The Difference Between Transsexuality & Transgenderism: The Distinction is One of Identity and Necessity
(For the purpose of this post, I am defining "transsexual" as "trans" people with sex dysphoria, and "transgender" as those without.)
The mainstream trans movement has reached a point where the distinction between a medical condition and a social identity has been completely dissolved. Activists have successfully branded "transsexual" as an outdated term, many even considering it a slur, effectively giving us no other choice than to be grouped in with nondysphoric "trans" people.
The difference between a transsexual and a transgender person being in this community is the difference between someone saying, "I have a medical need to be in this space," and someone else saying, "I prefer the vibe over here."
"Trans" as a label has become meaningless. It no longer communicates anything specific about a person’s sex or their relationship to it. When someone says they are "trans," you have no idea if they actually are changing/have changed their sex, or if they just want to wear the label. By grouping transsexuals, transgender people, non-binary people, and "genderqueers" under the same umbrella, we have created a movement that lacks a uniform goal and erases the medical reality of transsexuality.
The truth is that transsexuals and transgender people do not share the same interests or needs. Transsexuals require the medical recognition of our condition, access to life-saving healthcare, and the ability to assimilate into society as our true sex. Transgender people, on the other hand, focus on liberation - they want to be seen, to be validated, and to dismantle the construct of gender. These two goals are fundamentally at odds; you cannot assimilate into a system while simultaneously trying to tear it down.
And the demand for unconditional validation of unfounded (and honestly, just ridiculous) claims has destroyed the community's credibility. It makes no sense to say someone's gender can change on a daily basis, but if you say gender fluidity isn't valid, you're labeled a transphobic bigot. It defies common sense to suggest that you don't need dysphoria to be trans, yet this is now the mainstream idea. When trans activism pushes boundaries of what most people find nonsensical, the legislative backlash is almost guaranteed - and indiscriminate.
The irony is that the resulting anti-trans laws - targeting bathroom access and medical care - do not affect all "trans" people equally. These laws hit transsexuals, whose lives depend on these services, the hardest. Meanwhile, those who only use the label socially can simply opt out of the danger when things get difficult. A transsexual woman has her entire existence on the line, while a nondysphoric AFAB "demi-girl" is at zero risk.
It is a shame that these two communities were ever forced under the same umbrella. I feel that if we developed separately, transsexuals would be more likely to be viewed as a protected class rather than a political caricature. By being forced under a social movement that prioritizes validation over medical reality, the mainstream movement has made a mockery of us.
blakekathryn
pixelskylines
dailybridgerton
jbbartram-illu
annaxmalina
stormborns
