Wow! I avoided saying this in my first response, but I will go ahead and say it now. Let me first say that I am not fine with the umbrella term. Why? Let me quote something from my blog...

[SIZE="3"]Full Female Experience[/SIZE]

Someone made the comment the other day, that a transsexual female could never completely comprehend the full female experience, that having had the male privilege and power in the past, discredits the transexual female from having to endure a position of always being viewed as less than equal.

Really?

As I sit here this very moment sending out resumes for employment knowing full well that my gender identity is on trial every step of the way, how can I not feel as less than equal? It also mistakes that at no point in my life have I felt the "male privilege." As a matter of fact, if comparing to a cis-gender female, she can never fully comprehend the feeling of being less than equal, than I feel at this very moment.

Enough said?
The point being that it is situations like this that confuse people when you consider the "Umbrella." In this case, I am positive she was lumping everything all up in one, and never taking into the consideration that a person that is specifically transsexual or intersexed most likely has never experienced anything other than discrimination based on gender. I'm sorry but Julia was right when she said that if you are transgender, but not transsexual or intersexed and you want your rights back put your other gender back on and enjoy them. The challenge regarding the umbrella term is when it comes to spending time on serious legislation and social awareness programs to improve the lives of those who wish to live in the gender they see themselves as whether that be pre-op, post-op, whatever! Is an openly identified Male that enjoys wearing clothes for whatever reason obligated to the same protections as someone with a medical condition that is trying to live their life comfortably in an opposite gender role. If the answer is yes, where do we draw the line? See now why the umbrella term only serves to confuse things?

In an earlier thread this week in the CDers forum, someone was discussing having to defend themselves at work for being outed for wearing a bra under shirt and tie and being threatened with his job for doing so. Everyone was screaming LAWSUIT!!! I dont think so. I think this is on a totally different playing field when compared to someone trying to transition at work or seek new work to start there transition. Or even being outed and loosing your job years after your SRS. This is just a small example of the huge differences.

I am not anti CDers, or fetishests, or whatever. I have some CD friends and love them to death. Its simple though, some of our challenges are similar, but most of our challenges are totally different.

So back to the original theme of this thread. Im sure you can see there are some pretty big differences based on what you have read in all the posts so far. I only have one thing to ask of CDers. Be mindful of the actions you take when you are in public. Because most of the public doesn't know the difference, they associate you and me together as one. What you do at home, work and play as a CDer does have an effect on me, because it effect how others view the (and i will use the umbrella term here) "Transgender" population. If you let us do our work the result will be a better world for you too!

xoxo
Sandra