                              |  “There Is No Perfect Word: A Transgender Glossary of Sorts” Glossaries can be quite useful, especially for books on specialized topics (e.g., transgender activism) that rely on subject-specific terminology. However, a drawback of glossaries is that they tend to give the impression that the words listed have cut-and-dried meanings that remain largely undisputed. While this might generally be true for glossaries of terms related to geology, grammar, or guitars, it most certainly is not the case for trans-related terminology. Many of the words and phrases listed here are only several decades old (if that), so they are by no means set in stone. And nearly every single word that refers to some aspect of transgender identities, bodies, or life experiences exists in a perpetual state of debate or dispute, with individual trans people espousing differing word preferences and alternative definitions. In Chapter 45, I describe this lightning-speed language evolution as theActivist Language Merry-Go-Round: In response to the societal stigma that permeates everything associated with trans people (including the words used to describe us), we are constantly inventing new untainted terms and/or reclaiming, redefining, or eliminating older ones. Here is an analogy to help illustrate this dilemma: I have been a guitarist for about thirty years, and during that time, guitar-related language has barely changed at all. And the reason why it hasn’t changed is that guitarists are not marginalized in our culture - thus everything associated with guitar playing (including terminology) is generally free of negative connotations. However, if guitarists did face severe stigma and undue scrutiny in our culture, then I can assure you that there would be debates over language and calls to eliminate or replace certain words. Some guitar activists would likely argue that the phrase “minor chord” trivializes our existence; that the word “fret” gives the false impression that people should be afraid of us; that “power chord” and “hammer on” play into media stereotypes of guitarists as violent; that “pickup” and “G string” perpetuate the sexualization of guitarists. There would also likely be claims that “guitar-playing person” is a more appropriate and respectful term than “guitarist,” arguments over whether people who additionally play other (less stigmatized) instruments count as “real guitarists,” and calls for more inclusive labels because “guitarist” does not seem to include people who play other stigmatized stringed instruments like the banjo, ukulele, and others. I am by no means mocking activist responses to language here. To the contrary, I think that it is perfectly understandable why marginalized individuals (whether fictional stigmatized guitarists, or real-life transgender people) would want to change the language that is often used to undermine or injure them. But I also worry about the (typically under-discussed) negative ramifications of these constant shifts in language. What happens to trans folks who have long used a particular term as part of their activism when other trans activists deem that word to be anachronistic or problematic for some reason? Will the former group now be painted as “out of step” with the community, or accused of “reinforcing the oppression” the group faces? (I have seen both happen.) Insisting that everyone use the “correct” language and avoid “inappropriate” language is a surefire way to exclude community members from differing generations, geographies, and cultures, or even activists who simply have different opinions or impressions about those words. All of us have word preferences (including me), and I think that it is fine for us to advocate on behalf of our preferred terminologies. But nowadays, I strive to avoidword-sabotage - when our belief that our favored word is inherently appropriate, righteous, liberating, and/or inclusive, leads us to automatically presume that people who use alternative language must be behaving in an offensive, incorrect, repressive, and/or exclusionary manner. I have also become suspicious ofword-elimination strategies - when we point to some aspect of a word’s origin, history, aesthetic quality (or lack thereof), literal meaning, alternate definitions, potential misinterpretations or connotations, or occasional exclusionary or defamatory usage, and use that as an excuse to claim that the term is oppressive and should be eliminated from the lexicon. While in an individual instance, word elimination may seem perfectly justified (especially in cases where the term has a long history of being used predominantly as a slur), the reality is that any and all words can be readily subjected to this sort of defamation - even our personal favorites! Over the years, I have witnessed word elimination campaigns against virtually every trans-related word that I can think of (many specific examples arelisted here). This approach ignores the fact that most words are highly contextual, exhibiting multiple meanings or differing connotations depending upon the context. Many words and phrases can be used in both positive and negative ways, or in productive and disparaging ways. Yet, word elimination strategies insist thatany negative usage (whether present or past, commonplace or occasional, real or perceived) automatically trumps all potentially neutral, positive, or productive uses of the term. Instead of condemning the words themselves, we should instead focus our attention on the ways in which people are using, misusing, or abusing them. And we will be best served if we challenge the negative connotations and false assumptions associated with those misuses and abuses, rather than trying to eliminate the words themselves.  You can skip ahead using the following letter-links: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z. Activist Language Merry-Go-Round: a phrase that I coinedhere (seeOutspoken, pp. 244-251) to describe how words that refer to marginalized identities/experiences/bodies become tainted by the stigma those groups face, thus leading activists to continually forward new replacement terms, which in turn eventually become tainted as well. I subsequently discussed this phenomenon furtherhere,here, and in the introductory essay above. See alsoword-elimination andword-sabotage. Agender: a person who does not identify with any gender, or who does not experience agender identity. Ally: a person who is not a member of a particular minority or marginalized group, but who works to challenge the discrimination that group faces. While allies are necessary and generally viewed in a positive light, activists may sometimes express ambivalent or suspicious feelings toward them for reasons I touch on inOutspoken, pp. 217-232, 269-282 (see alsohere andhere). Ambiamorous: a neologism I created for people who at certain points in their lives have been happy in monogamous relationships, and at other times have been happy inethically non-monogamous/polyamorous relationships (seeOutspoken, pp. 200-201). My intention was to show that these relationship statuses do not comprise a strictbinary, nor a hierarchy where one is inherently more moral, healthy, or evolved than the other. Androgynous: gender expression or presentation that combinesfeminine andmasculine elements and/or which blurs the lines between masculine and feminine. APA: in my writings, this usually refers to the American Psychiatric Association, the organization that publishes theDSM (the so-called “psychiatric bible”). The same acronym may also refer to the American Psychological Association (who I sometimes refer to as the “good APA,” because they have historically been more progressive and less pathologizing than their psychiatric counterpart). Appropriation: to borrow or take something that someone else has created and to use it for one’s own purposes. In activist circles, the term more specifically refers to instances where a dominant/majority group appropriates aspects of a marginalized/minority community’s identities, expressions, creations, and/or culture. While some acts of appropriation clearly contribute to the marginalized/minority group’s erasure, exploitation, and/or denigration, there may be other instances in which the group (or a subset of the group) views potentially appropriative acts in a positive or neutral light, as I discuss in depth inOutspoken, pp. 217-232 (see alsohere). Asexual: a term for people who do not experience sexual attraction to other individuals. Asexuality is distinct from experiencing sexual arousal and/or a capacity for romantic relationships with other people. Assigned Gender (or Sex): refers to the socialgender and/orlegal sex that is assigned to newborn children, usually based upon the presence (male) or absence (female) of a penis. Trans activists often use this phraseology to stress the fact that people are not simply “born” male or female, but rather, we are nonconsensually assigned a gender/sex by other people, and many of us come to reject these gender/sex assignments over time. See alsoFAAB andMAAB. Assimilation: the process by which members of a marginalized/minority group “blend in” as, or become accepted by, the dominant majority. Within activist circles, the word is often used as a pejorative to insinuate that the marginalized/minority individuals in question are “traitors” who undermine the group as a whole. I discuss this pejorative use of the term inOutspoken, pp. 217-232 (see alsohere), and in my other writings - see“reinforcing” trope andsubversivism. Autoandrophilia: a sexology term to describe sexual arousal centered on the thought or image of oneself as a man. I discuss this phenomenon (what I callMale/Masculine Embodiment Fantasies (MEFs) inOutspoken, pp. 151-155 (which can also be foundhere). See alsoautogynephilia. Autogynephilia: a term forwarded by psychologist Ray Blanchard, and which is routinely used to refer to two significantly different things: 1) a type of sexual thought or fantasy centered on the image of oneself as a woman (what I callFemale/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (FEFs) (describedhere), or 2) a theory Blanchard proposed that asserts that FEFs constitute both a unique sexual orientation and the cause oftranssexuality in a subset of trans women (i.e., those he categorized as “autogynephiles”). While the sexual fantasies (i.e., FEFs) certainly exist (and occur in cisgender women as well), Blanchard’s autogynephilia theory (i.e., his categories and claims of causation) has been disproven - seeThe Case Against Autogynephilia[PDF link] andThe Real ”Autogynephilia Deniers”. I have proposed an alternate theory to explain the existence and nature of FEFs (as well as MEFs) inReconceptualizing Autogynephilia as Female/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (which also appears inOutspoken, pp. 151-155). Examples of how Blanchard’s autogynephilia theory has been used to invalidate transgender women can be foundhere andhere[PDF link]. BDSM: a complex acronym meant to include consensual acts of bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and/or sadism/masochism. People those who practice BDSM sometimes describe themselves askinky and refer to sexual practices that fall outside the realm of BDSM asvanilla. Bigender: anidentity label that some trans people (including myself, way back) use to express the fact that they see themselves as some combination of woman and man, and/or as constantly moving back-and-forth between those two states. These days, this label seems to be used less frequently than alternatives likegenderqueer andgenderfluid. Binarism, Binarist: actions, attitudes, or assumptions that adhere to, or uphold, some binary ideology (usually thegender binary in discussions of transgender issues). See alsobinary. Binary: generally refers to the human tendency to describe people or phenomena in terms of two mutually-exclusive categories that supposedly exist in opposition to one another. Within transgender communities, the focus is typically on thegender binary. However, there are countless other binaries in our culture, and they often play a foundational role inmarginalization. Binaries tend to have a built-in hierarchy, one that is often discussed in terms ofcenter versus margin orunmarked versus marked -- I discuss examples of the former inWhipping Girl, pp. 290-294, and examples of the latter inExcluded, pp. 169-199. Biphobia: often literally read as a “fear of” or “aversion to”bisexual people. I typically use the term in a broader manner to describe the belief or assumption that bisexuality is inferior to, or less legitimate than,monosexuality (i.e., being exclusively attracted to members of a single gender/sex). See alsomonosexism. Bisexual: anumbrella term for people who experience sexual attraction to members of more than one gender or sex. Some people of bisexual experience prefer alternate labels, includingpansexual, polysexual, multisexual, omnisexual,queer, or no label at all - inExcluded, pp. 81-98 (see alsohere), I coined the acronym BMNOPPQ to denote these various identities. The word “bisexual” has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years (for supposedly “reinforcing the binary”), which I address in the aforementioned citation/link, as well as inOutspoken, pp. 174-178. Bottom Surgery: one of numerous terms to describetransition-related surgeries that involve a reconfiguration of one’s genitals (seesex reassignment surgery). While not everybody likes this term, it has the benefit of sounding informal (whereas other terms sound more serious or technical), and it also implicitly acknowledges the importance and legitimacy oftop surgery (which many trans people find important or necessary for their well being). Butch: a term used to refer to masculine gender expression and/or presentation, particularly in people who were assigned and/or who identify as female. Camp Trans: A longstanding annual protest of theMichigan Womyn’s Music Festival’strans woman-exclusion policy. I discuss my personal experience at Camp Trans in 2003 inExcluded, pp. 22-36. Further discussion regarding this protest and the policy in question can be found inOutspoken, pp. 48-50, 67-88, 78-82, 106-117, and inWhipping Girl, pp. 47-52, 233-245. Center vs. Margin: a framework for understandingmarginalization andbinaries that (to the best of my knowledge) had its origins in bell hooks’s bookFeminist Theory: From Margin to Center. When it comes to a specific binary or hierarchy, one group is positioned in the center (i.e., their perspectives are seen as central), while the other group (or groups) are cast to the margins. While those in the center are often oblivious to the cultures and circumstances of those who inhabit the margins, the opposite is not true: People in the margins need to understand both the center and the margin in order to survive (and therefore, they often have a broader and deeper understanding of the binary/hierarchy itself). InWhipping Girl (pp. 290-294), I introduced the phrase “enforced ignorance,” which refers to how people who inhabit the center areexpected to be oblivious about the perspectives and experiences of those on the margins, and that if they express too much awareness or understanding of marginalized people, they may become stigmatized themselves. Chaser: a term sometimes used by marginalized/minority groups to describe members of the dominant/majority group who express sexual interest in them. It is typically used as a pejorative, in contrast to other labels (e.g., “admirer”) that have more positive or neutral connotations. I critique the way this term is sometimes employed within trans communities inOutspoken, pp. 148-150, 204-208, 209-214. See alsoFetish, Fetishism, the Fetish Concept. Cis, Cisgender, Cissexual: labels forwarded by trans activists to describe people who are nottrans,transgender, ortranssexual, respectively. I forwarded this language (particularly the word “cissexual”) throughoutWhipping Girl, explain the origin and logic behind it inOutspoken, pp. 91-97 (seehere), and discuss the different ways in which this language is used (or misused) inOutspoken, pp. 257-268, 269-282 (seehere andhere). For your convenience, I have compiled all of these writings online atJulia Serano’s compendium on cisgender, cissexual, cissexism, cisgenderism, cis privilege, and the cis/trans distinction. Cis Privilege: societal advantages experienced by people solely as a result of not beingtrans. I first discussed how such privileges arise and are experienced throughoutWhipping Girl, particularly in the chapter “Dismantling Cissexual Privilege” (pp. 161-193), and have subsequentlyrevisited the topic several times. See alsoprivilege,conditional cis privilege. Cis Terminology: language that uses the prefix “cis” to name theunmarked dominant majority (i.e., people who are nottrans) in order to better articulate the ways in which trans people are marginalized in society. See alsocis, cisgender, cissexual andcis privilege,cisnormativity, cis assumption andcissexism. Cisgenderism: a term similar to (albeit less common than)cissexism, to denote the assumption or belief thatcisgender identities and expressions are more legitimate than theirtransgender counterparts. InWhipping Girl, I used cisgenderism and cissexism somewhat differently from one another, as explainedhere. Cisnormativity, Cis Assumption: related concepts that enable trans erasure and invisibility. “Cisnormativity” describes a societal mindset whereincis/cisgender/cissexual are presumed to be the norm, while trans/transgender/transsexual people and experiences are deemed “abnormal” by comparison (if they are even considered at all). “Cis assumption” is a concept I forwarded inWhipping Girl (pp. 164-170) to describe instances wherein people (because of cisnormativity) automatically presume that every person they meet must be cis/cisgender/cissexual (unless they are provided with evidence to the contrary). Concepts such as being “closeted,” “coming out,” and “passing” as cis, or being “read” or “clocked” as trans, would not exist if it were not for cisnormativity and cis assumption. See alsounmarked assumption. Cissexism: the belief or assumption thatcis people’s genderidentities,expressions, andembodiments are more natural and legitimate than those oftrans people. I discuss cissexism and how it plays out in trans people’s lives throughoutWhipping Girl (especially pp. 161-193), inExcluded (pp. 113-117), andOutspoken (pp. 91-97) See alsotransphobia. Clock, Clocked: as a verb, slang for noticing or recognizing that a person istransgender (or if you are the trans person in question, the experience of having others recognize you as such). Closet: when agender or sexual minority is notout or open to others about that aspect of their person, they are often described as being “in the closet” or as “closeted.” It should be noted that “the closet” only exists because of people’s tendencies to presume that every person they meet will be straight and cis (e.g., seecis assumption,unmarked assumption). Coming Out: refers to the process of sharing one’sgender or sexual minority status with other people, perhaps for the first time. The phrase may imply that one is “coming out” into their own gender or sexual minority community, or that they are “coming out” of thecloset to the predominantly straight general public. Conditional Cis Privilege: a more accurate term for what trans communities have historically called “passing privilege.” The logic is simple: if peopleread me ascisgender, they will extendcis privilege to me, but it isconditional in that they are likely to revoke that privilege as soon as they find out that I am actuallytransgender. I first forwarded this concept inWhipping Girl, pp. 176-180; see alsopassing,privilege. Crossdress, Crossdressing: the act of wearing clothing that is typically associated with members of the other gender/sex. While seemingly straightforward on the surface, these terms can sometimes be confusing or invalidating when applied totransgender people. For instance, we may perceive someone as being a man who is “crossdressed,” but they may see themselves as expressing an inner female identity. Similarly, fornon-binary-identified people, there is no obvious counterpart for them to be “crossdressed” as. For these reasons, in my writings, I favor phrases such as “presenting as male/masculine” or “presenting as female/feminine,” which convey the same information without making any assumptions about the person’s gender identity, trajectory, or history. Crossdresser: more generally, a noun that refers to people who engage incrossdressing. However, as anidentity, “crossdresser” is most commonly embraced bytrans female/feminine spectrum individuals who are male-identified and/or predominantly move through the world as men, but who occasionally wear women’s clothing and/or express a female/feminineidentity androle. Historically, men who identify as crossdressers have also been calledtransvestites -- a term that has fallen out of favor in the U.S., but which is still used in the U.K. The psychological/sexological literature used to draw sharp distinctions between crossdressers/transvestites andtranssexuals, and between crossdressers/transvestites (who were presumed to be heterosexual) anddrag queens (who were presumed to be gay), but the borders between these identities have subsequently proven to be rather porous. I put forward my theory of crossdresser identity development inWhipping Girl (pp. 283-313), and critique the psychiatric pathologization of crossdressers (via theDSM diagnosesTransvestic Fetishism andTransvestic Disorder) inWhipping Girl (pp. 126-139, 262-271) andOutspoken (pp. 126-144, 145-147, 156-161). Deadname: refers to the name that a trans person was given at birth, but is no longer actively using. The heavy negative connotation of the word is intended to stress the inappropriateness of referencing a person’s terminated name (which is typically associated with theirbirth-assigned gender), and therefore effectivelymisgenders them. Desistance: a term often used within psychiatric discourses in reference totransgender andgender non-conforming children who (at some later point in time) cease cross-gender-identifying or displaying cross-gender behaviors. I address debates regarding desistance (and their implications for the treatment of transgender/gender non-conforming children)here andhere. Trans advocates and activists sometimes use the phrase “Desistance Myth” to refer to the assertion that 80% of all trans children will ultimately “desist” -- this statistic has historically been used to justifygender reparative therapies, and it is clearly a gross exaggeration for reasons explained in references cited inthis piece. Sometrans-antagonistic & trans-suspicious pundits have purposefully twisted this phrase to imply that we are claiming that “desistance” itself is a myth, but this is patently false; we are well aware that some people who currently identify as transgender may not in the future, but we simply find the “80%” statistic to be inaccurate and misused. Often in my writings, I will put the word “desistance” is scare-quotes -- this is not because I doubt the phenomenon exists to some extent, but rather I object to the term itself, as its roots are in criminology, and as such, it equates trans identities and gender non-conformity with anti-social behavior. Detransition: when a person who hastransitioned (or has taken steps toward transitioning) returns to living as a member of theirbirth-assigned gender or sex. There are a variety of reasons why any given individual might choose to detransition (e.g., personal reasons, a shift in their understanding of gender, social pressure), as I discusshere andhere. Double Standards: when we perceive, interpret, or treat individuals or groups differently, despite similar circumstances. While activists typically contemplatemarginalization in terms of overarching-isms (i.e., ideologies or systems of oppression), inExcluded I argue that it can also be fruitful to understandhow double standards work on the individual or micro level (which usually involves theunmarked/marked distinction). In doing this, we can strive to challenge all forms of marginalization simultaneously, rather than limiting our activism to one or a few specific issues. See alsofixed perspectives,myriad double standards. Drab: a term used by sometrans female/feminine spectrum people to refer to instances in which they purposefullypresent as male/masculine (e.g., “I was in drab at the time ”). The term can be interpreted as both a critique of masculine attire (e.g., meaning dull, cheerless, lacking in color, uninteresting), and as an abbreviation for “dressed as a boy.” Somecrossdressers use the phrase “in drab” as a counterpart to being “in drag” (which they take to mean “dressed as a girl”) -- note: this usage differs from how other gender-variant people use the worddrag. DSM: an acronym for theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which has been called the “bible of mental illnesses” because it lists and defines all of the official psychiatric diagnoses as determined by theAmerican Psychiatric Association (APA). There have been numerous revisions over the years, the current one being the fifth full revision (i.e.,DSM-5). Trans-related diagnoses that have been listed in past or currentDSMs includeGender Dysphoria,Gender Identity Disorder,Transvestic Disorder,Transvestic Fetishism (see alsoParaphilia). Trans activists generally oppose these psychiatric attempts topathologize our identities, as I explain in depth inOutspoken (pp. 126-144; see alsohere[PDF link]) and inWhipping Girl (pp. 115-160). Drag: sometimes used generically as a synonym forcrossdressing, particularly when an individual is described as being “in drag” Alternatively, “drag” refers to a genre of performance art or entertainment that is intended to play with, or challenge, commonly held assumptions about gender. The most familiar forms of drag performance involve male-bodied/identified individuals presenting as women (often calleddrag queens) or female-bodied/identified individuals presenting as men (often calleddrag kings), but numerous other variations exist -- e.g., performers may present androgynously, or change their gendered appearance multiple times in one scene, or be “faux queens,” and so on. While many trans-identified people have previously or currently perform drag, there are often tensions between the drag community and other trans (especiallytranssexual) communities that largely stem from the mainstream public’s tendency to conflate trans identities (which should be taken seriously) with drag performances (which are usually intended to be an act or performance). Dyke: aqueer woman. It is areclaimed word, and garnered increased usage in the 1990s, particularly among queer women who did not fully identify with the politics and conventions associated with 1970s- and 1980s-eralesbianism. While some people assume the word dyke is synonymous with lesbian, the former is also embraced by manybisexual- andqueer-identified women, as well as somegenderqueer individuals. Effemimania: a term I introduced inWhipping Girl to describe our cultural obsession with “male femininity,” specifically the manner in which such expressions are routinely sensationalized, rigorously policed, andpathologized. I provide numerous examples of effemimania, and make the case that it is primarily driven bytraditional sexism, inWhipping Girl (pp. 126-139, 283-313, 341-343). See alsotrans-misogyny. Essentialism, Essentialist: the belief that all members of a particular category (especially those categories that are presumed to be natural in origin) must share a particular set of characteristics, qualities, or “essence” with one another. One relevant example would be the notion that all women are genetically XX, or are attracted to men. While essentialism fails to account for the naturally occurring complexity and heterogeneity exhibited by humans (and other organisms), people routinely rely on, or resort to, essentialist explanations of how the world works. People often mistakenly conflate essentialism with biology -- I debunk such misconceptions inExcluded, pp. 138-168. Additionally, I outline the differences between essentialism,identity labels, andumbrella terms inExcluded, pp. 11-14. Ethical Non-Monogamy: the practice of maintaining more than one romantic and/or sexual relationship simultaneously, and in a consensual manner (i.e., all parties are aware of the situation). See alsopolyamory. FAAB: an acronym that stands for “female-assigned at birth.” Some trans activists prefer alternatives such as FAB, AFAB (assigned female at birth), or CAFAB (coercively assigned female at birth). (Seeassigned gender/sex for the logic behind this terminology.) FAAB andMAAB (and their variants) are sometimes used asumbrella terms to denote transgender trajectories (e.g., using FAAB in the same way that I usetrans male/masculine spectrum), but this can sometimes have the unintended consequence of enabling others to focus on our birth assignments over our currentgender identity andlived experiences (as I describe inOutspoken, pp. 189-191). Female: in biology, it refers to organisms that produce egg cells, but not sperm cells. With regards to human beings, there are a number of physical and physiological features that are generally associated with females, including sex chromosomes (XX), gonads (ovaries), external genitals (vulva), other reproductive organs (e.g., uterus), predominant sex hormone (estrogens), and secondary sex characteristics (e.g., breasts). While all of these traits are commonly associated with females, none of them representessentialist traits that are present in all females. Indeed, in our culture, the designation of “female” is primarily a social category, as evident in the fact that it is one of twolegal sex categories that a person can beassigned, and that this assignment (whether by doctors at birth, or by others who perceive or presume that the person in question is female) will determine the gender norms that one is expected to conform to and how one is treated by others. See alsosex andsex/gender distinction. Female/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (FEFs): erotic thoughts or sexual fantasies wherein one’s own (real or imagined) female body and/or feminine gender expression contributes to the arousal. I have forwarded this terminology (originallyhere[PDF link], and more thoroughlyhere; see alsoOutspoken, pp. 151-155) to replace thepathologizing term “autogynephilia.” See alsoMale/Masculine Embodiment Fantasies (MEFs). Femininity, Feminine Gender Expression: behaviors, mannerisms, interests, and styles of dress that are commonly associated with (but certainly not exclusive to) women in our culture. I discuss our cultural tendency to artificialize and denigrate femininity throughoutWhipping Girl (but especially pp. 319-343), inExcluded (pp. 48-69), and inOutspoken (pp. 118-122; see alsohere). See alsofemme. Feminism: a diverse array of activist movements which all share the common goal of challengingtraditional sexism (i.e., the assumption that femaleness/femininity is inferior to, or less legitimate than, maleness/masculinity). Some strands of feminism focus solely on traditional sexism and envision themselves as a “women’s liberation” or “women’s rights” movement. Other strands of feminism are more broadly focused on challenging multiple (or all) forms ofsexism, and thus are concerned with women as well asgender and sexual minorities. Still other strands recognizeintersectionality, and thus argue that feminism should be concerned with challenging all forms ofmarginalization rather than just sexism. See alsosecond-wave feminism,third-wave feminism,liberal feminism,radical feminism,TERFs,sex-positive feminism,trans feminism,holistic feminism. Femme: the French/Français word for woman; in English it generally refers tofeminine gender expression or a feminine identity. Amongcrossdressers, the phrase “en femme” has historically been used to describe instances in which the person in question ispresenting as female/feminine (e.g., “I went to the eventen femme”). Independently,lesbian/dyke communities have historically used the term as a noun to refer to visibly feminine queer women. Largely growing out of this latter usage, the word also refers to an activist and cultural movement that challenges masculine-centrism andfemmephobia in society. Femmephobia: a term often used to describe dismissive or delegitimizing views of people who expressfemininity. In my writings, I often refer to this same phenomenon asanti-feminine sentiment. Fetish, Fetishism, the Fetish Concept:: In psychology/sexology, the term “fetish” specifically refers to people who experience sexual arousal in response to inanimate objects (e.g., a type of material, an item of clothing). In lay language, however, the word is often used more broadly to describe any type of sexual desire that is considered to be unusual or abnormal (similar to how the wordparaphilia is used in within psychology/sexology). In my writings, I have used the phrasethe