Transgender as a Definition - part one

[Guest Elizabeth K]

I am working on a Facebook site called Transgender - Rebooted/Reloaded. We are discussing the appropriate definitions of what we are. I want to share some of this as it is very controversial. Here is a good starting point where I talk about how I was introduced to transsexual and transgender self identifying people:

I was rather 'trans-shy' for years and only saw the few MTF in books, later on TV, and even fewer FTM. Then the internet came into common use, and I saw all the 'freak show' type soft porn sites. I was horrified! Then in the later 2000s I finally got on support sites, to see the more typical transsexual and transgender identifying people. Still, it was 2009 when I met a transsexual person face to face - my post-op friend Courtney - and it changed my life, knowing this 'transitioning' would work.

The point? I have met in person at least 200 or so transpeople now, and of course work with hundreds of others on the internet. We are all the same in a special way, but so different on a personal level. That is why this site (Facebook site, not LP) is here. What are we? Well, many things... and yes, I still see transsexuals that cause me to wonder what the hell is going on, not because of their appearance, but because of their attitudes.

Hummm... I guess where I was going with all this, is to say some who do not pass well as yet, or may never pass easily, still are some of the most well adjusted transpeople I know. Some who are beautifully transitioning, or totally transitioned successfully, are still so horribly depressed, saying that they will never pass.

We are hot and heavy discussing terms on this Facebook site. There are what we term 'transsexual separatist' who are attempting to break away... and throw so many trans-people under the bus . Sometimes we call these transsexual separatists 'elitists.' And they are not necessarily stealth, either. They are just militant (in a way) like the old hard-line feminists of the 1960s and 70s. You probably won't see them on Laura's Playground, They are 'above' all that. They want to eliminate from consideration 90% of those now under the Transgender Umbrella and disregard at least half of the diagnosed transsexuals as not 'true' transsexuals. So the word 'transgenderer' is not acceptable to them and 'transsexual' is very narrowly defined.

I am open to comments.

Lizzie

[Guest cynthash]

I wanna join! Look me up, under Cynthia-Carissa Ashleigh.

[Guest Nicole163]

Just joined thanks for the heads up Liz!

[Guest KimberlyF]

I am interested in the definition of Transsexual Seperatist, and elitist. And how someone has the power to pull away from a group and push someone under the bus at the same time define who's in the group.

I agree that the ability to pass is not in direct relationship to happiness.