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[left-of-center2012]

This message was self-deleted by its author (left-of-center2012) on Thu Aug 31, 2017, 02:23 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[SummerSnow]

1. I found this article...

What is the difference between transgender and transsexual?

Debbie Lord, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
11:58 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, 2017 National/World News

What is a transgender person, the classification the president referenced, and what is the difference between transgender and transsexual?

What is transgender?

First, the difference between sex and gender is important to note. Gender is an internal sense of being male or female and is based on societal or cultural definitions of masculine or feminine. Sex refers to differences in chromosomes, hormones and external and internal sex organs.

A person whose sense of identity does not correspond with their birth sex – for instance, a man who, despite having male genitalia, feels he is a woman – is considered transgender. Often, transgender people say they feel they were born in the wrong body.

What is transsexual?

A transsexual is a person who feels he or she belongs to the oppopposite sex, and has a desire to assume the physical characteristics and gender role of the opposite sex. The transsexual person may use hormones or other medications to suppress or enhance characteristics of the opposite sex – such as facial hair, or more developed breasts.

Some transsexuals choose to have gender reassignment surgery – or surgery where a person's physical sexual characteristics are changed by surgery or hormone treatment.

Gender reassignment surgery, presumably the cost Trump was referring to in the tweets, averages around $140,450 to transition from male to female, and $124,400 to transition from female to male, according to the Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery. Those prices include hospital stays, anesthesia and other costs associated with surgery.

Sources: American Psychological Association; The Associated Press; The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery

http://www.ajc.com/news/national/what-the-difference-between-transgender-and-transsexual/HDBZDYlss2DpZPqjl4z1RL/

and this article... http://www.medicaldaily.com/what-difference-between-transsexual-and-transgender-facebooks-new-version-its-complicated-271389

[left-of-center2012]

2. So, transsexual is not a porn term? n/t

[SummerSnow]

3. after reading those articles, imo no.

Then I read this from GLADD...

Transgender (adj.)
An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. People under the transgender umbrella may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms - including transgender. Some of those terms are defined below. Use the descriptive term preferred by the person. Many transgender people are prescribed hormones by their doctors to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. Some undergo surgery as well. But not all transgender people can or will take those steps, and a transgender identity is not dependent upon physical appearance or medical procedures.
Transsexual (adj.)
An older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities. Still preferred by some people who have permanently changed - or seek to change - their bodies through medical interventions, including but not limited to hormones and/or surgeries. Unlike transgender, transsexual is not an umbrella term. Many transgender people do not identify as transsexual and prefer the word transgender. It is best to ask which term a person prefers. If preferred, use as an adjective: transsexual woman or transsexual man.

https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender

* I know 2 people who are transgender and one told me they want to be called transgender, not transsexual. I had no issue with it

[Glorfindel]

5. Well, actually, Transexual is a planet in the galaxy of Transylvania

If you believe "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"

[Tien1985]

4. It's complicated.

Transsexual used to be the medical term for some transgender people, similar to homosexual. Then it somewhat morphed into only being used for transgender people who want surgery. Then there were (and are) big problems within the trans community itself that basically amounted to some high and mightly people saying only those who medically transition count as trans at all--and thus the blow back that transsexual is a bad term, because it has a specific connotation within our community that means, "I will invalidate other people's lived experiences in order to prop up my own." Have you noticed that if some uses the word "homosexual" it's usually a right-winger--or someone coming from a regional culture that dislikes LGBTQ+ people? This is similar.

At this point, transsexual is often still used in porn, and it does get usage occasionally in the community, but typically it comes with qualifiers. It doesn't come from porn originally, but it's still an offensive term to many.

Think of it this way: if my friend calls herself a "dyke" and wants to be recognized as such, it's perfectly fine for me to use the same terminology for -her-. But I would never call a random woman who I know is attracted to women a "dyke" without her telling me to or making that clear first.

[Tien1985]

6. Also, because you asked

Your original post about your friend is a little squicky.

Just like cisgender people, or log cabin republicans, some trans people are bigots, xenophobic, racist, right-wing a@@holes. There are trans Nazis. There is unfortunately nothing that prevents a person from being a horrible monster besides education, compassion, and empathy. Also, trans men (your friend), like cis men, are often constantly fighting (or giving into) toxic masculinity that encourages all of the above.

What you were asking is the equivalent of asking why a black person, or a woman, or anyone in an oppressed group with vote for Trump. Pretty much all the same reason: they are terrible people who think they will manage to skate by unharmed one way or another, without caring how it will effect other people.

Trans people are sometimes horrible people, just like everyone else. It takes effort to be better.

[LostOne4Ever]

7. It is not a porn term

But just like the terms "straight" and "heterosexual" it can be used as an adjective to define certain types of pornography.

I mean, just because "straight porn" is a thing doesn't mean that the term straight is a porn term now does it?

I will leave the actual definition of the terms transsexual and transgender to the replies above.