Homosexual-heterosexual V Androphilic & Gynephilic

[Guest Zenda]

Kia Ora,

A weirdish topic but what the heck…

If one thinks about it, it’s easy for cisgender people to associate a pre-op trans-person whose psycho gender identity is attracted to what they feel is the opposite ‘sex’ as ‘gay=homosexual’ …I don’t mean any disrespect but one has to remember when it comes to body/sex mind/gender match, pre-op or non-op trans-people are mismatched…

And if one looks at the origin of the word 'homosexual' homos=same-in Greek and 'sexus'-in Latin for sex=one private parts...that's why there’s some confusion for cisgender people surrounding a ‘pre-op’ trans-person's sexual orientation…

In a post a while back I mentioned the terms Androphilic = attracted to men and Gynephilic =attracted to women [ Andro=male-Gyne=female & Philic= love] and that some transgender people are using these terms when referring to they sexual preference…I guess for the bi sexual AndroGynephilic would apply-but then again it wouldn’t matter too much for bisexual people-they have the best of both words/worlds…

Just out of curiosity how many members use the above terms instead of identifying themselves as gay/lesbian=homosexual- straight=heterosexual or bi-sexual?…Remember some cisgender people do actually know what ‘homosexual’ means…

No doubt it’s somewhat different for trans-guys, but I guess if you have a chest job and are on T [to make your downlow whatsit grow]-then like a post op trans-woman whose attracted to men is by word definition heterosexual [or homosexual if attracted to other women], if your[trans-guys] gender and sex match up somewhat [thanks to T and chest surgery] you can according to the actual meaning of the words identity as the same as post op women when it comes to sexual orientation…

I did warn you that it was a weirdy…Remember you can use whatever term “turns you on!”=that makes you feel comfortable…After all what’s in a name?????[i'm just feeling a little PC]

Well I’m off to meditate and then it’s an early night…

Metta Jendar

[Sally]

I am an anomaly in that I don't think about sex a lot so the terminology isn't all that important to me.

I love a person for the personality, sort of mind and soul more than physical appearance.

I have chosen the term straight because it is there.

If I used the term Androphilic I would have to explain that and I'm tired of explaining myself to everybody.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest gwenthlian]

Well im asexual, aromantic and a- everything else so I wouldnt say this sort of topic comes uo often for me. What I would say is that were I to have a sexual preference I would simply use the terms homosexual or heterosexual (or anything in between) in relation to my gender identity. I dont see why I should use a new term that removed my sex from the equation simply to make it easier for others to understand. This would seem like a step back to me in terms of acceptance by people. For people to understand my sexuality they have to understand my gender identity and im not giving them a shortcut ^^

[Guest rachael1]

I haven't heard those terms before and i'm not out to anyone but my wife, but if I did come out to the world I probably wouldn't use those terms as I would then have to explain what they meant which would take even longer to explain then using more familiar ones. If asked I would just say that I'm attracted to both sexes.

Rachael

[Guest Evan_J]

Even knowing what androphilic and gynephilic mean, I use straight, gay, lesbian and such as orientation descriptors. People know what they mean and its just easier. True enough, you can use gay and lesbian with them to mean whatever you like and often they'll just "blindly " except them from trans person. When you say "straight" though they go "straight???!!" no matter what you mean -androphillic or gynephillic- because in some folks world the term "straight" is reserved for people with no gender variances And then yes you have to get into a conversation about how a trans person can be straight or gay and I'm all about that. Besides, lol for some people if you use a word that ends in the "philic" or god help you "phile" you just said pedophile lol they have no intention on processing beyond the ending and equate whatever your word means with "sex wierdo"

[Paula ult]

I have been asexual all my life and when the topic of who i am attracted to comes up i say i am asexual, most have no idea what it means so i go into my explanation and by the time i am done they have a pretty good understanding. My good friend said one time everyone thinks i am a closeted gay since they never hear me talk about having a woman partner or seeing me with one, but most now know the reason why, i am the woman.

Paula

[Guest CharlieRose]

*still kind of grappling with defining his sexual orientation* I think... I'd call myself a gay man, or homosexual. There are lots of complications, like the fact that I had a girlfriend and it wasn't like I didn't enjoy it. (sometimes) It was issues of personality rather than gender than broke us up. And there are definitely girls I have affection for, but I definitely feel like I would want to marry a guy... See this is why I don't even try. I'm a queer. As far as anyone else knows or really cares, I'm a gay transguy.

[Guest nova]

"what's in a name"? Not that much to me, but to the pathologizer's on the DSM-V committee who are deciding our fates--everything. I stay away from the word gynephilia because the psychopathologizers are trying to stigmatize MTFs with the label of autogynephilia, by which they mean a male sexual paraphilia. And if they are successful in voting it in, then it means that the DSM will classify us (not all MTF) as men who are aroused by the thought of ourselves as women or when dressed as women (as if we are not women at all). And since there is no "exit clause" in the DSM for GID, (once you've been diagnosed, it's permanent) there will be no exit clause for this one either, and it doesn't matter to them if you completely transition to post op status. This autogynephilia idea comes from a Dr. Blanchard and his theory has been undermined by others (all women get a little turned on now and then when they look sexy) but this doesn't matter to the pathologizers. I don't know how much clout the DSM has in the UK--if any--but it means everything to transpeople in the states.

[Guest Evan_J]

Women do not masterbate themselves thinking "oooh, I'm touching a woman" . That is a universe away from someone thinking they look sexy. You look, you think you look sexy, if you get any arousal about it its imagining someone else think it. Maybe these people need to go out and find someone who really IS autogynephelic so that they can know the difference between that and GID

[Guest Zenda]

KIa Ora,

I guess the arguement against the 'Philia' suffix is similar to the 'sexual' one that is a trans-'sexual' =having 'sexual' interests 'across' the board...

However if one sat down with an intelligent cisgender person[yes I've met some] and explained the andro and gynephilia thing to them, I'm sure they would understand the differences, just as some understand that 'transsexual' has nothing to do with sexual attraction/orientation...

I suppose if one was not sexually attracted to women/men one could always say "I'm gyne/andro/phobic!"

Metta Jendar

[Guest Leah1026]

My theory is two parts:

1. Resume fodder: Somebody's hoping to make a name for themselves pushing these terms.

2. Now that "gay" and "lesbian" are generally accepted ways of being the powers that be need to invent new terms to pathologize everyone all over again.

It my opinion the new terms are totally unnecessary, we have perfectly good terms (straight, gay, lesbian, bi or asexual) already.