Labeling

[ReallyRobyn]

I’m not hung up on labels, but when in Rome… So, we have Cross Dresser, Transvestite, Transgender, Male Lesbian, TGirl, Gurl, Sissy, etc.

I’ve done my research, but I’m finding that these titles also vary from location to location as well as hold slightly different meanings within specific social circles. As an example, the heterosexual elders I’ve spoken with in my area strictly refer to themselves as transvestites, but the younger heterosexual CD seems to avoid that term. I've also been told that tgirls are primarily bi, but I've never been to a tgirl party so I certainly can't verify that, it's just what I was told by one other person who frequents those events.

This forum is worldwide so I’m hoping to have a bit of input from others.

[Adriana Moretti]

I like labels like Gucci, Prada,Fendi, Guess, ....... I sometimes label my record collection by artist too ....the rest I could do without........everything varies by location......in the south they put mustard on a hamburger......in the north ketchup.......i thought that was weird at first........but its pretty good !

[Genifer Teal]

LOL. You can call me a tranny (I really don't mind) but don't you dare call me a transvestite. Fly accross the pond and that may be appropriate. To mix things up even more, I would rather be female, but I know that is just a preference and not what I was intended to be. Doesn't matter to me. I'd give it all up by choice to be a woman. That would be my choice. We are all different. No matter how hard you try, you will still insult someone some where some how. Don't sweat it.

["Gabriela"]

I find the word "transvestite", and others like that one to be disrespectful... but most people don't even know the term "crossdresser"!

[DorothyElizabeth]

I like labels like Gucci, Prada,Fendi, Guess, ....... I sometimes label my record collection by artist too ....the rest I could do without........everything varies by location......in the south they put mustard on a hamburger......in the north ketchup.......i thought that was weird at first........but its pretty good !

I would add Ferragamo - both for my neckties, and for my over-the-calf women's riding boots. When in Philadelphia a few years ago, I discovered mayonnaise on hamburgers isn't bad, either, but mostly, even though I hail from Maryland, I'm a mustard person. :-)

When asked, I simply call myself a cross-dresser, and if pressed, admit to being bi-curious.

[VAWyman]

Heterosexual crossdresser. That about covers it all for me.

And just for the record, hamburger with BBQ sauce. I'm from Kansas City, after all!

[Barbara Maria]

I'm heterosexual and far from young,but I've always hated the word transvestite.Makes it sound like we're in a test tube or something.

[Jilmac]

I have labeled myself as bi gender because I can enjoy the best of both worlds

[Andy66]

Gender fluid sounds pretty good to me, but I dont get offended too easily.

Mustard, catsup and pickles.

[Adriana Moretti]

ok....so...this was JUST on tv........and it made me think of this post


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ns9djGa-7I

I'm addicted to Adult Swim

[Eryn]

"Transvestite" seems a bit old. "crossdresser" doesn't seem to cover the extent of my interest. I tend to use "transgender" to describe myself as it is vague enough to cover my uncertainty. It's also the term in popular, positive usage.

For hamburgers, chili and a slab of tomato is the proper topping: http://www.originaltommys.com/menu/

[ReallyRobyn]

HOMONYM... Seriously ROFL... that was perfect :D

[Kate Simmons]

Most of my life I was a TV. The last 15 or so years, I've been a CD. Keeping up with technology I guess. :heehee:Seriously, unless someone signs my pay check, I don't care what they call me.:)

[Linda E. Woodworth]

I use what ever the mood strikes me.

A bar in the State Capital used to have "Tranny Thirsty Thursday" for happy hour. I Loved the name but nobody else did and they had to stop.
(I didn't find out about the place until after they stopped)

I think people are taking this name/title thing way too seriously.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Robyn I'm just a 72yr. old Crossdresser and for the last 68yrs. has been one.:daydreaming:

[Ressie]

It seems that a Tgirl is one that has had a boob job and probably other body modifications, but still has a penis. Maybe I've been to too many porn sites ;) Tranny also has a porn aura about it along with s*emale. I think I'll watch a little TV now or listen to some CDs!

[Dorit]

In northwestern Ontario Province of Canada they pour gravy over a hamburger! :)

[jessica33]

Most of my life I was a TV. The last 15 or so years, I've been a CD. Keeping up with technology I guess. :heehee:Seriously, unless someone signs my pay check, I don't care what they call me.:)

Kate , you got the right attitude . :thumbup: Indeed , why so hung up on the label .