Fetish Concept to describe one particular manifestation of this notion, namely, the tendency topathologize sexual attraction toward people who are deemed by society to be “undesirable” for some reason. (As an example, someone who finds me attractive may be accused of having a “fetish” for trans people). InOutspoken (pp. 149-150, 204-208, 209-214; see alsohere), I explain the faulty logic that gives rise to the Fetish Concept, and detail how it needlesslysexualizes and stigmatizes both trans people and our partners. See alsochaser. Fixed Perspective: A phrase I forward inExcluded (pp. 216-228) to describe activist strategies that are only concerned with challenging a finite number ofdouble standards. For instance, some activists engage in “single-issue activism,” while others may imagine themselves as challenging some kind ofgender system that they believe functions in a highly specific manner (e.g., only affecting certain people, only occurring in certain ways). As I explain in the cited passage, this sort of thinking (i.e., concern about certain double standards while ignoring or dismissing others) inevitably leads activists to theorize away other people’s concerns, and to champion one-size-fits-all solutions that will negatively impact other marginalized groups. Rather than forward fixed perspectives, inExcluded I argued that we need a moreholistic approach to activism that recognizes that there aremyriad double standards, and that we should work to challenge all of them simultaneously. FTM: an abbreviation for female-to-male. Historically, this acronym was used as a noun (e.g., people used to refer to themselves as “an FTM,” or to other people as “FTMs”), but this usage has since fallen somewhat out of favor, and has largely been replaced by the termtrans man (or trans men). However, the acronym is still generally considered to be acceptable when used as an adjective (e.g., FTM community, FTM transitioning). In some of my earlier writings (e.g., inWhipping Girl), I used “FTM spectrum” in a manner synonymous with how I now usetrans male/masculine spectrum. Gatekeeper: refers to medical and mental health professionals who are in a position to grant (or deny) trans people’s access to the means of physicaltransition and/or social andlegal recognition. Gatekeepers possess this power as a result of (what trans activists call)the gatekeeper system. The gatekeeper system exists because 1) most legal jurisdictions refuse to acknowledge or legitimize a trans person’sgender identity unless the person has undertaken certain medical procedures (e.g.,sex reassignment surgery), and 2) the doctors who carry out such procedures generally require the patient to obtain a psychiatric diagnosis (previouslyGender Identity Disorder, currentlyGender Dysphoria) from one or more psychiatrists or licensed therapists. A major problem with the gatekeeper system is that historically mental health professionals often relied on their owncisnormative,heteronormative, andsexist biases when assessing whether their clients were “really trans” or not -- I discuss this at great length inWhipping Girl (pp. 115-160) andOutspoken (pp. 126-144; see alsohere[PDF link]). For these reasons, trans health professionals have slowly shifted toward moregender-affirming approaches. Gay: a term for men who are exclusively attracted to other men. Sometimes, the word is used more generally to refer to same-sex orientation and relationships, and the people who engage in them (even if they are not gay menper se). Gender: as a noun, it can refer toidentities or social classes that are generally organized around some or all of the following facets: a person’sassigned gender/sex orlegal sex; theirphysical sex orsex embodiment; the gender/sex they identify with (i.e.,gender identity) or live as (i.e.,lived sex); theirgender expression and/orgender role. Some people define gender more narrowly (e.g., as synonymous with gender identity, or as merely a product ofsocialization; seesex/gender distinction), whereas I have a moreholistic view that acknowledges that gender is “an amalgamation of bodies, identities and life experiences...subconscious urges, sensations and behaviors, some of which develop organically, and others which are shaped by language and culture” (Excluded, p. 107, see also pp. 138-168). While most people in our culture only recognize two genders (man and woman), many people identify outside of thisgender binary (seenon-binary), and other cultures recognize more than two genders (seethird gender). Gender, Gendering: as a verb, refers to the (typically unconscious and compulsive) act of assigning a female or malegender to every person we see or meet. I describe this phenomenon, and explain how it complicates trans people’s lives, inWhipping Girl, pp. 161-193. Gender Affirming: approaches to trans health and advocacy rooted in the idea thattransgender andgender non-conforming individuals’ experiences, perspectives, and identities are authentic and should be affirmed (rather than challenged or disregarded). Gender-affirming approaches address the many short-comings of the oldgatekeeper system andgender reparative therapies, and most contemporary trans health professionals (includingWPATH) now consider these to be the most ethical and efficacious approaches forgender-diverse populations. Gender-affirming approaches acknowledgenon-binary identities and the fact that individuals may choose totransition in different ways or to different extents, or may not transition at all. In the case of adults, access to the means to transition are generally made available according to an “informed consent” model. For children, a gender-affirming approach involves accepting and supporting their self-understanding of gender, whether it becisgender, transgender, binary, non-binary, orquestioning. Despite occasional fearmongering claims about children being “rushed into transgender lifestyles and surgeries” (which I debunk insection 8 of this essay), social transition is only recommended for those trans children whose gender identities are “consistent, persistent, and insistent.” When such children approach puberty, puberty blockers (the effects of which are fully reversible) may be administered in order to allow them time to reach an age when they are able to decide for themselves whether they want to take steps to physically transition (or not). See alsogender-disaffirming. Gender Artifactualism: a term I introduced inExcluded (pp. 117-137) to refer to the belief (often espoused by certainfeminists and other academics) that gender is merely a social artifact and/or entirelysocially constructed. I further explain why the term is useful (and often necessary)here. Gender artifactualism is usually forwarded to challengegender determinism (i.e., the belief that gender arises in a natural and unadulterated manner from biology). I refute both these views and offer a moreholistic view of how gender arises inExcluded, pp. 138-168. Gender Binary: a concept forwarded by transgender activists in the 1990s to explain gender-based oppression. The model states that all people in our culture are nonconsensually forced into one of two dichotomous categories (man or woman), and based on that gender assignment, we are all expected live up to the gender norms associated with that group. People who do not fit neatly into either of these classes and/or who fail to adhere to such gender norms (e.g.,transgender andintersex people) are typicallymarginalized in our society. See alsobinary. Gender Determinism: the belief that gender differences arise in a natural unadulterated manner from biology (i.e., solely from our genes, physiology, anatomy, etc.). It is the most commonly accepted view of gender in our culture, perhaps because it seems to provide support foressentialist beliefs about women and men. Despite its popularity within the general public and amongst certain biologists, the scientific evidence does not support such an overly simplistic view of gender development (as I detail at length inExcluded, pp. 138-168). Gender Disaffirming: refers to outdated approaches to healthcare that presume that transgender identities are inherentlypathological, and therefore clients should be dissuaded or prevented from adopting them whenever possible. For decades, gender-disaffirming approaches were the established norm, as evident ingender reparative therapies (which coerced transgender and gender non-conforming children into behaving in a more gender-normative manner) and a strictgatekeeper system (which turned down most clients who desired totransition). It is now generally accepted that these gender-disaffirming approaches do not work, as they merely force clients to suppress or hide theirgender dissonance/dysphoria, or to lie to therapists and/or seek out alternative means to transition. Furthermore, recent research (describedhere) has shown that gender-disaffirming approaches toward children are associated with many negative outcomes with regards to self-esteem, life satisfaction, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and mental health more generally, whereasgender-affirming approaches are associated with more positive outcomes. Gender Dissonance: a term I forwarded inWhipping Girl (pp. 27-29, 85-89, and elsewhere throughout the book) to describe the cognitive dissonance experienced by trans people due to a misalignment between ourgender identity/subconscious sex and ourassigned gender/physical sex. Gender dissonance differs somewhat from the psychiatric termgender dysphoria, which typically conflates this cognitive dissonance with the mental stresses that arise from societal pressure to conform to gender norms. Gender Diverse/Creative/Expansive:umbrella terms used in a manner similar to how the phrasegender variant has historically been used (i.e., to denote people who defy societal gender norms in some way). During the ’10s, these terms garnered increasing popularity -- especially in reference totransgender andgender non-conforming children -- in part, because some perceive the word “variant” to have negative connotations. As with other analogous umbrella labels, each of these terms has their proponents and detractors (as I discusshere). Gender Dysphoria: a psychiatric term that has been used (to varying degrees) since the 1970s to describe the discomfort and/or distress that trans people experience when they are unable to live as members of the gender/sex that they identify as or desire to be. InWhipping Girl, I forwarded the termsgender dissonance and “gender sadness” as non-pathologizing alternatives. In theDSM-5, Gender Dysphoria became an officially recognized psychiatric diagnosis, replacingGender Identity Disorder. I discuss my thoughts on this latestDSM revision inOutspoken (pp. 126-144, 156-141). Gender Entitlement: when we nonconsensually project our own assumptions, expectations, value judgments, and beliefs aboutsex,gender, and/orsexuality onto other people, and favor such interpretations over the way those individuals understand themselves. I first introduced the term inWhipping Girl (e.g., in chapters 5, 8, 10, 20), and further expanded upon the idea inExcluded (pp. 239-256). In those writings, I have argued that gender entitlement lies at the heart of all forms ofsexism. Gender Expression: refers to aspects of one’s behaviors, mannerisms, interests, and styles of dress that are generally considered to befeminine,masculine, or some combination thereof. Gender Identity: thegender that oneidentifies as. The term originated in the field of psychology, where it is generally understood to be distinct from an individual’ssex (i.e., their physical body), as well as theirgender role/gender expression (i.e., outwardly-directed gender-related behaviors). While most people in our culture identify as either a boy/man or girl/woman, others come to adoptnon-binary gender identities. InWhipping Girl (pp. 77-93), I introduced the termsubconscious sex in order to distinguish between the conscious and deliberate act of identifying with a particular gender, and the more unconscious and inexplicable self-understanding of what sex/gender one should be (the latter of which many trans people experience prior to explicitly claiming that gender identity). Gender Identity Disorder (GID): a diagnosis in the previous revision of theDSM(DSM-IV-TR) that trans people were generally required to obtain if they wanted to pursue physical and/or legaltransition. TheDSM-IV-TR also contained a separateGID in Children diagnosis that was widely criticized for legitimizinggender reparative therapies ongender non-conforming children (as I discusshere). I discuss my views about GID (and GID in Children) inWhipping Girl (pp., 115-160) andOutspoken (pp. 126-144). These diagnoses have since been replaced byGender Dysphoria in theDSM-5. Gender and Sexual Minorities: a broadumbrella term for people whosesex,gender, and/orsexuality falls outside of societal norms, and who often facemarginalization as a result. I favor this phrasing when I want to make clear that I am referring not only to people who canonically fall under thequeer orLGBTQ+ umbrellas, but also other potential minorities (e.g., people who arepolyamorous,kinky,sex workers) who might not self-identify as queer and/or may feel excluded by queer politics and communities. Gender Neutral Pronouns: third-person singular pronouns that, unlike she/her/hers and he/him/his, do not make any presumption about a person’s gender. Some trans activists have forwarded neologisms such asze or sie (in place of he/she) andhir (in place of him/her). An alternative approach is to use the third-person plural pronounsthey/them/theirs in singular form. These latter pronouns have the advantage of already existing in the English language. Indeed, outside of trans-related discourses, when people are unaware of a person’s gender, they will often refer to that individual as “they” or “them” by default. Gender Non-Conforming: refers to people or behaviors that defy societal gender norms. It is sometimes used as an alternativeumbrella label fortransgender orgender-variant people, especially when describing children (who may behave in a gender-non-conforming manner, but not yet understand themselves as being “trans” or as having a specificgender identity. Gender Performativity: a theory of gender forwarded by Judith Butler in her bookGender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Unfortunately, this theory (which offers fruitful insights into certain aspects of gender) is often misinterpreted to mean “all gender is drag” or “all gender is performance” -- slogans that I have critiqued in several of my writings (as detailedhere). Gender Reparative Therapy: procedures carried out with the intention of convertingtransgender orgender non-conforming individuals (usually children) intocisgender or gender-normative ones. (It is also sometimes called Gender Conversion Therapy for this reason.) These approaches typically involve positive and negative reinforcement strategies -- e.g., having parents discourage or withhold gender non-conforming expression, toys, play partners, etc., while encouraging gender-normative behaviors.WPATH (the world’s most longstanding transgender health professional association) has deemedgender reparative therapies to be both unsuccessful and unethical. Nowadays, most trans health professionals supportgender-affirming approaches instead. InPlacing Ken Zucker's clinic in historical context, I discuss the long history of gender-reparative therapies, and link to numerous books, stories, and articles that describe what these practices entail, and how traumatic they often are for children who are subjected to them. Gender Role: a term that has been used in psychology to describe the various roles that one is expected to fulfill in society or within relationships based upon their gender status; this might include specific behaviors (e.g., acting masculine, feminine) or more formal interpersonal roles (e.g., father, mother, boyfriend, girlfriend). This phrase is used less frequently today, and has been largely replaced by (or subsumed under) the termgender expression. Gender System: a term that I have used (especially inExcluded) to generically refer to an imagined system that oppresses people based on their gender (e.g.,patriarchy, thegender binary,heteronormativity,kyriarchy). Gender Variance: refers to the phenomenon or existence oftransgender people, identities, and experiences. See alsotransgenderism. Gender Variant: anumbrella term used in a manner similar to how the wordtransgender is often intended (i.e., to denote