definitions

[kriona.livejournal.com]

I have noticed a lot of disagreement in this community as of late about the terms we use. I'm in an LGBT class and our professor talked about the problems caused by not having concretely defined terms and I see these problems mirrored in this community.

One of our assigned readings is Susan Bunting's Glossary of Human Sexuality. I thought you people would be interested in hearing how she defines certain terms and how some people dictionaries do (yes, I'm lame and mostly used dictionary.com!)



<td valign="top">people who feel as though they should have the body of the opposite sex</td> <td valign="top">

1. A person with the external genitalia and secondary sexual characteristics of one sex, but whose personal identification and psychosocial configuration is that of the opposite sex.
2. A person who has undergone a sex change.

</td>

Transsexual
Susan	The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary

They seem to agree on these definitions.



<td valign="top">people who live in the clothing and roles considered appropriate for the opposite sex for sustained periods of time</td> <td valign="top">Appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex.</td>

Transgenderist (noun)	Transgender (adj)
Susan	The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Had to bend here and use a noun and an adjective, but they're generally the same... but wait a second, what's going on here? One involves clothing? One involves surgery? One involves living in the gender for "sustained periods of time"? How long is sustained? Several months? Several years?

I thought "transgender" was an umbrella term for anybody who didn't fit normal gender definitions. In my opinion, gays and lesbians aren't considered transgender because their sexuality (sexual preference) is in question, not their gender identity. But if you look at these two definitions, aren't they the same as transsexual? What? Do transsexuals only desire to be the opposite gender, and transgenderists actively go about changing their sex? I'm confused.



<td valign="top">an individual who dresses in clothing and adopts mannerisms considered appropriate for the opposite sex</td> <td valign="top">A person who dresses and acts in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex</td> <td valign="top">a person and especially a male who adopts the dress and often the behavior typical of the opposite sex especially for purposes of emotional or sexual gratification</td>

Transvestite
Susan	The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition	Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

So, according to the first two definitions, aren't all transsexuals also transvestites? Wait, but transsexuals aren't specifically doing anything about their desires, right? So all transgendered people are transvestites because they dress in clothing of the opposite sex?

I just read the third definition. Now I'm even more confused. Transvestites do it for sexual pleasure? So transsexuals I mean transgenderists aren't necessarily transvestites?

Hang on, what is "emotional gratification"? Does that mean people feel more comfortable in these clothes? Don't transgenderists crossdress because of "emotional gratification": feeling more appropriate in clothing of the opposite gender?



Anyway, I think you get my point. It seems to me we have people with no particular connection to the LGBT community writing definitions for who we are. There are even variations on definitons between members in our own community - I, for example, don't agree with all the definitions listed here. This whole post was basically a rant brewing in my head during class today, and I thought you guys would be an appropriate audience to listen. Hope you guys find the topic interesting and add your own 2 cents!