There has been a lot of confusion the past, oh..... 20 years... especially the past 10... in regards to the gender spectrum. There are a lot of labels for those who fall into it, and not all are accepting (even within the same community!).
This is an attempt to clarify some things.
First, the internet is abound with falsities. I see many "armchair generals" out there who say "this is what that means" and yet the next say "no, this is what that means".
Okay. Clarification here folks. From someone who has been around BEFORE the internet explosion. Someone who knows a bit. Not from what she has learned via the net, because even Wikipedia is full of falsities, lies and inaccuracies on many things.
So. First. Definitions. Yes, some may scream and shout at me for some, fine. Go for it. But remember, I've been there done that, ok?
Transsexual: Someone who was born into one sex but knows they are the other. Generally seeks genital reassignment surgery, but sometimes prefers not to. Lives full time in the sex they know they are.
Crossdresser/Transvestite: both are the SAME. Crossdresser was derived by taking the translation from latin of transvestite. A person who dresses as the opposite sex on a "part time" basis. May be for sexual reasons, often not for it. Trans = cross, vestite/vestis = clothing/dress. Transvestite = crossdresser. PC term crossdresser.
Gender Queer: someone who desires to present as someone neither male nor female specifically. Perhaps a "cross" between the two. They may feel as both "intermingled".
Gender Fluid: someone who needs to be both male and female, and will present as either as they need. They generally do not need SRS, They need to be fluid, go from one to the next as their need dictates.
Transgender: Adopted as an umbrella term for all above etc. Originally coined by a CD/TV as an insult to transsexuals, thus why many TS's do not want to be associated with that term (myself included). Mistakenly used as a seperate gender identity.
Just because someone is non-operative by need, does not make them any less "trans" than you. It is their NEED. Not yours. Your need is yours, theirs is theirs.
No one label is any better than the other. (ie a TS is no better than a "part timer CD". We're all in the spectrum)
Yes, GQ and GF deserve to be there. Think how you felt when excluded. Especially even today by much of the GLB community!!!!!