[Lori Kurtz]

I don't care what you call me. I am what I am. Crossdresser is fine. As for transvestite, that works too--I don't have the negative response to that term that some of the younger girls do--although it does kinda sound like I'm a citizen of the land of Transvest.

[Isabella Ross]

Transvestite, tranny, transgendered, crossdresser, tgirl, TG, even drag queen...call me anything you want.

[Lorileah]

Is it January already? This comes up every two months it seems and degenerates to a spitting match. Check the search option and this question has been answered over and over:doh:

[Lily Catherine]

I'm on the fence with 'tranny', but I really don't take kindly to 'trap'. Closest thing I can think of describing myself would be a Chinese term translating to 'false maiden', referring to heterosexual men who wear women's clothing

[lynda]

hi girls, since my wife passed and now i retired , im living full time as, a women i just dont use any labels to discribe myself. when i meet people now i just introduce myself as lynda. am in the proces of havin my name legely changed and move on from there. hugs love lynda

[Teresa]

Lorileah,
The old record is still on my player but I'm not going to strike it up again !!
I'm beginning to give on labels just happy to be called Teresa ! That covers my dressing to me !

[lynda]

we dont need no stinking labels, we are all free sperets, just call us by our names. long live the sisterhood lol hugs lynda

[lynda]

teresa is right lets drop all labels and just call ourselfs by our names. love hugs lynda

[MarinaSweden]

If i am to tell someone "i am a crossdresser" or "i am a transvestite" i very much prefer Cd. Transvestite sounds like an illness. But in my language, there is no such word similar to crossdresser. Only transvestite :( i am sad to say.

[Marcelle]

I don't know call me crazy but I like "person" or "Isha".

Hugs

Isha

[lynda]

hey isha thats what ive been saying all along just call us by our name , by the way love hat . hugs lynda

[Claire Cook]

I like labels like Gucci, Prada,Fendi, Guess, ....... !

These work for me! Just call me Claire....

[Nikkilovesdresses]

I object to the term hamburger. They're beef, duh...

But squirt anything on it you like.

[ReallyRobyn]

Well, from all the responses there’s no surprises here. I must say that I love the fact that so many of you have a playful attitude.

So when in Rome (which is means on this forum at the moment) I think I like CD. I’m a software developer so acronyms are commonplace in my world. However, when I’m referred to as hon, dear, sweetie, etc. that always makes me smile. :-)

Tonight is my first night out, and I’ll be with a group of mature lifelong heterosexual transvestites and their spouses. They’ve been using that term before it had any undesirable connotations and apply its literal meaning. (But I agree it sounds a little clinical.)

“from German Transvestit, from trans- + Latin vestītus clothed, from vestīre to clothe”

[flatlander_48]

Descriptive terms are a part of language. If you don't have them, you don't have language.

While I view myself as transgender, I would not normally say that unless I was going to invest in explaining the full meaning of the term. I would describe myself as a Bisexual Crossdresser. Both terms are pretty straightforward and self-explanatory. If I describe myself, I am in control of the definitions. This also relates to a quote that I have often recounted here from Rachel Maddow here:

“The single best thing about coming out of the closet is that nobody can insult you by telling you what you've just told them.”

In terms of definitions and descriptions, I use what is set out in the World Professional Association for Transgender Heath - Standards of Care document. Over the years, alot of people have put a lot of effort into defining terms and making them reasonable. I see no purpose in my attempting to re-invent the wheel.

Recently I had the opportunity to put a question to Dr. Jamison Green, who has put a lot of effort into the transgender movement for many years, about what he tought of the definitions and descriptions. This isn't a quote as I'm going from memory, but what he said it that it isn't perfect, but it does represent the current best thinking of many people who have been involved in the transgender health care field. The definitions and descriptions have evolved over an extended period of time, so it wasn't a situation where people went to a conference, had a couple of sessions and the work was complete. It was difficult work.

Anyway, that's my reasoning.

[Teresa]

Robyn,
Sorry it's all from the Latin, trans= to cross, vestite= clothes or garb ! My Latin teacher teacher thought I was a lost cause , but I got that one right only because I started dressing before I learned Latin or attempted it !!
Also in the literal translation no mention of any sexual connection !

[ReallyRobyn]

Ah-ha, thanks Teresa :) And I love your response too flatlander_48 (sorry, I don't know your name). Very well said.