people who defy societal gender norms in some way). From my recollection, it seemed to garner popularity in the mid-’00s, perhaps in an attempt to be inclusive of gender-diverse people who were rejecting the label “transgender” for various political or aesthetic reasons. As with other analogous umbrella labels (e.g.,gender non-conforming,gender diverse, gender creative, gender expansive,trans,trans*/trans-asterisk) it has its proponents and detractors (as I discusshere). Genderfluid: anon-binary identity embraced by people who experience theirgender identity and/orgender expression as changing or shifting over time. Genderqueer: An identity label used by many people who view their gender as falling outside of the male/female or man/woman binaries. It is sometimes used as anumbrella term fornon-binary-identified people. Others use it in a more specific manner -- for instance, it is sometimes associated with a particular strand of radical queer politics, or a certain type of androgynous or trans masculine gender presentation (as I allude to inOutspoken, pp. 277-278) -- but this ignores the vast diversity in genderqueer identities, sexualities, and trajectories that exists. Genital Assumption: a term I coined (seeOutspoken, pp. 98-105) to describe the pervasive assumption that a person’s genitals should resemble what other people imagine they will look like (typically, a penis if we perceive them as male, or a vulva if we perceive them as female). See alsounmarked assumption. Hermaphrodite: in biology, refers to animals that have both female and male reproductive organs. In the past, the term has been used to refer to people who we would now describe asintersex (i.e., individuals whose anatomies or reproductive systems do not appear to fit the standard definitions for female or male). Many intersex people consider the word to be stigmatizing, although some have used it in areclaimed manner (e.g., the Intersex Society of North America’s newsletterHermaphrodites with Attitude). Heteronormativity: a societal mindset in which heterosexual people, experiences, and desires are presumed to be the norm, thus invisibilizing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and asexual people and perspectives. Often heteronormativity is used in an even broader to includebinary gender norms people are expected to conform to, and assumptions about how relationships and families should be organized (e.g., monogamous pairings, nuclear families). Heterosexual: a term for people who are exclusively attracted to members of the other gender/sex. Heterosexism: the belief or assumption that heterosexual attractions and relationships are more natural and legitimate than their same-sex counterparts. I discuss this double standard (and its similarities withcissexism) inExcluded, pp. 113-117. See alsohomophobia. Hir: agender-neutral pronoun for third person singular objects (i.e., analogous to “him” or “her”). It is most commonly paired with the third person singular subject pronounze. Homonormative: a term that transgender activists historically used to critique the fact that cisgender gay and lesbian folks are taken as the norm within queer communities, thus invisibilizing othergender and sexual minorities (see Susan Stryker, “Transgender History, Homonormativity, and Disciplinarity,”Radical History Review 100 (2008), 145-157). An alternative usage of homonormative (attributed to Lisa Duggan) refers to when queer communities embrace heteronormative ideals (e.g., marriage, monogamy, gender conformity). Homophobia: often literally read as a “fear of” or “aversion to” people who arehomosexual (and/or those who experience same-sex attraction or relationships). I typically use the term in a broader manner to describe the belief or assumption that same-sex attraction is inferior to, or less legitimate than,heterosexuality. See alsoheterosexism. Homosexual: a term for people who are exclusively attracted to members of their own gender/sex. In the mid-to-late twentieth century, the term was sometimes informally used in a broader manner similar to how the wordqueer is often used today. It has since fallen out of favor as anidentity label or term of self-description, and is instead mostly used as a technical term when distinguishing a person’ssexual orientation from those who areheterosexual,bisexual, andasexual. Holistic Feminism: an approach tofeminism (and activism more generally) that I forwarded in the second half of my bookExcluded. “Holistic” may refer to one of several tenets of this approach: 1) that gender is “amalgamation of bodies, identities and life experiences...subconscious urges, sensations and behaviors, some of which develop organically, and others which are shaped by language and culture,” 2) that understandinggender andsexuality, orsexism andmarginalization, requires a multiplicity of perspectives (rather than afixed perspective), and 3) that rather than focus on one or a few specific “-isms,” we should instead simultaneously challengemyriad double standards. Other aspects of this approach include understandinghow double standards work,expecting heterogeneity, challenginggender entitlement, self-examining desire, embracing ambivalence, and recognizinginvalidations. More details and discussion can be foundhere and throughoutExcluded. Identity, Identity Label: a word or phrase that people use to express some facet of their being. Often people who share the same identity will see themselves as being part of the same “identity group,” and may feel that they also share other qualities (e.g., someessentialist trait, a similar history, a particular view of the world). Because identity labels represent a personal expression of self-understanding and/or affiliation with others, they often serve a very different purpose thanumbrella terms, which are more about creating alliances around a shared goal (e.g., ending discrimination) rather than a shared identity. I discuss this difference between identity and umbrella labels inExcluded (pp. 11-14). Identity Politics: a catch-all phrase for activist movements centered upon people who share a specificidentity. This approach tends to be relatively effective in garnering attention for the identity group’s shared issues, experiences, and perspectives (often by portraying the group as being unfairly discriminated against by the dominant/majority group because of who they are). However, the identity-politics approach does have negative drawbacks, such as portraying the group (and their goals) in a monolithic or stereotyped manner, and creating disputes over who “counts” as a legitimate member of the group, as I detail inOutspoken (pp. 269-282; see alsohere) and throughoutExcluded (especially pp. 216-238). See alsoreverse discourses,fixed perspectives. Intersectionality: a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, which arose out of the work of feminists of color, and which is concerned with how different forms ofmarginalization (e.g., racism, classism, sexism, ableism, sizeism, etc.) intersect with and exacerbate one another. Withinfeminism, intersectionality challenges the notion that sexism occursunilaterally (i.e., men are oppressors, women the oppressed, end of story). I discuss the influence of intersectionality on transgender activism inExcluded (pp. 43-47; see alsohere) andOutspoken (pp. 106-116; see alsohere), and the concept is further discussed at great length throughoutExcluded. Intersex: anumbrella term for people whose reproductive or sexual anatomy does not appear to fit the standard definitions for female or male. In the current medical literature, intersex conditions are sometimes collectively referred to as “Disorders of Sex Development” (DSD), although many intersex people find such nomenclature to bepathologizing. Intrinsic Inclinations: a model I forwarded inWhipping Girl (pp. 95-113) to describe subconscious yet persistent desires or affinities (e.g., with regards tosexual orientation,gender expression, orsubconscious sex) that predispose us toward particulargender andsexual experiences. In the cited chapter, I make the case that these inclinations (which may be influenced by biology to some degree) do not exist in a vacuum; rather we make sense of these desires or affinities viasocial constructs, which subsequently leads us to adopt certain sexual or genderidentities. This model was intended to bridge the gap between those who assume that gender and sexuality are strictlybiologically determined and those who view gender and sexuality as merelysocial constructs or artifacts. I further expanded upon this model (addressing critics who misconstrued my argument as beingessentialist because it invokes biology) inExcluded, pp. 138-168. Invalidations: a term I began using in 2009 (seehere[PDF link]) to describe tried-and-true methods for undermining or delegitimizing minority/marginalized groups. InExcluded (pp. 270-280), I describe a number of such invalidations, which have been used repeatedly against a variety of marginalized groups: the trope of mental incompetence,sexualization, and portraying these groups as inherently immoral, sick or unhealthy, anomalous, inauthentic, and unnatural. Invisibility: within activist discourses, generally refers to the negative ramifications that stem from a marginalized/minority group (or an individual of said group) not being recognized or acknowledged by society. It can occur because the group in question constitutes a rather small percentage of the overall population (and thus are easily overlooked), and/or because members of the group are mistaken for, or presumed to be, members of the dominant/majority group (seeunmarked assumption). Because invisibility can be detrimental, activists often laud or strive forvisibility. While visibility has its advantages (e.g., not having to navigate “passing” versus “coming out,” potential increased public understanding of the group’s experiences and perspectives), it also has disadvantages (for instance, the more visible one is, the more likely they are to be targeted for discrimination). I discuss this Invisible/Visible double-bind inExcluded, pp. 181-182. Isms & Phobias: in a general sense, “-ism” is a suffix that is often used to turn ideas or phenomena into nouns (e.g., baptism, magnetism, heroism, lesbianism). Within activist discourses, “ism” more specifically refers to ideologies that assert that one group of people is superior to, or more legitimate than, another (typically minority or marginalized) group. In most cases, the dominant majority group is explicitly named in the “ism” (e.g.,cissexism,heterosexism,monosexism). I prefer such terms because they frame marginalization in terms of an entrenched society-wide mindset that permeates most facets of our culture, and which often functions on an unconscious, internalized level. Alternatively, these same forms of marginalization may instead be described as “phobias” (e.g.,transphobia,homophobia,biphobia, respectively). Conceptualizing these phenomena as “phobias” may give the false impression that they represent mere individual reactions (e.g., of fear or prejudice) rather than systemic, institutionalized, and often unconscious, ideologies. However, the “phobia” derivations tend to be more popular and readily understood by laypeople, probably because they explicitly name the marginalized/minority group who is targeted. In my writings, I tend to use the “ism” and “phobia” variants interchangeably to refer to the society-wide mindset discussed above. Kinky: generically used to describe people and acts that are viewed as sexually atypical or unconventional. It has become increasingly used as anidentity label for people who practiceBDSM and/or experience sexual arousal in response to certain objects, materials, or scenarios (i.e., what is often calledfetishism, although that word has multiple meanings, as I explain in that entry). Sexual acts and behaviors that are not kinky are often described asvanilla. Kyriarchy: a term coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza to describe the many intersecting hierarchies that exist in society based on one’s gender, race, class, religion, sexual orientation, age, and potentially other factors. While purposefullyintersectional and intended to encompass all forms ofmarginalization, as I discuss inExcluded (pp., 200-228) even kyriarchy fails to address all hierarchies that exist (seemyriad double standards). Legal Sex: the sex category that a government or legal systemassigns to a person, and which often appears on their official documents (e.g., passport, drivers license). In the U.S. (and many other Western countries), there are only two options -- i.e.,male orfemale -- which denies the actual variation that exists in biologicalsex. When a trans persontransitions, they may seek to change their legal sex (which often involves navigating thegatekeeper system). LGBT (and its variants): ever-evolving acronyms often used when discussinggender and sexual minorities. These acronyms originated in the 1990s, when bisexual, and subsequently transgender, activists began to petition for inclusion within (what had, up until then, simply been called) “lesbian and gay” organizations. This explains why these acronyms almost always begin with LGBT (where L =lesbian, G =gay, B =bisexual, and T =transgender). People then began adding one or two Q’s (forqueer and/orquestioning) to make these acronyms even more inclusive. In the years since, numerous other symbols are sometimes added onto the end of these acronyms; examples include: I (forintersex), A (forasexual), an extra T (fortranssexual), the number 2 (fortwo-spirit), G (forgenderqueer), one or two P’s (forpansexual and/orpolyamorous), K (forkinky), H (for HIV-positive), U (for undecided), E (for everyone else), and + (to recognize other additional identities and individuals not explicitly included). Some have attempted to rearrange the letters to make pronounceable alternatives (e.g., QUILTBAG, QUILTBAGPIPE). My personal use of such acronyms has shifted over the years: During my early trans activism, I often used LGBTIG; inWhipping Girl, I used LGBTIQ; inExcluded, I used LGBTQIA+; in writings directed at mainstream audiences, I sometimes use LGBTQ for clarity/simplicity. I increasingly believe that these acronyms may have outlived their usefulness, as they were originally intended to denote inclusiveness (in contrast to their “lesbian and gay” counterparts), but nowadays even fairly lengthy acronyms are routinely contested for being exclusionary on the basis that they are missing one or a few letters (or for placing certain letters ahead of others). Furthermore, the adding-more-letters approach is incapable of keeping up with the fact that the referentidentity labels themselves are often disputed (e.g., regarding who counts as a legitimate member of the group), and continually shifting in meaning, falling out of favor, and/or being newly invented (seeActivist Language Merry-Go-Round). For all these reasons, I prefer usingumbrella terms such asqueer orgender and sexual minorities, even though they are not without their own drawbacks (seeExcluded, pp. 11-14;Whipping Girl, pp. 345-362). Lesbian: a term for women who are exclusively attracted to other women. Liberal Feminism: includes most mainstream expressions offeminism, which are typically focused on reforming laws and customs to ensure that women have equal rights in society. People do not usually self-identify as “liberal feminists”; rather, the term is most often used in a pejorative manner by feminists who favor more radical approaches (e.g.,radical feminists). Lived Sex: a term I used throughoutWhipping Girl to describe the sex/gender that one moves through the world as. The term is intended to stress the fact that those of us who aretranssexual do not merelyidentify as women or men, but rather we have very real experiences navigating our way through the world as, and being treated as a member of, that sex/gender. MAAB: an acronym that stands for “male-assigned at birth.” Some trans activists prefer alternatives such as MAB, AMAB (assigned male at birth), or CAMAB (coercively assigned male at birth). (Seeassigned gender/sex for the logic behind this terminology.) MAAB andFAAB (and their variants) are sometimes used asumbrella terms to denote transgender trajectories (e.g., using MAAB in the same way that I usetrans female/feminine spectrum), but this can sometimes have the unintended consequence of enabling others to focus on our birth assignments over our currentgender identity andlived experiences (as I describe inOutspoken, pp. 189-191). Male: in biology, it