FAQ - Dmoz/Society/Transgendered

Archive-name:dmoz.org/Society/Transgendered
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Last-modified:2001-12-22 05:38:33
URL:http://dmoz.org/Society/Transgendered/faq.html
Category:Society/Transgendered

Table of Contents

1  What is Cross living?
2  What is Gender dysphoria (dysphoric)?
3  What is Sexual Reassignment Surgery (Sex Change)?
4  What is Transgenderism?
5  What is a Transsexual?
6  Transvestites/Transsexuals ?
7  What is a person who is Intersexed ?
8  What is a Crossdresser ?
9  What is a Drag Queen / Drag King?
10  What are Female/Male Impersonators ?

1   Q: What is Cross living?
A: Living, working, playing full-time in the gender one feels oneself to be, in opposition to gender assigned at birth.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:13:01
2   Q: What is Gender dysphoria (dysphoric)?
A: Clinical literature on transsexualism once spoke of transsexuals having "gender confusion." The term now used is "gender dysphoria," a fancy way of saying "extreme discomfort". Transgendered people, once given an understanding and a vocabulary for who they are, are confused mostly by society's reluctance to give them validity. The best science we currently have indicates that biological gender dysphoria is caused by hormonal fluctuations at a crucial time in fetal development.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:18:11
3   Q: What is Sexual Reassignment Surgery (Sex Change)?
A: The term used for the set of surgeries to alter the gender of an individual. For male-to-female transsexuals, it usually involves amputation of testicles and most of the penis, inversion of the penis skin into a vagina, and optional breast implants, tracheal shaves, and labiaplasty. For female-to-male transsexuals, it involves mastectomy, hysterectomy, and optional attempts at creating a penis and scrotum. Preparatory and follow-up hormonal treatment is almost always given, and M to Fs often undergo long, expensive, painful electrolysis.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:17:54
4   Q: What is Transgenderism?
A: A much debated term. It can be an umbrella term to refer to all forms of thinking and behavior across gender lines. Transgendered is also a catch phrase for people who don't quite fall into transvestite or transsexual categories.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:19:43
5   Q: What is a Transsexual?
A: A person who wishes and seriously acts upon the sense of having the wrong gender body, often-- though not always--culminating in sexual reassignment surgery. Pre-operative transsexuals include those not yet undergoing surgery; post-operative transsexuals are those who have received surgery; non-operative transsexuals are those who, for whatever reason, cannot or choose not to have surgery. NOTE ON PRONOUNS: All transsexuals are referred to by the pronouns of the gender they see themselves as being, whether they are pre-operative, non-operative, or post-operative. If in doubt, ask the individual.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:20:48
6   Q: Transvestites/Transsexuals ?
A: Since our current society sees little or nothing wrong with women dressing as men and even insists on its fashionability at times, transvestism is generally not a issue for women in much of the world. Male transvestites differ from transsexuals in that they only desire to dress and occasionally act as women, but do not consider themselves women or even want to be. Most Transvestites never seek sexual reassignment surgery, and most are heterosexual, often married. Many societies, including our own, have ritualized transvestism in religious ceremonies or in secular party times, like Halloween or Mardi Gras.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:26:51
7   Q: What is a person who is Intersexed ?
A: A person born with both female and male characteristics; the more commonly used term in history is hermaphrodite. Children born with obvious intersexed characteristics are often operated on as an infant to remove whichever characteristics the family or surgeon decides should disappear. This may or may not coincide with which gender the child considers him/herself to be.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:28:54
8   Q: What is a Crossdresser ?
A: The preferred term for one who enjoys dressing as their opposite sex; a part-time activity which can involve a degree of exploration into gender identity.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:29:48
9   Q: What is a Drag Queen / Drag King?
A: A man or woman (often gay or lesbian) dressed as the opposite gender, often exaggerated, outrageous, extravegant.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:37:07
10   Q: What are Female/Male Impersonators ?
A: Persons who crossdress as a performing art and/or as stage personalities. They may also consider themselves "drag performers" and may or may not consider themselves to be transgender.
by robt at 2001-12-22 05:38:33

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