I'm a guy who happens to be trans. Only when necessary do I have to disclose being trans or citing a trans person, I will refer to myself, or them, as either trans man, or trans woman. Please never refer to me or anyone else as "a transgender", or trans people as "transgenders". Ick.
before I joined EC (and about the same time a sort of friend of mine came out as trans) I actually got confused with the terms trans man/woman as to what gender they were I'm embarrassed to say :icon_redf and didn't know what cis meant. So FtM and MtF was helpful until I got used to the terminology. (I really hope this doesn't offend anyone - I know better now!) Looking back it's obvious and I was really stupid, but it makes me a little more aware of how people who don't know much about gender and the trans community see things, so I try correct them when I get the chance (using the right pronouns etc). Other than to clarify (to stupid people like myself....), I don't see the point in using MtF/FtM, and can see how transgender people would dislike them. Also, when you say them, they're a bit of a mouthful, aren't they?
I figured a lot of cis people would vote anyway if I didn't put that in, and I wanted to let trans people speak for themselves.
Transgender man, if you must. I detest assigned- at-birth terminology and FTM just doesn't sound as good. Transsexual man and trans man work as well.
You know, I just call myself a trans guy or a trans man. I'll maybe use FtM if I'm trying to explain myself or talking outside of the community (since most people who have a basic idea of trans people at least understand FtM without much research).
I was, for a short time, Secretary of an LGBT group and it was one of my responsibilities to minute the meetings (not easy when you have a room full of very talkative and opinionated people). I always had the feeling that I couldn't win when it came to correct terminology for transgendered members and one meeting in particular got very heated and bogged down over the issue. All I actually remember of that meeting is losing my patience and swearing at the Chair as the agenda and timings went by the wayside.
I don't really like FtM I'll use it if I'm talking to other transgender people. But I am a trans man, I am transitioning medically and had to transition socially to be seen as a man. FtM sounds horrible, it's almost like saying "they used to be a girl."
I prefer to use transgender to explain. Transsexual to me seems to have some preconceived notions. With transgender I can calmly explain what it means.