refers to organisms that produce sperm cells, but not egg cells. With regards to human beings, there are a number of physical and physiological features that are generally associated with males, including sex chromosomes (XY), gonads (testes), external genitals (penis), other reproductive organs (e.g., prostate), predominant sex hormone (androgens), secondary sex characteristics (e.g., facial hair), and certain behavioral traits (e.g., masculine gender expression). While all of these traits are commonly associated with males, none of them representessentialistic traits that are present in all males. Indeed, in our culture, the designation of “male” is a social category more than anything else, as evident in the fact that it is one of twolegal sex categories that a person can be assigned, and that this sex-assignment (whether by doctors at birth, or by others who perceive or presume that the person in question is male) will determine the gender norms that one is expected to adhere to, and how one is treated by others. See alsosex andsex/gender distinction. Marginalization: when a particular subpopulation is relegated to the margins of a community or society. I personally prefer this word over more common terms (which I sometimes use) such as “discrimination” (which seems to cast the situation in terms of individual expressions of prejudice) or “oppression” (which is fitting when describing one group dominating another group, but feels a bit heavy-handed when discussing more subtle forms ofinvalidation, or instances of exclusion that occur within oppressed populations). Marginalization also literally cites thecenter-versus-margin hierarchy that can be found in binary forms of thinking (seebinary). Marked: seeunmarked/marked. Masculinity, Masculine Gender Expression: behaviors, mannerisms, interests, and styles of dress that are commonly associated with (but certainly not exclusive to) men in our culture. I discuss our cultural tendency to view masculinity as natural and theunmarked norm (in contrast tofemininity, which is viewed as artificial and marked) inWhipping Girl (pp. 319-343), inExcluded (pp. 48-69), and inOutspoken (pp. 118-122; see alsohere). Male/Masculine Embodiment Fantasies (MEFs): erotic thoughts or sexual fantasies wherein one’s own (real or imagined) male body and/or masculine gender expression contributes to the arousal. I have forwarded this terminologyhere; see alsoOutspoken, pp. 151-155) to replace thepathologizing term “autoandrophilia.” See alsoFemale/Feminine Embodiment Fantasies (FEFs). Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival: sometimes referred to asMWMF,MichFest, or simplyMichigan. During most of its forty-year span (which ended in 2015), it was the world’s largest annual women-only event, and its constituents were largelylesbian- orqueer-identified. Starting in the 1990s, the festival garnered increased criticism for its so-called “womyn-born-womyn”-only policy, which essentially barredtrans women from attending. I discuss differing views of the festival and its policy inOutspoken (pp. 106-116; see alsohere), and my personal experience atCamp Trans (the annual protest of the policy) inExcluded, pp. 22-36. Further discussion regarding the festival and its policy can be found inOutspoken, pp. 48-50, 67-88, 78-82, 106-117, and inWhipping Girl, pp. 47-52, 233-245. Misgender, Misgendering: to refer to a person as, or consider them to be, a gender that they do not identify with. Often, misgendering is unintended (although it can still beinvalidating to the person who is subjected to it). People who harborcissexist beliefs or attitudes will often engage in purposeful acts of misgendering trans people; see alsoungendering. Monosexism: the belief or assumption thatbisexuality (i.e., attraction toward members of more than one gender/sex) is inferior to, or less legitimate than,monosexuality (i.e., being exclusively attracted to members of a single gender/sex). I discuss how monosexism plays out in bisexual lives inExcluded, pp. 83-87. See alsobiphobia. Monosexual: a person who is exclusively attracted to members of a single gender/sex (e.g., in the cases ofheterosexuals andhomosexuals). MTF: an abbreviation for male-to-female. Historically, this acronym was used as a noun (e.g., people used to refer to themselves as “an MTF,” or to other people as “MTFs”), but this usage has since fallen somewhat out of favor, and has largely been replaced by the termtrans woman (or trans women). However, the acronym is still generally considered to be acceptable when used as an adjective (e.g., MTF community, MTF transitioning). In some of my earlier writings (e.g., inWhipping Girl), I used “MTF spectrum” in a manner synonymous with how I now usetrans female/feminine spectrum. Myriad Double Standards: a framework for thinking aboutmarginalization that I forwarded inExcluded (particularly pp. 200-215). Typically, when activists talk about challenging “the system” (e.g.,patriarchy, thegender binary,kyriarchy), they have a limited number of binaries/hierarchies in mind, and therefore their activism will likely marginalize or exclude other groups. As I explainhere andhere, we should recognize that there are an indeterminate number ofdouble standards: some that are prevalent, while others less common; some that we are aware of, and others that we are not; some that negatively impact us, and others that negatively impact others. Throughout the second half ofExcluded, I provide a series of strategies (under the monikerholistic feminism) to challengeall double standards, which should enable our activism to beintersectional without marginalizing or excluding other groups in the process. Non-binary: within trans-related discourses, typically refers to people or identities that fall outside of thegender binary. A few examples mentioned elsewhere in this glossary include people who areagender,bigender,genderqueer,genderfluid, andtwo-spirit. Non-Op: refers to trans people who choose not to undergosex reassignment surgery/bottom surgery. Note: This is language used by trans people to share (with whom they choose to share) their genital status; it is generally considered rude/invasive/objectifying for other people to ask about, or to non-consensually divulge, such information. See alsogenital assumption. Non-Trans: refers to people who are nottrans-identified, or who have not had atransgender experience. In other words, it is synonymous with the more contemporary termcis. I first heard the term “non-trans” in the early ’00s, when it was used by trans activists as a more neutral/lessessentialist designation for people who had previously been called “bio boys” and “genetic girls.” I picked up the term, and used it regularly in my activism up until 2005-2006, when I began usingcis terminology instead. I will occasionally still use “non-trans,” particularly when writing shorter pieces for mainstream audiences who are not yet familiar with cis terminology. Oppositional Sexism: a term I coined and used throughoutWhipping Girl (initially in pp. 11-20) to describe instances of sexism that are rooted in the presumption that female and male are rigid, mutually exclusive, “opposite” sexes, each possessing a unique and non-overlapping set of attributes, aptitudes, abilities, and desires. Examples of oppositional sexism includeheterosexism andcissexism. InWhipping Girl, I made the case that oppositional sexism (i.e., the delegitimization of sex/gender non-conformity) works hand-in-hand withtraditional sexism (i.e., the delegitimization of femaleness and femininity) to create most forms ofsexism that proliferate in our society. I also described the intersection of oppositional and traditional sexism astrans-misogyny. Out: withinqueer discourses, refers to being open or explicit about one’s status as agender or sexual minority. See alsocloset andcoming out. Pansexual: another term for people who experience sexual attraction to members of more than one gender or sex. I use the term interchangeably withbisexual, although I personally prefer “bisexual” for reasons that I detail inExcluded, pp. 81-98 (see alsohere). I have nothing against people who personally prefer pansexual, although I do take issue with people who useword-sabotage to insist that the identity “pansexual” is inherently more radical or inclusive than “bisexual” (for reasons that I explain at length in the previousExcluded reference, and also inOutspoken, pp. 217-232) -- see also“reinforcing” trope andsubversivism. Paraphilia: a psychological/sexological category of sexual desires and practices that researchers consider to be “abnormal” or “deviant” for some reason or another. While a few paraphilias involve nonconsensual acts (which are understandably condemned), the vast majority are solitary or consensual sexual behaviors that do not harm others. Since there is no scientific or evidence-based rationale to explain why certain solitary and consensual sexual desires/acts are deemed “paraphilias” while others are not, the category seems to exist solely for the purpose ofpathologizing (and thereby stigmatizing)gender and sexual minorities. I discuss this overarching problem, plus the specific matter of transgender-specific paraphilias, inOutspoken pp. 156-161, see also pp. 136-155, and 204-214, andWhipping Girl pp. 262-271. Pass, Passing: a concept that originated in discourses regarding race (e.g., people of color who “passed” as white), but has since been applied to other instances where a member of a marginalized/minority group is perceived to be, or blends in as, a member of the dominant/majority group. “Passing” is typically enabled byunmarked assumption, and may allow one to accessprivileges associated with the dominant/majority group (see e.g.,conditional cis privilege), although this often comes at a price (as I discuss inExcluded, pp. 181-184, 188-196). Regarding trans people, there has been a mistaken assumption that we “pass” as women and men -- I have argued (most thoroughly inWhipping Girl, pp. 176-180) that we do not “pass” as women or men, but rather we “pass” ascis people. In that same passage, I explain why the term “pass” is inherently misleading: Because it is a verb, it makes it sound as though trans people are actively pulling a ruse or deceiving others, when in reality we are just being ourselves while other people’scis assumption leads them to presume that we are cis. (This is why I usually put the word “pass” in scare quotes.) Other trans people who reject the term “passing” favor alternatives such as “blending in” or being “stealth.” When trans people fail to “pass,” they are sometimes described as being “read” or “clocked” as trans. Pathologize, Pathologization: to portray some human trait as being abnormal, unhealthy, or diseased. For instance, one can describetransgender people as examples of natural variation and gender diversity; alternatively, one can pathologize transgender people by claiming that they suffer from a medical or psychiatric condition such asGender Dysphoria orTransvestic Disorder (both of which are listed in the currentDSM). Unfortunately, we live in a society where, in order to access the medical services (such as the means totransition), one must obtain the appropriate diagnosis (e.g., Gender Dysphoria) -- I discuss the ways in which this implied pathologization complicates trans lives in my essayPsychology, Sexualization and Trans-Invalidations[PDF link]. Patriarchy: a social structure that is centered on men, and which marginalizes women. See alsotraditional sexism,gender system). Polyamory: a term I use synonymously withethical non-monogamy -- i.e., to describe the practice of maintaining more than one romantic and/or sexual relationship simultaneously, and in a consensual manner (i.e., all parties are aware of the situation). See alsoambiamorous. Post-Op: refers to trans people who have already hadsex reassignment surgery. Note: This is language used by trans people to share (with whom they choose to share) their genital status; it is generally considered rude/invasive/objectifying for other people to ask about, or to non-consensually divulge, such information. See alsogenital assumption. Pre-Op: refers to trans people who have not yet hadsex reassignment surgery, but are considering or planning to in the future. Note: This is language used by trans people to share (with whom they choose to share) their genital status; it is generally considered rude/invasive/objectifying for other people to ask about, or to non-consensually divulge, such information. See alsogenital assumption. Predator/Prey Mindset: a model that I forwarded inWhipping Girl (pp. 253-271) and expanded upon in my essay “Why Nice Guys Finish Last” (in the anthologyYes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape) that explains how most people perceive/interpret sexual relations between men and women. According to this mindset, men are sexual initiators or aggressors (i.e., predators) and women are sexual objects (i.e., prey). Men and women who most closely resemble these archetypes tend to be viewed as most attractive or ideal. As “prey,” women are expected to play down or protect theirsexuality. If a woman chooses to openly express her sexuality in any way, she will not be viewed as an autonomous sexual initiator/aggressor, but rather she will be viewed as inviting sexual aggression and/or encouraging others to objectify her. I further argue (in the cited chapter) that this mindset helps explain recurring stereotypes oftrans women as promiscuous, hypersexual, and/or supposedly transitioning for sexual reasons (see alsoOutspoken; pp. 126-147; orthis PDF). Present, Presenting, Presentation: with regards to gender, a way of communicating to world (e.g., via clothing,gender expression, name, other cues) what gender/sex one identifies as or wishes to be recognized as. For example, in the years before mytransition (when I identified asbigender), I generally presented myself as male, although sometimes I would present as female. Many trans activists have gravitated toward this phrasing to avoid describing people as beingcrossdressed, which needlessly emphasizes the person’s (presumed)assigned gender and may undermine theirgender identity as well. On a few occasions, I have heard people complain that this wording soundspathologizing (e.g., similar to medical accounts describing people as “presenting” with symptoms of a particular illness); however, to the best of my knowledge, the trans-specific usage of “present” originated in activist language rather than medical/psychiatric discourses. Privilege: in activist settings, refers to the benefits or advantages one may experience solely as a result of being a member of a dominant or majority group. It is a different way of framingmarginalization than the usual approach of discussing the disadvantages or obstacles experienced by the corresponding marginalized or minority group, and the intention is to make members of the dominant/majority group aware of the fact that they too are impacted by this form of marginalization (albeit positively). While I discuss various forms of privilege throughout my writings, I have most thoroughly describedcis privilege (view that entry for source material). While privilege is very real, occasionally activists who harborunilateral/fixed perspectives may invoke the specter of privilege to dismiss or invalidate other marginalized groups, as I discuss inExcluded (pp. 291-297),Outspoken (pp. 95-97), andWhipping Girl (pp. 307-310). Queer: areclaimed word that has since become a widely acceptedumbrella term forgender and sexual minorities/LGBTQ+ people. Despite its current acceptance, some people who fall under this label reject the term because of its past use as a slur, or because it is too closely associated withgay identities; I address some of these concerns and explain why (and how) I use the term inExcluded, pp. 9-14. Queer Theory: an academic field that became influential in the 1990s, and which set out to challengeessentialist assumptions about gender, sexuality, bodies, and desires. One of its main strategies was to deconstruct the (typicallybinary) categories that serve to define and restrict these phenomena. While this field was very influential within feminism and queer and trans activism of the time (and on me personally), its approach of deconstructing categories often undermined the identities and realities of manygender and sexual minorities (particularly trans and intersex people) as I discuss at length inWhipping Girl (pp. 196-212),Excluded (pp. 110-137), andOutspoken (pp. 106-116). Questioning: Inqueer/gender and sexual minority discourses, refers to someone who is unsure about, or in the process of exploring, some facet of their gender and/or sexuality. The term is often intended to make queer settings more explicitly inclusive of people who are still trying to figure out their gender or sexualidentity. Radical Feminism: a strand of feminism that originated in the 1960s, and which focuses on the complete elimination ofpatriarchy andgender roles, rather than merely reforming societal laws and customs (see e.g.,liberal feminism). There have been various expressions of radical feminism over the years (see e.g., Alice Echols,Daring To Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967-1975). For instance, some self-identified radical feminists take a moreintersectional approach, and their goal is to eliminate all hierarchies and forms ofmarginalization. Other radical feminists view patriarchy as the “primary” oppression -- i.e., the most historically longstanding, and the one that gives rise to all other forms a marginalization. In addition to focusing their efforts solely on eliminating patriarchy, these latter radical feminists often forward a simplisticunilateral view of sexism (in which men are the “oppressors” and women the “oppressed,” end of story) and advocate for abolishing any expression of gender or sexuality that they view as “reinforcing” patriarchal gender roles, such assex work, pornography,BDSM,butch andfemme identities,femininity, and/ortransgenderism (seeTERFs). Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD): a fake medical diagnosis or condition invented bytrans-antagonistic & trans-suspicious bloggers in order to deny and disaffirm sometransgender children’sgender identities and experiences withgender dysphoria. Proponents of the concept insist that ROGD is caused bysocial contagion, and often use this as an excuse to isolate supposedly “ROGD kids” from other trans-identified children and trans-themed social media. I debunk the concept inthis essay. Read: within trans communities, refers to the gender that other people perceive one as. For instance, I may be atrans woman, but others might “read” me ascisgender, or as a “crossdressed man.” In some cases (particularly when it is not followed by a prepositional phrase), “read” implies being “found out” or discovered to be a member of a marginalized/minority group (e.g., transgender), and thus represents the opposite of “passing.” Reclaimed Word: a word that has historically been used as a disparaging term or derogatory slur against a particular marginalized/minority group, but which is then repurposed by members of that group in a positive or self-empowering way. Examples includequeer,dyke, andtranny. For understandable reasons, there may be disagreements among members of the group as to whether said words should be reclaimed or not (as I discuss in great length inOutspoken, pp. 244-251; see alsohere). Reinforcing Trope: the assertion (often heard in queer and feminist settings) that some identity, or expression of gender or consensual sexuality, somehow “reinforces” (or “upholds,” or “reifies,” etc.) thepatriarchy, thegender binary,heteronormativity, or some othergender system. Notably, this accusation is almost always levied against people who aregender and sexual minorities themselves, targetsmarked behaviors or traits that do not directly impinge or injure anyone else, and (as I have argued in the passages cited below) primarily serves to create artificial hierarchies within activist settings (see e.g.,subversivism). I first noticed this phenomenon with regards to how it has historically been wielded againsttranssexuals (seeWhipping Girl, pp. 145-155, 345-349). I formally began calling itthe “reinforcing” trope in a 2010 essay (which now appears inOutspoken, pp. 174-178) addressing how it is sometimes used againstbisexuals (also discussedhere). I thoroughly eviscerate the “reinforcing” trope throughoutExcluded (especially pp. 110-137), wherein I make the case that it is completely arbitrary, denies gender and sexual diversity, and is a common recurring strategy for excluding certain marginalized/minority individuals from activist movements that they have a stake in. Reverse Discourse: a term coined by Michel Foucault to refer to when a minority/marginalized group takes a hierarchy that has historically been used to marginalize them (e.g., heterosexual = good; homosexual = bad) and uses it as a standpoint from which to prioritize their own beliefs, desires, and perspectives. The term has negative connotations, as it implies that the minority/marginalized group may be buying into anessentialist framework, or engaging inidentity politics. I discuss the many problems with reverse discourses (specifically regarding cis/trans) inOutspoken (pp. 269-282; see alsohere). I also address such “binary-flips” or “hierarchy-flips” (which are similar phenomena) inExcluded (especially pp. 216-238) andWhipping Girl (pp. 345-362). Second-Wave Feminism: anumbrella term strands offeminism that began to proliferate in the 1960s and dominated through the 1980s, after whichthird-wave feminism is said to begin. While both second-wave and third-wave feminisms were diverse, and the distinction between them imprecise, it could be said that second-wave feminists often centered their activism around the category of “woman” (e.g., championing “women’s rights” or “women’s liberation”), whereas third-wave feminists were often focused on deconstructing the category of “woman” and/or addressing the many differences that exist among women -- e.g., due tointersectionality, or with regards tosexuality (seesex-positive feminism). Note: “second-wave” implicitly references “first-wave” of feminism -- that is, the suffrage movement, which took place in the mid-nineteenth century through the early-twentieth century. Second-Wave Transgender Activism: a phrase I coined in 2008 (here; now included inOutspoken, pp. 106-116) to describe a shift I perceived occurring in transgender activism at the time, moving away from focusing on whattransgender people had in common (i.e., that we all challenge thegender binary, as argued by “first-wave” transgender activists of the 1990s), and toward an increased discussion aboutintersectionality and the many differences that exist between trans people (which gained momentum in the late ’00s). I made the case that this shift was analogous to the increased discussion of differences that occurred during the shift fromsecond-wave tothird-wave feminisms. Sex: with regards to bodies, it refers to a suite of sexually dimorphic traits that may include chromosomes, gonads, external genitals, other reproductive organs, ratio of sex hormones, and secondary sex characteristics. In our society, these traits are classified in a dichotomous manner as eitherfemale ormale, and people are assigned alegal sex on that basis. However, variability exists in all these traits, plus these traits may not all “align” (i.e., all male, or all female) within the same person -- when this occurs, such traits (and the people who possess them) are often described asintersex. Some people believe in a strictsex/gender distinction -- where sex refers to the realm of biology, andgender refers to the purely social -- but I reject that position for reasons mentioned in that glossary entry (and explained more thoroughly inExcluded, pp. 138-168). The truth is that, in our culture, “sex” is both a social and legal category in addition to describing anatomy. InWhipping Girl, I forwarded the termlived sex, which refers to moving through the world as a member of that particular sex. Sex Embodiment: the experience of inhabiting asexed body and/or one’s self-understanding or relationship with their own sexual body or anatomy. I began forwarding the term in the late ’00s as a companion term to go with the more commonly discussedgender identity, which seems to articulate our “gender affiliation” fairly well, but which obscures how we relate to our physically sexed bodies -- a matter which is important, and perhaps even central, to manytranssexuals’ experiences. Also, I have often found that some people who respect my female gender identity (i.e., my gender affiliation) do not accept my sex embodiment (i.e., they refused to relate to my physical body or sexual anatomy as female). Sex-Positive Feminism: a movement that had its origins in the 1980s in response tofeminists who critiqued or called for the elimination of pornography,sex work,BDSM, and other sexual practices and identities. Sex-positive feminism is based on the notion that autonomous and consensual sex is healthy, and that the policing of such sexual acts negatively impacts women andgender and sexual minorities. Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS): one of numerous terms to describetransition-related surgeries that involve the transformation of one’s sex characteristics toward a more desired state. The term is most closely associated with surgeries that involve genital reconfiguration, as in many jurisdictions such procedures are required in order to have one’slegal sex officially reassigned (e.g., from male to female, or female to male). But the term may occasionally be used to refer to other trans-related surgeries. Some trans people prefer alternate names for such procedures, including (but not limited to) gender reassignment surgery, gender confirmation surgery, gender affirmation surgery, ortop/bottom surgery. The general public often colloquially refers to such procedures as a “sex change operation,” but that label has fallen out of favor (and is often considered crass) by both the medical establishment and trans activists alike. Sex Worker: a person whose work involves consensual sexual services, performances, and/or sexually explicit behavior. Sex/gender distinction: the belief thatsex andgender are two clearly separable things. For instance, somefeminists have made a strong distinction between physical sex (i.e., the biological) and social gender (i.e., gendered roles that we are socialized into and expected to fulfill). Sometranssexuals have forwarded a similar distinction, although in their assessments, gender is a deeply-felt self-understanding of who they are (seegender identity) that exists independent of both gender socialization and their physical bodies. As I have argued (most thoroughly inExcluded, pp. 138-168), such strict sex/gender distinctions ignore the facts that 1)gender identity appears to be influenced (to some degree) by biology, 2) biological socialization alters our biology (e.g., our physical brains), and 3) that “sex” is both a social andlegal category in addition to describing our anatomies. Sexism: anydouble standard based on a person’s sex, gender, and/or sexuality. InWhipping Girl (pp. 11-20, and elsewhere in the text) I make the case that most forms of sexism fall into one of two categories:traditional sexism (i.e., the assumption that femaleness and femininity are inferior to, or less legitimate than, maleness and masculinity) andoppositional sexism (i.e., where people assume that male and female are two discrete, mutually-exclusive categories that each exhibit distinct behaviors, traits, interests, and desires, and that those who fail to live up to this assumption must be abnormal or illegitimate). However, there may also be other forms of sexism that do not fall neatly into either of these categories (for e.g., seesubversivism). Sexual Minority: anumbrella term for people whose autonomous or consensualsexual practices, interests, and desires fall outside of societal norms, and who often facemarginalization as a result. See alsogender and sexual minorities. Sexual Orientation: refers to the sex/gender that a person is primarily attracted to. There are four commonly accepted categories of sexual orientation:heterosexual,homosexual,bisexual, andasexual. While these labels/categories are often useful, they do have potential drawbacks: 1) they center attraction around same-sex versus other-sex, which can invisibilize manytransgender andintersex people (and those who are attracted to us), 2) it seems to imply that one’s preferred sex/gender category is the most important aspect of sexual desire, when in actuality people’ssexualities vary with regards to a multiplicity of traits and facets. Sexuality: a broad term that may refer to a person’s sexual orientation, interests, fantasies, desires, acts, expressions, experiences, or some combination thereof. Sexualization: when a person (or group of people) is nonconsensually reduced to their real or imagined sexual attributes (their body, behaviors, desires) rather than viewed as a whole person. Feminists have long critiqued the ways in which women are sexualized in our straight-male-centric culture (via objectification, slut-shaming, sexual harassment, and sexual violence). In my bookSexed Up, I connect those manifestations to other forms of sexualization experienced across marginalized groups (e.g., being misconstrued as sexually deviant, predatory, promiscuous, desperate, undesirable, exotic, or as a “fetish object”). Over the course of that book, I explain how these sexualizing stereotypes arise, and why being reduced to the status of a “sexual being” tends to have a delegitimizing or degrading effect on people. She-Male: a controversial term to describepre-op ornon-optrans women. The term has been popularized by the sex/pornography industries, and many trans women find it offensive because it is purposefully sensationalistic, it emphasizes the presence of a penis (which many find objectifying), and invalidates our female identities (via its usage of the word “male”). Having said that, I have known a few non-op trans women who have tried toreclaim the word. Social Construct, Socially Constructed: refers to beliefs, meanings, and connotations that we project onto objects (or people) in the world, and which shape the way we see them. For instance, while biologicalsex is a real thing, many of the expectations and assumptions that we have about socialgender (e.g., that it constitutes a strictbinary, that blue is for boys & pink is for girls, that men just want sex while women want commitment, etc.) are socially constructed -- these ideas may seem natural and taken for granted for many people in our culture, but other people and cultures may view these matters very differently. While I believe that gender is socially constructed, I have objected to claims made by somefeminists that gender is “just a construct” or merely a social artifact for reasons explained inExcluded (pp. 110-168) and summarizedhere (see alsogender artifactualism). Social Contagion: a concept used to describe how certain behaviors can spread through the population, almost as if they were infectious. Sometrans-antagonistic & trans-suspicious groups have latched onto the idea that the recent rise in people identifying astransgender is due to “social contagion” -- the implication being that these people are not “naturally” or “intrinsically” trans, but rather are persuaded by outside forces. However, theWikipedia entry for the phenomenon describes “reduction of restraints” as a major factor that influences contagion, which would suggest a very different interpretation: Perhapsgender variance is naturally more common in the population than most people presume, but social pressure (e.g.,transphobia andcisnormativity) has historically coerced most of these individuals to hide or suppress such behaviors. Therefore, if the recent increase in trans-identified peoplewere the result of “social contagion,” it is likely because increasing transgender awareness and acceptance has reduced former restraints against expressing this diversity. This is essentially the case that I make (via an analogy with the rise of left-handedness over the last century) inthis essay. See alsoRapid Onset Gender Dysphoria. Socialization: refers to the process wherein human beings learn cultural norms, customs, values, and ideologies through social interactions with others. Within trans discourses, this topic usually comes up with regards to the gender socialization we experienced early in our lives (i.e., whether we were raised and expected to be girls or boys) and the difficulties in unlearning some of those habits and behaviors upon gendertransition.Trans-exclusive radical feminists often point to such gender socialization to invalidate trans people’s identities -- for instance, claiming that I cannot claim to be a woman because I was not socialized female as a child. This ignores the fact that socialization is a life long process, and that human beings