Transtrenders, truscum, etc
Transtrenders (or "genderspecials") are people who pretend to be transgender in order to be trendy, which — as one might imagine — is rather offensive and devalues the issues trans people experience. Some of this likely stems from the "die cis scum" attitude a good portion of Tumblr seems to have (which is absurd because cisgendered people are about 99% of the population) so it may be bloggers trying to be a minority when they're not in order to (a) not get hate, or (b) seem "cool." A transtrender uses whatever gender labels they feel like using at the time, even though gender isn't actually something you can choose (what can be chosen are gender roles). Oftentimes these people do not display any characteristics of an actual trans individual and are comfortable with their designated sex at birth, which would make them cisgender.
One trans blogger expressed his sentiments on the “trans-trender” phenomenon: If there’s one thing I’m angry about, it’s people appropriating my condition. The trans-appropriator enjoys the benefits of a trans-identity but lacks the consequences of dysphoria, social/cultural rejection, or depression. [1]
"Why you can't just decide to be trans" by ibelovedinfidel
More posts on how transtrenders are damaging the LGBT movement:
Example of a transtrender: an asshole using "cute" pronouns like "bun/buns/bunself," offensive autistic-themed pronouns like "aut/auts/autself," or something else which has nothing to do with gender identity like star gender (hint: that's not how gender works). On that note, apparently "the planet pluto" is an identity (plu/plur/plurself). Some pro-transtrending people have said you can choose your gender/pronouns and change your mind at any time, almost like it's a fashion statement instead of a serious issue like it is for actual trans people, and that you can identify as female even if you're a cis male! (source) Transtrenders will quite literally adopt new gender identities solely because they sound "cooler" than whatever they're currently using, without regard for the actual meaning (source).
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Truscum (or "transmedicalist" - or, less common, "transcum") are people who believe transsexualism/transgenderism is a medical condition involving some form of Gender Identity Disorder or Gender Dysphoria, and the person with it likely requires some level of medical attention (such as hormone treatment or surgery). Truscum do not necessarily endorse the gender binary, nor are they likely transphobic. Truscum are generally trans individuals or LGBT supporters who don't want trans people demeaned by transtrenders, although obviously no one is perfect. Truscum - as a whole - believe that being trans is not a choice and they value the medical community's input on the biological and psychological aspects of being trans.
About dysphoria:
- "I personally employ a rather narrow [definition of dysphoria] that relates specifically to an acute maladaptive disorder related explicitly (and specifically) to one’s primary and secondary sex characteristics that is so severe it is only alleviated by transitioning. I personally find dysphoria to be very specifically related to sex characteristics. I know others would describe it as a more general malaise that can be retrospectively attributed to sex characteristics as necessary." — explosives-b
- "Sex (/gender) dysphoria is a symptom that causes people to seek medical help from professional clinicians, who work with them through therapy, hormones, and surgery. As other methods of treatment that have been attempted have failed, full transition to living as the opposite sex is now deemed medically appropriate for treating this condition. It’s a medical condition because it is both abnormal and maladaptive, requiring diagnosis and treatment for an individual to function in life. It’s diagnosed in the ICD-10 as Transsexualism, and in the DSM-5 as Gender Dysphoria (was Gender Identity Disorder in the DSM-IV). Neither of these diagnoses define or include non-binary identities, although there are people who experience sex dysphoria and seek medical help whilst identifying as non-binary rather than binary." — snarkytransman
- "The most crucial part of being trans is dysphoria. A disconnect between your brain and your biological sex. If you are saying that a cis person can choose to be trans, you are also saying that a trans person can choose to be cis. And I can guarantee that if that were true, there would be absolutely no trans people in the world. [...] I have this to say: Shame on you. It is ideas like this that are creating hostile environments for trans individuals in our society today. Picture this: a trans teenager comes out to their parents. In an effort to become more educated on what it means to be trans, their mother goes online to do some research. They find something like this. So instead of making an effort to understand and be supportive, this trans teenager’s mother decides that her response is, “Just choose to be ‘normal!’”" — serialasshole
It's possible to "test" dysphoria, to an extent. Scientists are attempting to work out how transgenderism works, and have seen some success in determining who is transgender and who isn't:
- http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-05/f-tbr052714.php
- http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20032-transsexual-differences-caught-on-brain-scan.html#.U_eRd_ldX2s
Technically "transgender" is supposed to refer to all gender-variant people, according to some definitions.
- "Transgender is an adjective describing people who self-identity with a gender other than their medically designated gender (which often but does not always fall into the gender binary)." — RW
- "Transgendered persons include transsexuals, transgenderists [a term referring to trans people living as their target sex, but choosing not to undergo genital surgery], [...] crossdressers of both sexes, transitioning in either direction (male to female or female to male), of any sexual orientation, and of all races, creeds, religions, ages and degrees of physical impediment." — the International Transgender Law Conference (ICLEPT), 1992
http://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/1t0kcd/ (original post was removed, but there's still some information and debate on topics)
Many people (trans individuals, medical professionals, etc) say that to be trans you must experience a form of dysphoria. Even for agender/neutrois, non-binary, or genderfluid (2) people. Other people say this is not a requirement, and that's where the "truscum" thing comes in.
Additional note: "You may not agree with my definition of trans, but you should at least acknowledge that dysphoric people will always and should always take precedence over non-dysphoric people in discussions of transness and trans issues. We are the ones who need resources. We need binders. We need hormones. We need expensive surgeries. We need access to trained medical professionals." — sassmaster-general, a trans man