Is it okay for people to say "tranny"

You absolutely deserve to have a voice in this and anyone saying otherwise, well you put it best. That is bullshit.

That said though, just being constructive, I have had this convo with a lot of my bi friends as well and I'm echoing some of how they and I feel. LGBT isn't one letter long. It's not just "gay" history. It's all of us people that were born not fitting into the little gender and sex boxes. I like the word "queer" but I'm not going to tell you what to use. Heck, I could see some argument for just continuing to use "gay" if you really want to. 40 years ago it'd even be accurate. Trans history past a certain point is gay history.

But you know, when we're talking about trans people, you should at least realize that some people are going to see you as making their problems about you. And if you phrase things that way you have given them every reason to.

---------- Post added 28th Dec 2014 at 02:09 PM ----------

Anyway that said, I am definitely not a huge fan of huge unnecessary divisions. As long as we all have room to be ourselves, and own things that are ours, of course. Past that though, I really don't think being compared to a cross dresser is an insult, even if it does deny an awful lot of reality, because while cross dresser is not what I am, I don't think cross dresser is a bad thing to be. I got used to people comparing me to all manner of things I'm not, because the truth is, it's easier to consider me a straight man, or a gay man, or a polka-dot-and-pinstripe man, or a space alien, then it is to see me as a woman (much less a gay woman) for some people. So they'll assume I like guys? The gay men I have met are way cool people. It is a little disappointing, but I don't need to be understood and liked by everyone I meet.

What I don't like about tranny is that the people throwing it around are telling me flat out that they'll never be able to understand some very simple and easy to get things about me, because they refuse to. Someone using that word with no irony - not the way I would use a word like "trap" or "fag" to describe myself - is someone that doesn't understand that it even is a slur. They're someone that would use male pronouns to describe the most beautiful "post op" woman in the world who came back in time from an era where she could get pregnant.

That's how I feel about it. "Tranny" is just a disappointing word to hear someone say.

 

I didn't intend to post in this thread because I never understood why this discussion needed to be had.

On the topic of language and slurs, your racial, sexual, or gender identity is irrelevant. Whether or not you find a specific term offensive is irrelevant. The opinions of your friends and acquaintances is irrelevant. Historical contexts and intended meanings are all irrelevant. As someone who loves thesauruses and uses them regularly, I can assure that there is no shortage of words in the English language. When another human being takes the time out of their day to ask that you not refer to them or those of their social group with terminology that is known to be loaded and controversial, you listen. You do not argue. This is not the time to show off your super cool debating skills. This is the time to show consideration for the identity of another and move on.

 

well said!!! If somebody says that they find the term offensive, that is all the evidence that I need to convince me that they find the term offensive. And that's enough for me to find a better way of saying it (which they are also usually willing and able to provide, if I ask!)

 

I hate when my mother uses it...it makes me feel really uncomfortable. And the only other ways I've heard it use is as an intentially offesnsive word used against me online and in porn...so yeah no it's not ok

 

When a word's most common use is a porn tag, I think it's pretty safe to assume it's offensive.

 

No, this word is not okay.
I guess maybe if transgender people tried reclaim it for limited use within that specific community it could maybe be okay in like 20 years, but it would still make me uncomfortable the same way gay people saying "fag" makes me uncomfortable - you never know how that word may have been used to hurt someone before it was reclaimed.