regularly cast off beliefs and behaviors that we were socialized to accept as children, and that we constantly learn new ways of being and adapt to new social circumstances. SRS: an acronym forsex reassignment surgery. Standards of Care (SOC): a document published by theWorld Professional Association for Transgender Health that establishes guidelines for the treatment oftransgender people. Historically, the SOC was extremely restrictive and created myriad difficulties for trans people (as I detail inWhipping Girl, pp. 115-139). The current SOC (“Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People, Version 7”) is far more flexible, albeit not without flaws. See alsogatekeeper system. Straight: withinqueer discourses, the term refers to someone who is not agender and sexual minority. Some people use the term “straight” in a more narrow way -- e.g., as a synonym forheterosexual -- but I personally reject such usage due to itshomonormativity. Subconscious Sex: a term I coined inWhipping Girl (pp. 26-29, 77-93) to describe an unconscious and inexplicable self-understanding regarding whatsex one belongs to or should be. I felt the phrase was necessary to distinguish between these unconscious experiences and the more conscious way we make sense of such feelings (i.e., what we typically callgender identity). Furthermore, the word “identity” makes itI purposefully used the word “subconscious” (which is ambiguous and rarely used in academic/research settings) to capture the vagueness of such feelings (at least as I experienced them) and to avoid making it sound like I believe that they resided in a specific gene or region of the brain. And I intentionally used the word “sex” (rather than “gender”) to reflect the fact that for manytranssexuals (including myself) the desire totransition is often driven bysex embodiment (i.e., aligning our subconscious and physical sexes) more so, or in addition to, a sense of sex/gender affiliation (i.e., belonging to and being recognized as a member of that sex/gender). I also argued (in the cited passages) thatcissexuals also likely have a subconscious sex, but they tend not to notice or appreciate it because it is concordant with their physical sex (and therefore they tend to conflate the two); this helps to explain the strong knee-jerk negative reactions some cis people exhibit toward transsexuals and the very notion of physical transition. See alsointrinsic inclinations. Subversivism: a term I coined inWhipping Girl (pp. 345-362) to describe the assumption that some genders and sexualities are inherently “subversive” or “transgressive,” and therefore superior to those that are deemed more conventional or conservative (and which supposedly “reinforce” thegender system or gender norms). While this form ofsexism is not prevalent in mainstream culture, it does proliferate in certain feminist and queer circles. I discusssubversivism more here; see also“reinforcing” trope. TERFs: an acronym for “Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists” (also sometimes called “Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminists,” although the former is more grammatically correct). TERFs are a subgroup ofradical feminists (who sometimes self-identify as “gender critical” feminists) that are strongly opposed to transgender identities, experiences, and rights. Unlike mainstream expressions oftransphobia (which tend to cite religious convictions orbiological determinism to support their case), TERFs typically justify their views via the following reasoning: 1) gender is merely aman-made class system designed to oppress women, and which therefore must be eliminated, 2) transgender people “buy into” and thus“reinforce” this class system, thereby undermining women and feminism, and 3)trans women constitute a specific threat because (in their eyes) we are oppressive “men” who are infiltrating women’s spaces and/orappropriating women’s identities and circumstances. Trans activists (including myself) have critiqued TERF positions by pointing out that they areessentialist, ignoreintersectionality, and forward arguments that are inherently anti-feminist in other ways (seeWhipping Girl, pp. 47-52, 233-245, andOutspoken, pp. 106-116; see alsohere). Furthermore, inExcluded (pp. 110-137), I demonstrate that their central argument -- i.e., that TERFs are trying to bring an “end to gender” whereas trans people supposedly “reinforce gender” -- is completely arbitrary, and exacerbatessexism rather than reducing it (as I explainhere). While the label “TERF” highlights this group’s anti-trans ideology (which often manifests inharassment, doxxing, and actively fighting against trans rights), their faulty “end of gender”-versus-“reinforcing gender” logic leads them to routinely disparage other groups, includingfeminine women,sex-positive feminists, andsex workers (which is why TERFs are also sometimes described as SWERFs, aka Sex Worker-Exclusive Radical Feminists). Some TERFs have claimed that the word “TERF” is a slur -- this ignores the fact that the acronym was created bycis radical feminists who intended it to be a neutral term, one that simply differentiates between trans-excluding and trans-inclusive radical feminists. If the term has since accrued negative connotations, it is simply because most contemporary feminists view trans-exclusion as invalid, and TERF rhetoric as unnecessarily disparaging. I discuss differences between TERFs and “TUMFs” (Trans-Unaware Mainstream Feminists) inthis essay. Third Gender, Third Sex: terms sometimes used to describe gender categories other than man and woman that exist in non-Western cultures (see e.g.,two-spirit people). These third (and sometimes more) genders are fairly common, although the way that they are conceptualized and the roles they play in society may vary significantly from culture to culture. Third-wave Feminism: the era offeminism that followed (and was a reaction to)second-wave feminism. It is generally thought to begin in the 1980s, and increasingly garnered attention and support in the 1990s. While both second-wave and third-wave feminisms were diverse, and the distinction between them imprecise, it could be said that second-wave feminists often centered their activism around the category of “woman” (e.g., championing “women’s rights” or “women’s liberation”), whereas third-wave feminists were often focused on deconstructing the category of “woman” and/or addressing the many differences that exist among women -- e.g., due tointersectionality, or with regards to sexuality (seesex-positive feminism). Numerous people have claimed that we have since moved onto the “fourth-wave” of feminism; however, at this time, there is no clear-cut consensus regarding what defines this current period in contrast to the third-wave. Top Surgery:transition-related surgeries that involve a reconfiguration of one’s chest (either male chest construction intrans men, or breast augmentation intrans women). Some trans people prioritize top surgery overbottom surgery (or vice versa); see alsosex reassignment surgery. Traditional Sexism: instances ofsexism that are rooted in the presumption that femaleness and femininity are inferior to, less legitimate than, or exist primarily for the benefit of, maleness and masculinity. I forwarded the term inWhipping Girl (pp. 11-20) in order to distinguish between these instances (i.e., what people traditionally think of as sexism) and other variants of sexism (such asheterosexism,cissexism) that fall under the umbrella ofoppositional sexism. I also described the intersection of oppositional and traditional sexism astrans-misogyny. Tranny: a controversial term fortransgender people. The word has a complex history that I discuss in gory detail inOutspoken (pp. 233-251 and references therein; see alsohere). To briefly summarize: It appears to have been used as an informal, self-referential, in-community word (along with the similar sounding “transy”) in some trans communities as early as the 1970s, but over time, as public awareness of the term grew, it increasingly took on derogatory meanings and sexual connotations (likely due to its usage in association with trans-themed pornography). In the 1990s and early 2000s, many trans activistsreclaimed the word, and it was often found in the names of trans-themed organizations and events (seeOutspoken pp. 60-68, 233-251). Community sentiments have subsequently shifted toward condemning the word -- while some trans people still embrace it, most seem to view it as an unacceptable slur. Trans: generally used as an abbreviation of, or synonym for, theumbrella termtransgender. When the word precedes “woman” or “man” (as intrans woman ortrans man), it typically indicates that the person istranssexual, and that the word modified by the adjective “trans” (i.e., woman or man) refers the person’sgender identity and/orlived sex. Perhaps due to this latter usage, there is sometimes confusion regarding whether the person using “trans” is doing so in a broad transgender-spectrum way, or in a transsexual-specific way; such ambiguity can impact how narrow or broad (respectively) the wordcis is defined (as I discuss at great length inOutspoken, pp. 257-268; seehere). This confusion might have also led to the recent popularization of the alternate termtrans* (trans-asterisk). Trans*, Trans-asterisk: a variant oftrans intended to stress gender diversity and inclusion. This term seems to have originated due to the way asterisks operate as “wild cards” in internet search engines -- i.e., if you search for “trans*,” you may retrieve results that include the words trans,transgender,transsexual,transvestite, and so on. In this sense, the word seems inclusive of a multiplicity of trans identities. While trans* has existed for many years, it garnered increased attention and usage in the mid-’10s, as some trans activists claimed that it was more inclusive than trans (sans asterisk). However, in the years since, still others have claimed that trans* excludes various groups (as I explain in my essayRegarding Trans* and Transgenderism). While I have used trans* in my writings on a few occasions, I prefer to use trans (san asterisk) in the broad umbrella sense (as it was originally intended). Trans Female/Feminine Spectrum: my current preferredumbrella term to describetransgender-spectrum people who wereassigned male at birth, but who come to reject male/masculine identities & roles and/or who gravitate toward female/feminine ones. (Note: in myTrans-Misogyny Primer, I suggested that this could be abbreviated “TF spectrum”) In some of my earlier writings (e.g., inWhipping Girl), I used the phrase “MTF-spectrum” to express the same concept. I like this phraseology because it acknowledges our female and/or feminine identities, desires, inclinations, and/or aspirations, without undermining them by referencing gender statuses that were non-consensually assigned to us at birth. Someagender andgenderqueer people have told me that they do not like this term because they do not identify as either female or feminine. For these reasons, they may prefer usingMAAB as an umbrella term, which I dislike for reasons explained inOutspoken, pp. 189-191. As I explain in theintroductory essay to this glossary, there is no perfect word. Trans Feminism, Transfeminism: a term accredited to Diana Courvant and Emi Koyama, and used to describe transgender perspectives on feminism and/or feminist perspectives on transgender issues. My take on trans feminism can be found inExcluded (pp. 43-47; see alsohere),Outspoken (pp. 106-116; see alsohere), and throughoutWhipping Girl. While I often describe myself as a trans feminist, I feel thatholistic feminism better describes my overall feminist framework. Trans Man: a person who wasassigned female at birth, but who currentlyidentifies and/orlives as a man. Some trans people prefer the spelling “transman” (with no space), which I personally dislike for reasons explained inExcluded, p. 313, chapter 5, note 1. Trans Male/Masculine Spectrum: my current preferredumbrella term to describetransgender-spectrum people who wereassigned female at birth, but who come to reject female/feminine identities & roles and/or who gravitate toward male/masculine ones. (Note: in myTrans-Misogyny Primer, I suggested that this could be abbreviated “TM spectrum”) In some of my earlier writings (e.g., inWhipping Girl), I used the phrase “FTM-spectrum” to express the same concept. I explain my reasoning behind this phraseology, as well as potential objections to it, in the entry fortrans female/feminine spectrum above. Trans Woman:: a person who wasassigned male at birth, but who currentlyidentifies and/orlives as a woman. Some trans people prefer the spelling “transwoman” (with no space), which I personally dislike for reasons explained inExcluded, p. 313, chapter 5, note 1. Trans Woman-Exclusion: a reference to women-only organizations or spaces that instate policies that bartrans women from attending (see e.g., theMichFest “womyn-born-womyn”-only policy). I critique such policies inWhipping Girl (pp. 47-52, 233-245),Excluded (pp. 22-36),Outspoken (pp. 106-116; see alsohere), and elsewhere. Trans-antagonistic, Trans-suspicious, Trans-unaware: terms I have increasingly used since the mid-’10s (e.g., seehere) to make distinctions between various types of anti-transgender attitudes or positions. Some expressions oftransphobia stem from people simply being “trans-unaware” -- i.e., uninformed (or under-informed) about transgender people and experiences. Other individuals may be downright “trans-antagonistic,” in that they are fundamentally opposed to transgender people for specific moral, political, and/or theoretical reasons. From an activist standpoint, this distinction is quite pertinent: Trans-unaware individuals tend to be “passively transphobic” (e.g., only expressing such attitudes when they come across a trans person, or when the subject is raised), and may be open to relinquishing those attitudes upon learning more about transgender lives and issues. In contrast, trans-antagonistic individuals often actively promote anti-trans agendas (e.g., policies, laws, misinformation campaigns) and are highly unlikely to be moved by outreach or education (unless, of course, they undergo a more comprehensive philosophical transformation). The “trans-suspicious” position acknowledges that transgender people exist and should be tolerated (to some degree), but routinely questions (and sometimes actively works to undermine) transgender perspectives and politics. For example, a trans-suspicious individual might treat me respectfully and refrain from misgendering me, yet simultaneously express doubt about whether certain other people are “really trans” or should be allowed totransition. While they often consider themselves to be “pro-trans” (on the basis that they tolerate us to some degree), their strongcisnormative andcissexist biases lead them to spread much of the same misinformation, and push for many of the same anti-trans policies, as their trans-antagonistic counterparts (e.g., seehere). In a world where trans-antagonistic and trans-unaware attitudes are pervasive, trans-suspicious arguments tend to strike the averagecisgender person as relatively “objective” or “reasonable” by comparison (although trans people readily see through this veneer). Trans-facsimilation: the common tendency to view trans people’s gender identities, expressions, or bodies as mere facsimiles or inferior replicas of theircisgender counterparts. I introduced the term inWhipping Girl (pp. 170-172), where I explain the flaws and biases inherent in this mindset. See alsoungendering. Trans-misogyny: a term I coined in my 2005 chapbookOn the Outside Looking In, and forwarded inWhipping Girl (first explained in pp. 11-20), to describe forms ofsexism that plague people on thetrans female/feminine spectrum. It arises at the intersection ofoppositional sexism andtraditional sexism, and it accounts for why trans female/feminine individuals tend to bear the brunt of societal fascination, consternation, and demonization in considerations of transgender people. A quick intro to the subject can be found in myTrans-Misogyny Primer, and I share some anecdotes that better flesh out the concept inExcluded (pp. 49-53). Further discussion about the origin of the term, and common misconceptions regarding who is impacted by trans-misogyny, can be found inOutspoken, pp. 69-76. As the term has been taken up by others since the release ofWhipping Girl, people often spell it as one word (“transmisogyny”); I stick to my hyphenated version both