ext_177032 ([identity profile] lightningxsnow.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] trans2009-03-25 04:23 pm

Attraction to trans people? (Controversial-ish?)

I'm bisexual, and I'm kind of genderqueer, but mostly female, and, as I was assigned female at birth, I live a mostly cisgendered life. So, I'm cis, for most intents and purposes.

Lately, something I'm struggling with is that I seem to be attracted to trans people fairly often. I live in a big city with a strong queer community, so I'm exposed to queer/trans people a lot, so it might just be a probability thing. I'm not attracted to every trans person I meet, obviously, and not everyone I'm attracted to is trans.

However, I hear, and totally understand, trans people's complaints about cis folks sexualizing or exoticizing them. This is what I worry I'm doing - although the trans people I'm attracted to, I'm not attracted to them because they're trans. I find myself attracted to these people because, like anyone else I'm attracted to, they're beautiful and charming and interesting and intelligent.

Still, I worry that I may be unconsciously fetishizing or something. Is this possible? I mean, I see how some people in the lesbian community talk about trans men ("OMG, trans guys are so hot!"), and quite frankly, it annoys me a lot. But I worry that I may be doing the same thing. Am I just overthinking this?

What are your perspectives on cis folks who are attracted to trans folks fairly often?