese, and is generally considered a racial slur. So is “Nip,” which is short for Nipponese.
Here’s the deal: “tranny” is a term associated with sex workers, drag queens, and fetishists. (see also: tranny chaser, chix with dix, shemale) It’s a punchline or an insult. “Hot tranny mess.” “She looks like a tranny.”
There are transsexual and transgendered people who will use it, the same way there are gay people who use faggot and women who call their friends bitches. That doesn’t make it a term that’s okay to use in regular conversation about trans folks, any more than you would say to a random coworker, “Did you hear that Harvey Milk was just awarded the Medal of Freedom? He sure did a lot of good work for faggots’ rights.” It’s still a slur, even when used without malice. (Why are certain words in our society considered slurs? That’s a whole different discussion.)
Odds are good that a transsexual person off the internet is not going to tell you, “Every time you use the word ‘tranny’ around me, it makes me wince and feel like you consider me a joke or a whore.” Trans folks generally do their best to blend in, and part of that is often ignoring slurs, jokes, and other minor prejudice in the interest of going along to get along.
You can keep using it. No one’s going to stop you. But now you know it’s generally considered a slur by trans folks (now, drag queens will throw it around all day, which, as I mentioned, is part of why transsexual folks don’t want it applied to them). So you’re using a slur in full knowledge that it is one. Your choice.
Context matters. Your anecdotal data points from the handful of trannies you associate with do not transform it into a slur, no matter how badly you want to wag your finger at me.
As I cannot plausibly claim that I don’t care if I keep posting about this, I’m done.
Well, other posters have said they find it offensive and that their transgendered friends do as well. Not EVERY transgendered person is going to balk at you using it, but why do you need a unanimous vote? Your going out of your way to defend it when people have told you it’s a bad idea seems disrespectful to the transgendered people. Why use it when there are so many other better terms?
MOIDALIZE, I don’t think you’re being a bigot because I think that requires hateful intent, but you are being insensitive. Bob is not a slur but if some dude named Robert does not want to be called Bob I’m not going to call him Bob. It’s just the polite thing to do.
I don’t think tranny, chinaman, jap, nip, and even fag and nigger (in certain contexts) are the ghastly beasts people make them out to be, but then again I don’t belong to any of the groups they attempt to describe, so if they hurt those people’s feelings I’ll defer to their perspective and refrain from using them.
I’m a transsexual man. I know personally, have chatted with, have hung out with, or have met casually literally hundreds of other trans folks. I “keep up with the literature,” if you will, as well. “Tranny” is an offensive term when applied to transsexual and transgendered people.
Oh c’mon, you expect us to believe that? We all know you’re **really **a millionaire brain surgeon astronaut marine biologist who’s married to a hot pair of Swedish twins and can be immediately identified by your slender, 6’3" frame and single angel wing. You can’t fool us, anonymous internet poster!
I miss Eve. 
FTR, she really didn’t seem to mind the term. Check out number three.
I thought it was short for Nipple and was only used to refer to Elaine Benes.
Cyprus chick, damn!!
I didn’t mean all pageants proscribe cosmetic surgery. Just I’ve heard of some that do.
Hey, I didn’t say i wasn’t all those things, too. Except I’m not a millionaire brain surgeon astronaut marine biologist - I’m a millionaire tax lawyer to the stars.
What the… you’re a Rand Rover sock!
Crap, I’ve been found out! Quick, to the Galtmobile!
… You mean your Bentley?
Actually, I meant my Thundercougarfalconbird, Luxury Edition.
Hmmm, only if you mean “damn, get that girl a cheeseburger!”
I also wanted to say thank goodness for this thread because otherwise I would have never seen the headline about Jon and Kate and I just don’t think I’d live another day without knowing the latest. Dodged a bullet on that one, I did!
It’s just to compensate – 20 years ago, she probably would’ve had three!
Miss China doesn’t look like she belongs in a beauty pageant, altough I wouldn’t say she looks like a tranny. Miss Ukraine looks like a Barbie doll to me, way too plastic. Some are pretty attractive, but I wouldn’t say any are extremely hot.
People are going to claim anything is offensive over time. First, nigger was deemed offensive so we started using negro. (I can understand that one really.) Then negro became offensive and we switched to African American. I think it’s switched back and forth between that and black a few times over the years. And not only is tranny offensive now, but it looks like transsexual, a freakin medical term, is being replaced by transgendered. It’s all retarded to me (another offensive term). I’m sticking with black and transsexual myself. Get over it. You all can kiss my cracker ass.