for consistency, and to stress that it involves the interplay oftransphobia and misogyny. Transness: an informal term I have used to describe aspects of a person’s identity, expressions, body, or personal history that are related to the fact that they aretrans. Seetransgenderism Transgender: the most commonly acceptedumbrella term for people who transgress gender norms or defy traditional gender categories in some way. Activists in the 1990s forwarded this term to unitetranssexuals,crossdressers,drag artists,butch women, feminine men, and people who areandrogynous,intersex,non-binary, and possibly others (as discussed inOutspoken, pp. 257-268; see alsohere). While the word was intended to be inclusive of allgender-variant people (in the hopes of organizing the largest possible coalition to challenge thegender binary), some individuals or subgroups have objected to being included under the label (see e.g.,Whipping Girl, p. 26;Outspoken, pp. 179-188, alsohere), while some who identify with the term have attempted to exclude other subgroups from using or being included under the label (e.g., some have objected to the inclusion of drag performers and other non-transsexualgender non-conforming people). Unfortunately, many people in thecis mainstream are unaware of the broad coalition of identities that exist under the transgender umbrella, leading them to mistakenly equate the word “transgender” with transsexuals (even though the latter are merely one subgroup). For this reason, I sometimes use the phrase “transgender-spectrum” in my writings to stress this gender diversity, even though it is arguably redundant. Contemporary activists typically claim that “transgender” should only be used as an adjective (not a noun or a verb), and that individuals should not be referred to as “transgenders” or “transgendered,” even though these variants were routinely used by trans activists up through the mid-’00s (e.g., seeOutspoken, pp. 322-323, note 31). Transgenderism: refers to the phenomenon of transgender people (i.e., our existence and our experiences; seegender variance), or the state of being transgender (e.g., I might talk about my own transgenderism; seetransness). Although the word almost certainly originated in transgender communities, and was used by trans activists of the 1990s in a positive or neutral manner, some contemporary activists dislike the word because of the suffix “-ism,” which they believe implies that transgender people are forwarding some kind of oppressive ideology (even though -isms also refer to naturally occurring phenomena, as I explain in my essayRegarding Trans* and Transgenderism). Transition, Transitioning: generically means moving from one state, position, stage, or condition to another (e.g., life transition, job transition). Within trans discourses, the term generally refers to a time period wherein a trans person socially and/or physically moves from one way of being gendered in the world to another. This process may be accompanied by one or some of the following events: coming to terms with one’s own transidentity;coming out astrans to other people; taking steps to change one’sgender presentation or gendered social status/lived sex; taking steps to physically transition (e.g., via hormone therapy orsurgeries) from onesex to another; having one’s initial experiences being perceived in theiridentified gender and/or as trans on a regular basis. While some trans people may reference a specific “transition period” in their life (e.g., a one or two year time frame in which they experience dramatic social and/or physical changes), other trans people experience their genders as relatively stable throughout their life, or as a continual ongoing process that does not have clear start and end points. Many trans activists (including myself) have expressed frustration about the fact that the cisgender majority tends to be far more interested in (and sometimes even obscenely fascinated by) the transitioning process rather than other aspects of our person or the many serious issues that we face (seeWhipping Girl, pp. 53-64, 195-212). This can lead them to view trans people as “perpetually transitioning” -- e.g., they may see “woman,” as a goal that I am always working hard to approach, but never fully achieve (e.g., seeExcluded, pp. 102-103). Transmedicalist: a trans person who insists that they have a bona fide medical condition (read: they are a “true” transsexual or transgender person) and thus are entitled to exclusive access to gender-affirming care, whereas other trans people (especially those who are nonbinary, non-heterosexual, not “passable” and/or who choose not to “fully” transition) are mere pretenders or something else entirely. Transmedicalists tend to cite outdatedgatekeeper research and theories (such asautogynephilia) to justify their beliefs (hence the “medicalism”). There have been many iterations of transmedicalism over the years, from the “HBSers” (“Harry Benjamin Syndrome”) of the 2000s, to the “truscum” of the 2010s; contemporary transmedicalists seem to emphasize the experience ofgender dysphoria. I discuss many of the problems with this form of respectability politics inOutspoken (pp. 179-188; see alsohere). Transphobia: often literally read as a “fear of” or “aversion to” people who aretransgender orgender non-conforming. I typically use the term in a broader manner to describe the belief or assumption thatcis people’s genderidentities,expressions,experiences, andembodiments are more natural and legitimate than those of trans people. While “transphobia” is a useful catch-all category, I have argued that it is sometimes useful to make a distinction between attitudes and positions that aretrans-antagonistic, trans-suspicious, or trans-unaware. See alsocissexism. Transsexual: a person who identifies and/or lives as a member of the sex other than the one they wereassigned at birth. Some people (especially in the psychological/sexological literature) define “transsexual” based on the medical procedures one undergoes (e.g., seeking outsex reassignment surgery), but many trans people find such definitions to be objectifying (as they place undo focus on body parts rather than the person as a whole) and classist (as not all trans people can afford the means to physicallytransition). For these reasons, I favor definitions based onself-identity (i.e., whether one identifies as female or male) and/orlived sex (i.e., whether one currently navigates their way through the world as a woman or man) -- this conceptualization would be inclusive of pre-transition transsexuals (who are not yet living as a member of the gender they identify as), as wellnon-binary transsexuals (who navigate their way through the world as members of the sex other than the one they are assigned a birth, even if they do not fully embrace the identity of “woman” or “man”). I have conjectured (based upon countless conversations with other transsexuals) that the decision to transition is sometimes driven primarily by gender affiliation or identity (i.e., understanding oneself socially as a woman or man, and wanting to be recognized as such), and other times more bysex embodiment (i.e., an understanding that our bodies should be physically female or male); of course, many people experience both of these aspects. While I proudly call myself transsexual (and probably will until the day I die), other trans people take issue with the label, either because it originated in medical/psychiatric discourses, or because it has the pesky syllable “sex” in it (even though “sex” in this case clearly refers tophysical sex rather than copulation). During the 1990s, the activist group Transexual Menace forwarded the alternative spelling “transexual” (with one S rather than two) as areclaimed variant of the word. Transsexuality, Transsexualism: refers to the phenomenon of transsexual people (i.e., our existence and our experiences), or the state of being transsexual (e.g., I might talk about my own transsexuality; seetransness). While quite common in the past, these terms are used less frequently today, in part, because of controversies concerning the wordstranssexual andtransgenderism (see those entries for further details). Transvestic Disorder: a psychiatric diagnosis that appears in the currentDSM-5, and which was recently expanded to potentially cover transgender people of all orientations and trajectories (as I explainOutspoken, pp. 156-161). For more on this diagnosis’s predecessorTransvestic Fetishism, seeWhipping Girl (pp. 126-139, 262-271) andOutspoken (pp. 126-144, 145-147). Transvestic Fetishism: a psychiatric diagnosis from the previousDSM (DSM-IV-TR) that targetedmale crossdressers and potentially others on thetrans female/feminine spectrum. It has since been greatly expanded and renamedTransvestic Disorder in the currentDSM. I critique the psychiatricpathologization of crossdressers (via theDSM diagnosesTransvestic Fetishism andTransvestic Disorder) inWhipping Girl (pp. 126-139, 262-271) andOutspoken (pp. 126-144, 145-147, 156-161). Transvestite: a term that has historically been used in a manner similar to howcrossdresser is used today. While some people continue to use the term as a self-identity label (especially in the U.K.), it has fallen out of favor in the U.S., most likely due to its association with thesexualizing andpathologizingDSM diagnosesTransvestic Fetishism andTransvestic Disorder. Two-Spirit: a contemporaryumbrella term for Native American/First Nation gender roles that fall outside of (or are seen as some combination of) woman and man. Seethird gender. Umbrella Term: in activism, refers to a label that is meant to encompass a diverse population of people who may differ in theiridentities or specific circumstances, but who are viewed and treated by society in similar ways, and thus have shared concerns and issues that they may organize around. For instance, while varioustransgender subgroups may have different understandings of their gender and face somewhat different obstacles, we are all punished by society for our failure to conform tobinary gender norms. While umbrella terms are advantageous in building larger coalitions, they are not without drawbacks. For instance, often times the larger or more established subgroups within the umbrella may dominate or erase the views of other constituents (e.g., the way thatgay-specific interests tend to dominate inLGBTQ+ organizations). In addition, many umbrella terms (e.g., transgender,queer) are also used by some asidentity labels, and thus the initial goal of creating a broad coalition may be undermined by theidentity-politics tendency toward infighting over who counts as a legitimate member of the group. I discuss this difference between identity and umbrella labels inExcluded (pp. 11-14), and discuss the usefulness of umbrella-based activism inOutspoken, pp. 179-188 (see alsohere) and pp. 257-268 (see alsohere). Ungendering: a term I introduced inWhipping Girl (pp., 170-172, 195-212) to describe purposeful attempts (by artists, academics, or laypeople) to dwell on any incongruities and discrepancies in a person’s gender identity, appearance, or behaviors. While any person can be subjected to ungendering, in practice such attempts typically targetgender-variant people, primarily because our genders are already deemed questionable or illegitimate by society. See alsotrans-facsimilation. Unilateral: a term I use to refer to activist strategies that focus solely on one particular population or form ofmarginalization. Unilateral activism (or what some might call “single-issue activism”) ignoresintersectionality and, as a result, can lead to rather warped views of the world. For instance, unilateralfeminists will often presume that a poor man of color, or a disabled trans woman, is inherently moreprivileged and than they are. I discuss the myriad problems inherent in unilateral activism (under the monikers “reverse discourses” and “fixed perspectives,” respectively) inOutspoken (pp. 269-282; see alsohere) andExcluded (pp. 216-228). Universalist: in activism, refers to the presumption that all members of a particular group (usually a marginalized one) are similarly situated, or share all the same experiences and obstacles. Therefore, from a universalist perspective, the same activist strategy or approach should benefit all members of the group equally (although in reality, this is never the case; seeintersectionality). InExcluded (see pp. 216-228), I refer to such universalist beliefs asfixed perspectives, and detail why (and how) they are inherently exclusionary. Unmarked Assumption: a term I forwarded inExcluded (pp. 181-182) to refer to the tendency for people to presume that every person they encounter is (or should be) a member of the dominant/majority (unless they are presented with evidence to the contrary). This assumption stems from the fact that dominant/majority groups tend to become theunmarked taken-for-granted norm. Unmarked assumption tends to become even more pervasive and pertinent as the marginalized/minority group gets smaller in numbers and/or when their “marked” status isnot readily visible (as is the case with manygender and sexual minorities; see e.g.,cis assumption). Concepts such as being “closeted,” “coming out,” “passing,” or being “read” would not exist if it were not for unmarked assumption. Unmarked vs. Marked: a concept that originated in the fields of linguistics and semiotics, and which (as I argue inExcluded, pp. 169-199) is central to understanding howmarginalization anddouble standards work. To briefly summarize: In our culture, groups who are dominant or the majority are typically viewed as “unmarked” -- i.e., their existence and perspectives are taken for granted, and deemed unquestionable norm. As a result of this, minority and marginalized groups become “marked” in comparison -- they seem remarkable and tend to stand out, garnering undue attention and scrutiny; they are also likely to be viewed as inherently questionable, suspicious, alien, exotic, abnormal, artificial, or deceptive. In other words, it is as if people who are marked are generally viewed as having*something* that unmarked people do not have, and this*something* is subsequently subjected to all sorts of comments, questions, critique, debate, and double-binds that the unmarked person escapes. In the aforementionedExcluded citation (see alsohere), I discuss how this unmarked/marked distinction plays a role in all-isms, where it provides the unmarked group with countlessprivileges that they are typically unaware of (due to their unmarked, and therefore seemingly invisible, nature). Vanilla: slang term for conventional sex, or sexualities that are notkinky. Womyn: an alternative spelling of “women” preferred by some feminists (because it eliminates the word “men”) -- see e.g.,Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival. Word-Elimination: a term that I use to describe direct attempts by activists to convince others to stop using a particular word or phrase, under the premise that those terms are denigrating to, and/or contribute to the oppression of, some minority/marginalized group. While word-elimination strategies are embarked upon with the best of intentions, they can have unforeseen negative consequences for the minority/marginalized group related to theActivist Language Merry-Go-Round; I discuss such problems in more depth inOutspoken (pp. 244-251; seehere). See alsoword-sabotage. Word-Sabotage: another manifestation of theActivist Language Merry-Go-Round. I first used the phrasehere to describe situations where activists tout a new term as being more righteous/empowering/inclusive than some previously existing synonymous term, thus indirectly implying that the previous term denigrates and/or contributes to the oppression of the minority/marginalized group in question. While such strategies are often embarked upon with the best of intentions, they can have unforeseen negative consequences for the minority/marginalized group, as I discuss in great length inOutspoken, pp. 244-251; seehere). WPATH: an acronym for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. It was formerly known as the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA). This association is responsible for publishing theStandards of Care, which establishes guidelines for the treatment oftransgender people. Ze: agender-neutral pronoun for third person singular subjects (i.e., analogous to “he” or “she”). Alternate variants include “zie,” “sie,” and “xe.” It is most commonly paired with the third person singular object pronounhir. |