Michelle789
06-30-2014, 11:40 PM
A common belief is that transgender men have it easier than transgender women. It is believed that since transgender men generally pass better than transgender women, and that TG men are gaining male privilege, while TG women are losing male privilege, that it is easier to be a TG man than to be a TG woman. Well, let's look at this more critically, and see whether or not this idea is really true.
1. Passing privilege: Because testosterone is a more powerful hormone than estrogen, and because our social programming defaults is to gender people as men over women - in other words we gender you as male by default, and gender you as female if you meet enough subconscious gender cues - TG men generally pass better than TG women. A 5 foot 2 man is more believably male than is a 6 foot 2 woman believable as a woman. Transmen on testosterone for 1 or more years are generally pass well and can go stealth, while TG women on estrogen for even 5 or more years may still not pass. FFS doesn't guarantee passability, and many transwomen simply can't afford to pay for FFS. Transmen do have one Achilles heel: breasts, although a binder can help with this. Advantage: Men
2. Non-passing privilege: A transman who doesn't pass, typically someone who either hasn't started testosterone or has been on T for less than a year, might still not pass, typically gets read as a butch woman. A transwoman who doesn't pass gets read as transgender, a crossdresser, or as a dude in a dress. A butch woman is, on average, more acceptable to society than a crossdresser or a dude in a dress. Advantage: Men
3. Physical effects of hormones: Testosterone is much more powerful and masculinizes the body much easier and much faster than estrogen. Testosterone, like estrogen, does not affect our height. Sorry, we aren't growing or shrinking as a result of hormones. I separate this from passing, because it's not only our goal to pass, but to look at ourselves in the mirror and see that man or woman in the mirror that we believe ourselves to be. Advantage: Men
4. Hormone delivery methods: Testosterone can be taken only by injection. Transwomen have many possible methods to take estrogen: pill, patch, cream, injectable. If you are a transman, you have no choice but to overcome your fear of needles. Transwomen can still afford to fear needles and pills, and have patch or cream possibilities. Advantage: Women
5. Genital surgery: MTF SRS, while expensive, is less expensive than FTM SRS. MTF SRS is generally considered to be more effective, and more research has been done on MTF SRS than on FTM SRS. Advantage: Women
6. Availability of information: Most information available on transgender people is about transwomen. Most articles, most studies, and even people who publicly come out on the news, are transwomen. Most co-ed transgender support groups have 2 to 4 transwomen for every transman. Advantage: Women
7. Restroom privilege: In some states, as well as in the old days in all states, it was illegal for anyone to use the restroom of the gender opposite of the one assigned from birth, so both MTF and FTM risk going to jail. In many states today, the law is to use the restroom of the gender you are presenting as, even if you don't pass. Transmen who don't pass and use the men's room risk getting beaten and raped, and this does happen in real life. Transwomen who don't pass and use the women's room fair a far smaller risk of getting beaten or raped while in the ladies room. Advantage: Women
8. Voice privilege: Testosterone will slowly masculinize the voice. 1-2 years on T will give you a solid male voice. Estrogen has no effect on the voice. Transwomen must retrain their voices to achieve a feminine voice. Advantage: Men
9. Gender privilege: Given that our society has a clear male privilege, it is very obvious who has the gender privilege. Advantage: Men
10. Trans housing privilege: After speaking with some transmen about relationships (and I don't necessarily mean romantic, but all possible interactions within the community) between transmen and transwomen, transmen generally are more likely to be treated poorly by transwomen than the other way around. In transgender housing programs they often pair transmen with transwomen as roommates, and if a transman hasn't started T or is only on T for a short time, they risk getting bullied, beaten, sexually assaulted, or even raped by other transwomen. Although I don't want to paint a picture of all transwomen being chauvinists, and I believe most aren't, some transwomen can treat transmen the way that cis men treat cis women. Advantage: Women
11. Overall cost of transition: This really warrants a separate thread, and really depends on what medical procedures and surgeries you need to complete your transition. If all factors are equal, and all transpeople get all surgeries to complete transition, than it is more expensive for transmen to transition than for transwomen. However, a transman may only elect to have testosterone and top surgery, while transwomen often need at least expensive hair removal if nothing else. So this one, I might have to call a tossup. Advantage: Tie
12. Same gender friendship privilege: Since there are 2 to 4 transwomen for every transman within the community, those looking to make same gender friends within the trans community will find that transwomen have more choices than transmen. However, having more people to choose from doesn't mean you have a better chance of actually making friends, or finding good friends. All you need to do is meet one person to make a good friend, and you may find your best friend is the opposite gender or is cis. Advantage: Tie
So, overall, I see that both transwomen and transmen have our share of advantages and disadvantages. I can't say it is really easier to be one or the other. I only looked at 12 areas, and my assessment is simply my opinion. Feel free to disagree, or find other areas of comparison. Even if in the end of the day it really is harder for transwomen, transmen do not exactly have a walk in the park either.
