“Transsexual” is an antiquated term that’s considered exclusionary by some and thus bigoted in a sense, as it implies that one must experience body dysphoria and seek medical treatment to change their body’s sex traits in order to feel more comfortable with them.
“Transgender” simply refers to someone who identifies as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth.
“Non-binary” people identify as something other than the two “genders” that are typically assigned at birth, so technically they fall under that same umbrella of transgender.
But also… we consider sex and gender to be different technically speaking. Sex is considered to be a biological thing, and gender is more of a social/cultural thing typically based on sex.
… Which would mean doctors don’t really identify (or “assign”) genders at birth, they assign sex, which kind of contradicts the notion of transgender people, aka someone who identifies as a different gender than their “assignment” at birth.
I personally think transgender is too broad a term and causes a lot of confusion, and that we’d be better served by once again referring to people as either transsexuals, or gender queer/non-binary.
It’s complicated. Some non-binary people do have body dysphoria and do seek medical care to change their body’s sex traits, while not identifying as either a man or a woman.
Unfortunately in LGBT+ spaces, it’s often seen as social suicide to make these distinctions, as when you make distinctions you necessarily make divisions and thus exclusions, which feels bad if you or someone you love is the one being excluded.
Other trans people would probably call me “Tru-scum” for thinking this, because in their minds what I’m saying is equivalent to saying “there’s transsexuals, and there’s people who play with make-up and clothes and expect other people to refer to them differently”…
Except I’m not saying that, and I don’t think gender queer or non-binary people are “playing”, or are less valid in any way.
I just see the ways that people are similar, and different, and I refuse to blind myself or bite my tongue about it.
I hate the use of the word assign, but it doesn’t fit with what doctors are doing. Sex is a biological rather than social construct. They’re looking at how you are, and trying to identify what your reproductive organs are. It’s like saying a doctor assigns you a medical condition rather than diagnosing a condition that is already present.
I guess there is some contextual utility since parents do “assign” gender roles to their children based on their sex, but the doctor has nothing to do with that, so I agree.
No, sex is still a social construct in that it’s a label made up in order to explain certain biological traits. It is also not a binary, but a bimodal distribution which is how most scientists treat it nowadays.
Psythik@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Is non-binary not a form of transgenderism? I honestly do not know.
Snowies@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
That depends who you ask.
“Transsexual” is an antiquated term that’s considered exclusionary by some and thus bigoted in a sense, as it implies that one must experience body dysphoria and seek medical treatment to change their body’s sex traits in order to feel more comfortable with them.
“Transgender” simply refers to someone who identifies as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth.
“Non-binary” people identify as something other than the two “genders” that are typically assigned at birth, so technically they fall under that same umbrella of transgender.
But also… we consider sex and gender to be different technically speaking. Sex is considered to be a biological thing, and gender is more of a social/cultural thing typically based on sex.
… Which would mean doctors don’t really identify (or “assign”) genders at birth, they assign sex, which kind of contradicts the notion of transgender people, aka someone who identifies as a different gender than their “assignment” at birth.
I personally think transgender is too broad a term and causes a lot of confusion, and that we’d be better served by once again referring to people as either transsexuals, or gender queer/non-binary.
It’s complicated. Some non-binary people do have body dysphoria and do seek medical care to change their body’s sex traits, while not identifying as either a man or a woman.
Unfortunately in LGBT+ spaces, it’s often seen as social suicide to make these distinctions, as when you make distinctions you necessarily make divisions and thus exclusions, which feels bad if you or someone you love is the one being excluded.
Other trans people would probably call me “Tru-scum” for thinking this, because in their minds what I’m saying is equivalent to saying “there’s transsexuals, and there’s people who play with make-up and clothes and expect other people to refer to them differently”…
Except I’m not saying that, and I don’t think gender queer or non-binary people are “playing”, or are less valid in any way.
I just see the ways that people are similar, and different, and I refuse to blind myself or bite my tongue about it.
Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org 2 months ago
I hate the use of the word assign, but it doesn’t fit with what doctors are doing. Sex is a biological rather than social construct. They’re looking at how you are, and trying to identify what your reproductive organs are. It’s like saying a doctor assigns you a medical condition rather than diagnosing a condition that is already present.
Snowies@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
I agree.
I guess there is some contextual utility since parents do “assign” gender roles to their children based on their sex, but the doctor has nothing to do with that, so I agree.
oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
No, sex is still a social construct in that it’s a label made up in order to explain certain biological traits. It is also not a binary, but a bimodal distribution which is how most scientists treat it nowadays.
Valmond@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I’d like to play dress up and be called my non assigned gender.
Just to see.
IDK.
You seems to be very reasonable and logic, thank you for expliciting it all very well 👍.
psud@aussie.zone 2 months ago
I think you’re description will be fine with our diverse friends, it’s pretty correct and non judgmental
fossilesque@mander.xyz 2 months ago
I thought it was where you don’t identify as any gender, rather than transitioning genders. I am not positive either. 😅
oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
Nonbinary is an umbrella term for somebody who doesn’t fit the gender binary completely or in part.
Somebody who has no gender is called agender, but that is not a gender in and of itself, merely a lack of any gender.
fossilesque@mander.xyz 2 months ago
Thanks for this!!! I realised I never really thought about it.