It isn’t surprising that transgender and transsexual are hard to separate; after all, the sex/gender distinction isn’t as clear as it might seem.

Radha’s comment surprised me: in Argentina, transwomen tend to group together, share experiences and help one another. They’ve welcomed me into their group, even though I’m young and FtM. Transmen, from what I’ve seen, are usually lone wolves, transitioning on their own; but I don’t know enough in person to judge properly.

The transsexual/transgender debate doesn’t seem to come up much over here, either; although there is some disagreement about the word “travesti”, which is a whole other identity we have among us.

I hope I didn’t bore you with the international perspective!

I thinks some transwomen suffer from that “rugged individualism” that they learned as a child, as she was saying. I have seen that in my support group. They are reluctant to even talk to the new folks and then disappear after their transition is “complete.” One even said to me when I asked why she no longer wanted to come to meetings, “the Vals has done nothing for me.” Even though she met some of her best friends there, this included me. She felt no responsibility toward others. I felt sad.

On the transgender / transsexual debate: So many trans people do not want to use transgender as an umbrella term. Since being transgender has nothing to do with sex, they do not like a word with sex in it to be applied to then.

Then there are those with the made up term Harry Benjamin Syndrome (HBS.) They think they are just women with a repairable intersex condition and don’t even want under the transgender umbrella. I don’t think they even discuss trans-men. Someone it their Yahoo said that “transgenderism is a perversion,” and that we were just “glorified drag queens.” When I complained I got booted from the group.

Vickie

What I am “hearing” you say, is that because transwomen have been alone in their struggles, and haven’t had the opportunity of belonging to a close-knit, in-person community, then they feel they must continue in their paths of isolation, seclusion, and fears, even to the point of excluding their sister transwomen? I won’t even delve into the separation that many MTFs have instituted between transwomen and transmen. Again, another issue, (another controversial-blog-by-Michael coming up soon ? Time will tell)

Before I react and write more, I will await your wise reply to let me know if I’m understanding you correctly.

As you know, because you actually read things before making statements I certainly agree with you that this “argument” is mostly driven by, for and about transwomen.

I’ve speculated a good deal on possible “whys” and, tbh, I think a lot of it will come down to differences in how we socialize. The majority of MTFs have no support network at all through the “gay community” or any other community. We tend to grow-up dealing with our problems alone and transmen tend to come through lesbian groupings.

I think the difference in socialization and learning is huge. Transwomen often place a great value on “doing this alone.” Transmen seem more inclined to me to historically do it through the support and care of friends. I think the difference is huge.

Transmen often understand the importance of “community” in-person better than do transwomen who have felt we must hide ourselves pretty much throughout our lives. I do see some very hopeful changes in that as younger transfolk seem to haven’t had quite so much the emphasis in many of their lives of being alone.

Just a guess. And being a friend and all, you might’ve just linked the topics!! hahahahaha

Love ya.