1. Passing privilege: Because testosterone is a more powerful hormone than estrogen, and because our social programming defaults is to gender people as men over women - in other words we gender you as male by default, and gender you as female if you meet enough subconscious gender cues - TG men generally pass better than TG women. A 5 foot 2 man is more believably male than is a 6 foot 2 woman believable as a woman. Transmen on testosterone for 1 or more years are generally pass well and can go stealth, while TG women on estrogen for even 5 or more years may still not pass. FFS doesn't guarantee passability, and many transwomen simply can't afford to pay for FFS. Transmen do have one Achilles heel: breasts, although a binder can help with this. Advantage: Men
2. Non-passing privilege: A transman who doesn't pass, typically someone who either hasn't started testosterone or has been on T for less than a year, might still not pass, typically gets read as a butch woman. A transwoman who doesn't pass gets read as transgender, a crossdresser, or as a dude in a dress. A butch woman is, on average, more acceptable to society than a crossdresser or a dude in a dress. Advantage: Men
3. Physical effects of hormones: Testosterone is much more powerful and masculinizes the body much easier and much faster than estrogen. Testosterone, like estrogen, does not affect our height. Sorry, we aren't growing or shrinking as a result of hormones. I separate this from passing, because it's not only our goal to pass, but to look at ourselves in the mirror and see that man or woman in the mirror that we believe ourselves to be. Advantage: Men
4. Hormone delivery methods: Testosterone can be taken only by injection. Transwomen have many possible methods to take estrogen: pill, patch, cream, injectable. If you are a transman, you have no choice but to overcome your fear of needles. Transwomen can still afford to fear needles and pills, and have patch or cream possibilities. Advantage: Women
5. Genital surgery: MTF SRS, while expensive, is less expensive than FTM SRS. MTF SRS is generally considered to be more effective, and more research has been done on MTF SRS than on FTM SRS. Advantage: Women
6. Availability of information: Most information available on transgender people is about transwomen. Most articles, most studies, and even people who publicly come out on the news, are transwomen. Most co-ed transgender support groups have 2 to 4 transwomen for every transman. Advantage: Women
7. Restroom privilege: In some states, as well as in the old days in all states, it was illegal for anyone to use the restroom of the gender opposite of the one assigned from birth, so both MTF and FTM risk going to jail. In many states today, the law is to use the restroom of the gender you are presenting as, even if you don't pass. Transmen who don't pass and use the men's room risk getting beaten and raped, and this does happen in real life. Transwomen who don't pass and use the women's room fair a far smaller risk of getting beaten or raped while in the ladies room. Advantage: Women
8. Voice privilege: Testosterone will slowly masculinize the voice. 1-2 years on T will give you a solid male voice. Estrogen has no effect on the voice. Transwomen must retrain their voices to achieve a feminine voice. Advantage: Men
9. Gender privilege: Given that our society has a clear male privilege, it is very obvious who has the gender privilege. Advantage: Men
10. Trans housing privilege: After speaking with some transmen about relationships (and I don't necessarily mean romantic, but all possible interactions within the community) between transmen and transwomen, transmen generally are more likely to be treated poorly by transwomen than the other way around. In transgender housing programs they often pair transmen with transwomen as roommates, and if a transman hasn't started T or is only on T for a short time, they risk getting bullied, beaten, sexually assaulted, or even raped by other transwomen. Although I don't want to paint a picture of all transwomen being chauvinists, and I believe most aren't, some transwomen can treat transmen the way that cis men treat cis women. Advantage: Women
11. Overall cost of transition: This really warrants a separate thread, and really depends on what medical procedures and surgeries you need to complete your transition. If all factors are equal, and all transpeople get all surgeries to complete transition, than it is more expensive for transmen to transition than for transwomen. However, a transman may only elect to have testosterone and top surgery, while transwomen often need at least expensive hair removal if nothing else. So this one, I might have to call a tossup. Advantage: Tie
12. Same gender friendship privilege: Since there are 2 to 4 transwomen for every transman within the community, those looking to make same gender friends within the trans community will find that transwomen have more choices than transmen. However, having more people to choose from doesn't mean you have a better chance of actually making friends, or finding good friends. All you need to do is meet one person to make a good friend, and you may find your best friend is the opposite gender or is cis. Advantage: Tie
So, overall, I see that both transwomen and transmen have our share of advantages and disadvantages. I can't say it is really easier to be one or the other. I only looked at 12 areas, and my assessment is simply my opinion. Feel free to disagree, or find other areas of comparison. Even if in the end of the day it really is harder for transwomen, transmen do not exactly have a walk in the park either.