[flatlander_48]

DeeAnn...

I have to chuckle a bit when folks say they don't like labels. The question then becomes how do we consider you or what do we think of you? If I say my name here is DeeAnn and Don in the rest of the world, what does that say? Very Little. It's a matter of claiming identities, actually all of them, that makes us whole.

I identify as, and in no particular order:



Bisexual
Crossdresser
Black
Midwestern US'er
Mechanical Engineer
LGBT affinity group member
Father
Grandfather
Brother
Son
Husband
Divorcee
Elder
Traveler
Former expatriate
Motorsports fan and car guy
Cycling fan
Computer enthusiast


According to the language, each of those is a label and there may be a few that I have forgotten. The point is that ALL of those apply to me and anything less would seem to be dysfunctional and incomplete.

[Tina B.]

At around 6 years old, I discovered I was a Freak, after all I thought I was the only boy in the world that wanted to wear their sisters clothes. As a young teen, I learned about Christen Jorgensen, but then I didn't want to be a girl all the time, so that was different.
As a young man I learned I was a Transvestite, many years latter, I thought I was a crossdresser, I got that idea on line. Now I've grown old, wear women's wear as often as I can, and have taken up the term Transgendered, it seems to fit better and so much easier to say than Heterosexual cross dresser, and as far as sexual preferences, I don't even consider that to be in the same conversation. After all, one really has nothing to do with the other.
Funny, thought, I've been thought all of those names, but internally I don't feel any different no matter which tittle I use.

[CarlaWestin]

Male, gender fluid, crossdresser. And sometimes Sissy.

Waygu beef burger with smoked short rib meat, bacon, fried egg, avocado and chipotle aioli. On a toasted, buttered, rosemary-olive oil infused focaccia.

Hand cut fries with ranch dressing and an ice cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Key Lime Pie

Nap time.

[CoraDee]

If were in a position where i was comfortable telling people, i would probably just call myself a cross dresser. I used to think transvestite was better, but I just hate the term "tranny" and that's what it would be shortened to eventually. I like the term cross dresser because it isn't offensive to me and describes what I do without sounding like a clinical term, like others here have pointed out. So really I would just like to be considered a cross dresser. My "don't call me that" list definitely includes drag queen and tranny, though!

[Ozark]

I use the term 'present as a woman'..... I like that. My wife awhile back asked me if I had ever heard the term "Male Lesbian".... I was familiar with the website men who look like lesbians but never the term.


http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/polepino/Chapter05/Malelesbian.html

[Stephanie47]

That's a tough one to figure out. I think you have to ask the general public what they think each term conjures up in the minds. I'm a child of the 1950's and 1960's: mid sixties. There was absolutely zero tolerance for men who wore women's clothing. The only term I ever heard back then was "transvestite" which was always associated with homosexuality. That's what really confused me. Me, a young red blooded American male totally interested in good looking girls and movie starlets. So, I really do not find "transvestite" offensive now because, well, I've been called worse during my life. Those terms have nothing to do with wearing women's clothing.

I shy away from the term "transgender" because everyone I know associates that term with having surgery to lop it off and become a female. That's their perception. If one was to ask me, I'd say I'm most comfortable saying I'm a cross dresser: a man who enjoys wearing women attire on occasion. Of course, the only time any of this has ever come up is during "that talk" it seems all of us have had with their wives.

[StarrOfDelite]

I'm already on record in this forum a couple of dozen times as fan of "transgender," so 'nuff said on that.

However, I cannot pass on this thread without commenting about the disgusting things some of you put on hamburgers.

Everyone knows that the only way to garnish a burger is with a thick slice of either Cheddar or American cheese, a thick slice of white onion, a couple of whole leaves of iceberg lettuce, and mustard AND ketchup.

Furthermore, no respectable mother in northeast Ohio or western Pennsylvania would neglect the growth of a future footballer by omitting the side of french fries with ketchup liberally drizzled on top, and the chocolate milkshake. You don't think those 325 pound linemen with legs like tree trunks got that way from lifting weights, do you?

Go Bucks!

[ophelia]

Heterosexual crossdresser. That about covers it all for me.

And just for the record, hamburger with BBQ sauce. I'm from Kansas City, after all!

Heterocrossdresser...that works

[DorothyElizabeth]

I had a GG friend who used to refer to herself as "ambisexual". Maybe we could call ourselves "ambigendered". :)