h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have just looked at the definitions page and see that the meaning of the word 'Transgenderd' is a little incorect or at least requires expanding.

In the UK at least it is a word which also taken to have the same meaning as Transsexual. In fact we use the word often now in preference to Transsexual because the great British Public have been somewhat brainwashed by the media over time and any word with 'sex' in it is usualy interpreted in the wrong way.
The British have a preoccupation with anything that appears to have sexual connotations and are compared with most of Europe very ininformed narrow minded and often suffer from extreme bouts of bigotry.

Barbara (TS)

In reference to your article i thought it very thoughtful and straight to the point ,as a tv myself (zoe) ,anything with the word "sex" in it's content creates tottally the wrong pre-concieved attittude about such immotive subjects ,I enjoyed your article hope to see more of the same
Zoe Smith

Transgendered isn't correct at all for a transsexual. A ts person wishes to change their *sex*: they already, preoperatively, belong to the other gender.

I have to agree, Transsexual, (two s's no hyphen) is the correct term for TS< transgender imho, is rarely used to correctly any more, it's primary use seems to stick on the end of lgb, when you're trying to be pc.

Hi Zoe

It has been a very long time since I have visited the h2gs site and had to rumage through my archives to locate my old login information.

Anyway albeit very late (around 6 months) thank you for your comments.

If your at all interested I have a Homepage which has also got some info, pictures etc and an email link page.

Barbara

Hi

Albeit a very long time since I logged into h2g2 I read your message and thought maybe a polite response was in order.

There seems to be much controversy over certain termnolgy in the Transsexual/Transgendered world. The fact is that a Transsexual has an issue of Gender being that Gender is between the ears and not the legs.

In the USA Transgendered has different connotations it appears than it does in the UK.

I am a Transsexual but prefer the word Transgendered in some conversations. This is primarily because it does not contain the 'sex' word which as I'm sure you are well aware has all of the wrong connotations to the great Bristich Public at Large.

Barbara

Hi again

Of course if I had had my brain in gear, I would have also left you my home page address - LOL.

http://members.fortunecity.com/miss_barbara_b/

Barbara

I don't agree - transsexual people know their gender. For transsexual women, for example, they know that they are women, and seek to make their body and anatomy fall in line with their gender.

It may be at the beginning stages of realising one is transsexual that one may have issues about one's gender, but as time progresses, the gender becomes clear, and one seeks to remedy the sex.

I know transsexual has connotations of sex, but transgendered is just an incorrect term for the issues involved.

Transgendered people, with my knowledge, do not seek to change their sex, but break the rigid boundaries of gender, and behave like an individual and not exactly specifically like a woman or like a man.

Anyway, labels count for **nothing**. Be yourself, not a woman, not a man, not a transsexual, nor a transgendered person!

I'm fully aware of my Gender - it's female and yes, I've also changed my body in keeping with my gender -

But!

The Culture/Society within which I live are almost transfixed by anything containing the word 'sex'. Further to that, the vast majority have absolutely no idea of the differences between a Transsexual, a Transvestite or a Drag Queen - and they automatically think all are gay to boot.

I'm not really interested in labels and terminological interpretations but 'Transgendered' albeit inaccurate or not, seems to get the message through for whatever reason.

It's also important to note that in America, they associate a different meaning to Transgendered than we do in the UK.

Whatever way - I am a Transsexual who simply prefers to use another word under some circumstances.

Most people think that Gender is something that is an absolute - i.e - If someone is Biological Female then they must be Gender Female - which of course it is not.

Gender is between the ears and not the legs.

To many people, like it or not, as they think that gender is an absolute then that is often why the use of the word 'Transgendered seems to make some sense to them - whether it be inaccurate or not. They seem to relate that to their incorrect preconceived idea that gender is an absolute.

The English Language is constantly very much abused and misinterpreted and I'm certainly as guilty as anyone - but it even extends itself to the 'meanings' within current Dictionaries.

A good example being 'Transvestite' which, according to many dictionaries means 'A man that wears women's clothing'. It does not mean that at all the word has no sex or gender. 'Trans' means to cross over and 'vestite' comes from the Latin word 'Vesta' which simply means clothing.

i quite agree im a pre op just getting started u could say transsexual its so hard for me u got any advice hun