# Transsexual vs. transgender **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126 "2003-07-26T18:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![xiaoping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/77aa72/32.png) [@xiaoping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xiaoping)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126/21 "2003-07-27T15:58:04Z")
Okay, get ready for a lot of info. No one directly “outted” themself as transgender, so I’m unsure as to who offerred what from “facts” they’ve encountered in their own life. The lines between these labels are difficult to understand (even for someone who falls within the boundaries of these terms, such as myself). Thus, even in the GLBTQI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning and Intersex Community – btw, if we add anymore letters to this achronym I’m going to go crazy). And on that note, here we go. Ringo – you offer many good definitions from the sites you found. I shan’t repeat them because that would just make this insanely long. However, drag kings and drag queens do not consist purely of someone wearing the opposite gender’s clothing. Drag Kings/Queens dress as they do to present themselves as the opposite gender (often in a very “actor” kind of way) Sometimes the purpose of a drag king/queen is to “pass” as the other gender. Other times it is purely for the flamboyant nature. As for female-to-male transsexuals (sometimes spelled with only one S), they take testosterone for the rest of their life (just as the MtF take Estrogen for the rest of their life). Sometimes FtMs have a hysterectomy and thus stops their period. I believe that the testosterone alone slows or stops the period. Don’t quote me on that. Broomstick: Some Transgendered people believe that all people are transgendered. I personally do not believe this. However, I have attended a speech by a transsexual who did believe this. Gender Roles are created by the beliefs of a community as a whole. You see them everywhere. It’s the reason that boys shouldn’t play with dolls and the reason that women shouldn’t hold a “man’s” job. Anyone who has broken one of these gender stereotypes knows what it’s like to be a victim of gender roles. However, our society is unfortunate enough to only recognize two fo them (although it’s a very gradient field). Gender Identity is how a person identifies given said gender roles. Thus, Gender Identity Disorder is when the physical sex and the gender role that the person feels or knows that he/she is differ. This “disorder” must be diagnosed before one can undergo any sexual reassignment surgery (not to mention about a billion other things. If anyone is so inclined, these details are discussed here: [http://www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/gendid/srs.html](http://www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/gendid/srs.html)) Scarlett67: Intersex is different from the trans community. It is when one has the physical sex organs of both sexes. This used to be refered to as Hermaphrditism (which has so many nasty connotations attached that it truly warrented a new word) Queen Tonya: you’ve been invited to join our community as an honorary member. Your toaster is in the mail. Don’t forget to attend Pride in your community (“breeders” are allowed at all queer events). Pride is almost always held in June, so don’t forget to write it on your calendar for next year. Generally, if one is confused about rather to say transgender or transsexual, just say “trans” – it’s truly doubtful that anyone will question it. Tranny is also used (and, at least in the community, has no pejorative connotations). I’m generally not offended by much unless it’s used in a demeaning way. Labels generally convey the meaning behind them and don’t really have any meaning when used alone. If the person you’re talking to is offended by something you say, hopefully they will be civil enough to simply ask you to use a term they prefer. I’ve offended many queer people (often by using the term queer, which I use because who wants to say GLBTQI? There are absolutely no bad connotations when I use this). Finally, I ask all who read this, don’t further the stereotypes. It’s difficult not to, but think about it the next time you paint your daughter’s room pink (unless she really likes pink), or you force her to wear a dress when she really wants to wear pants, or you tell your son he can’t play with dolls. And, for goodness sake ladies, if you see a person walking into the ladies’ room dressed like a guy, don’t check the door to make sure it says “Women” or ask if you walked into the wrong bathroom (If I had a nickel for every time…). Just imagine how you’d feel if whenever you went anywhere people addressed you as the wrong gender or wouldn’t take your credit cards because you don’t look like an “Eve” or “Kim” or “Joe” or “John”. I’m spent… ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126/22 "2003-07-27T16:50:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xiaoping \* > \*\*Scarlett67: Intersex is different from the trans community. It is when one has the physical sex organs of both sexes. This used to be refered to as Hermaphrditism (which has so many nasty connotations attached that it truly warrented a new word) > \*\* Yes, I know that intersex is not the same as trans – that’s why I said that the specific term should be used, rather than (as was suggested elsewhere) using “transgender” to lump all people with gender identity issues together. **Eve** and **snac,** thanks for your distinctions between “transsexual” and “transgender” (which, while they come from different perspectives, seem to say the same thing). They make a lot of sense, and I will apply them from now on. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126/23 "2003-07-27T19:23:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yuki \* > **I believe that transsexuals are people of one gender who dress/act as the other gender. Transgenders are people who have undergone a full blown sex change.** Completely wrong; almost backwards, in fact. > [@](#): > > Generally, transvestite only covers people who occasionally wear the clothing “belonging” to the other sex, and when they do they generally go all the way (that is, they try to pass for a member of that sex), mainly for the purpose of recreation (“casual transvestites”), or else they only wear undergarments either alone and in private, or underneath “normal” clothing, for the purpose of sexual arousal (“fetish transvestites”). > > Individuals who wear clothing without regard to gender, mixing garments from both and making no concerted effort to pass for the opposite sex (or a deliberate effort to confuse people as to what sex they are) are doing what is called “genderfuck”. This is distinct from transvesticism and is usually done either out of rebelliousness or as an expression of personal identity confusion. > > Individuals who crossdress all (or mostly all) of the time are almost exclusively transsexuals, either pre-op or non-op. There are a small number of biologically male individuals who dress as female all the time but who identify as male (or as “intergendered”, ”third gender”, or “nongendered”); these people are best identified by the “remaindered” category of “transgendered”. (Many of these people will eventually identify as female and be categorized as transsexuals.) Calling these people “transvestites” lumps them in with the far larger and different category of casual transvestites, or worse yet, fetish transvestites. Calling a transsexual of any sort a transvestite is likely to be taken as an insult. > > You probably already know what a “drag queen” is (male, usually gay, who dresses as a remarkably flamboyant and overblown woman). The professional version of this is a “female impersonator”. These people dress as “women” in a manner that is almost never mistaken for a real woman, for their own amusement and the amusement of others. Some, but by no means all, DQs are also transvestites or transsexuals. Most transvestites identify as male (while they may call themselves “girl” or ”woman”, such use is usually ironic and if you ask them seriously they will identify as male). There is a female version of a “drag queen” called a “drag king”. [http://www.pyrzqxgl.org/~kmartin/t-what.html](http://www.pyrzqxgl.org/~kmartin/t-what.html) ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126/24 "2003-07-27T19:37:39Z")
There are a lot of curious statements in this thread, and I should probably respond to them, but I’ve got company and I don’t want to spend the time just yet. However, let me respond to **Polycarp** specifically: I do not prefer to be called transgendered. I am a transsexual. If you feel the need to apply any adjective at all to me, I want it to be transsexual, not transgendered. ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126/25 "2003-07-27T20:21:02Z")
**LaurAnge** , I’ve often comtemplated the difference myself. I think the simplest differentiation I’ve come to is that transgendered individuals do not necessarily set out to physically identify themselves as the opposite sex, but they mentally recognize a difference in their physical sex and mental gender. I consider a transsexual to be one who physically and mentally recognizes their differences and does show that differentiation to the public through physical appearance, sometimes leading to operation. I myself identify with transgenderism. I live in a female body, and I love it. So yes, my sex is female. I do not, however, feel any desire to bear children, which I would consider a large part of being a woman. I also generally have difficulty identifying with many women in general. I dislike society’s assignment of gender roles, and do what I can to not promote them. Therefore I try not to identify with either gender to any extreme. Hrrrmmm, this almost seems more GD material. My apologies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transsexual-vs-transgender/191126.md?page=1)