Transgender or Transgendered?

| Aug 19, 2013
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Are you a transgender? Or are you transgendered?

Where do you stand on the debate between those who say they are “transgender” and those who say they are “transgendered”? It’s a subtle difference in meaning and has a lot to do with grammar and semantics. The proponents of “transgender” maintain that it is not a verb so it does not need “ed” added. They use as an example people who are stating their national origin. Italians don’t say, “Hey, not for nothin’ cuz but I’m Italianed.” So when asked what their gender identity is (a rude question if you’re in a social situation) the “transgender” defenders reply, “I’m transgender.”

This is based on viewing the word as a verb. Verbs can’t have a past tense, as signified by the addition of “ed” but both “transgender” and “transgendered” are adjectives. Ah ha! An adjective is used to modify a noun. In this case “I” in the sentence “I am transgender.” So grammatically both usages are correct.

What about semantically? That’s a deeper pond to wade through. We have to consider the whole history of how we got the terms we use to describe our gender identities.

Cisgendered people — those whose gender identity matches their biological sex — never have to think about it. They feel male or female and that’s all there is to it. Those of us who are differently gendered — whether the classic “(inesert gender here) trapped in the wrong body” or those whose gender identity shifts throughout their daily lives — do think about what we should be called.

In simpler times men who wanted to dress and act like women were just called “queer.” Women who were masculine in presentation (there was one in my small town) were “tomboys” or more often called lesbians when talked about behind closed doors. The very idea that you could have a gender identity that was not in sync with your genitals was not a concept that anyone ever considered.

Magnus Hirschfeld

Magnus Hirschfeld

Oh sure we had the term “transvestite” which was coined by Magnus Hirschfeld in the early 1900s but even that word was often associated with homosexuality and men who liked wearing women’s clothing but found women sexually attractive were uncomfortable using it. “Crossdresser” started showing up in the 1960s and while it is just the English equivalent of transvestite (put in derivation) it was adopted by many who felt that transvestite was, paradoxically, too clinical or too loaded with negative meaning as it had often been used next to the word “prostitute” in the press.

“Transsexual” was added to the language in either the early 20th century by Magnus Hirschfeld — or by Harry Benjamin in the mid 20th century — and came to be understood as the label for someone like Christine Jorgenson who fully changed their sex to match their gender identity using surgery and hormone treatments. (It is also attributed to D. O. Cauldwell who used “psyhopathis transexualis” and “transexual” in 1949.)

Young Virginia Prince

Young Virginia Prince

In mid-‘80s Virginia Prince came up with the term “transgender” to refer to people who lived in the opposite gender without surgery. From the time Prince began using it the word’s meaning began to evolve and came to indicate that an individual’s gender identity might not match their physical sex but they didn’t fit into the transsexual identity. This was a break through for people who are gender fluid, male one day, female the next, or androgynous all the time, since we now had a handy “umbrella” label to cover any cross-gender presentation. With the label though came those who didn’t agree with how it was used. As with the controversy around “transvestite” and “crossdresser” we now find people who insist they are “transgender” while others demand that they be referred to as “transgendered.”

Here at TGForum we adhere to the belief that people are people and their gender identity is something they possess, not something that defines them. So rather than say someone is “transgender” we say they are a “transgendered person” or “transgendered individual.”

As The Bee Gees sang ages ago, “It’s only words…” and you can identify your gender identity any way you like but keep in mind when you say “I’m a transgender” that sounds like you are a thing not a full person with many facets. “I’m transgendered” seems more accurate and also gives you greater dimension.

How do you use the T word? Use the comment box below to let us know.

Thanks to Dallas Denny for research assistance.

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Category: Transgender History, Transgender Opinion

angela_g

About the Author ()

Angela Gardner is a founding member of The Renaissance Transgender Assoc., Inc., former editor of its newsletter and magazine, Transgender Community News. She was the Diva of Dish for TGF in the late 1990s and Editor of LadyLike magazine until its untimely demise. She has appeared in film and television shows portraying TG characters, as well as representing Renaissance on numerous talk shows.

Comments (8)

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  1. 28thAug2013
    I adored your article. “Transgendered” sounds vaguely more official to me than just to say simply Transgender.
    Most people out there in the big wide world, yeah they have this fire in their belly (inserted there by socio-politico-religio conditioning of their Culture) and making them eager to ask others to define themselves somehow.
    But in fact, it is all a trick, what they really want is a word to hold others accountable to, so that they better adjust their mythological aim at attack their target.
    I ordinarily call myself of the Third Gender Trans MTF Permanent Non-Op… However lately, after some experience with a few pre-op and mostly post-op tgirls, I’ve decided to call myself I am TRANS “LITE” Tgirl MTF perm Non-Op.
    Because in comparison to a pre-op and/or a post-op I found myself different as in a great divide because I did not find the same needs these T-sisters found in themselves, ergo when I paused and compared what matters to pre-ops, post-ops and non-ops like myself I felt very wishy-washy / namby-pamby as if maybe I was not Trans enough.
    I am sure that you all have heard the “You’re blah-blah enough to call yourself this or that because you do not do like we do.”
    Then, I realised. What a hell, they’re only words, labels and I know best who I am and what I feel and for sure I am myself of the Gender Trans – An M-T-F Trans Girl who feels “Not” any need at all to change anything via pre-op and post-op avenues and doing just fine and dandy too.
    So I created the addendum, the appendage “LITE” in order to justify my “Happily Non-Op Status”.
    At the end of the day, we all are made out of changes, all life is made out of changes and we all are in permanent Transformation as human beings in our journeys from cradle to grave.
    It is worthwhile to be and to remain honest and true to oneself first.
    Thank you for the inspiration.
    Sky a.k.a. JD Aeon
    http://UK.Youtube.com/JDAeonSky

  2. JamieInHeels JamieInHeels says:

    While I can see that there is some merit to each side of the argument between “transgender” and “transgendered”, I don’t think that the difference is all that important.

    Both “engender” and “engendered” are valid words on dictionary.com, so I don’t see why both “transgender” and “transgendered” can’t both be as well.

    Personally, I use both although my website is http://www.IAmTransgendered.com

  3. regina-nj regina-nj says:

    I’m a T – person?! I could be transgendered, I could be transsexual. I am not a Tea party member! I am me! My lable that I am a T -person! Still dealing with the crap that haappened when I was young and all of the life choices I made thinking I could get rid of what I know to be true in my heart! I am loved by the love of my life! Many look for a solemate! I have mine! We are two women in love! I am a T – person! My label!

  4. scalesman scalesman says:

    I plead. After I am done pleading I say I pled.
    I do not shy away from the term ‘transvestite’. I do not even have a problem with ‘tranny’. I recognize that many people need the convenience of a lable.
    If asked I suppose I would define myself as a crossdresser because what I do is to cross dress.
    Pat

  5. Catie Maye Catie Maye says:

    How we see ourselves is far more important than what we call ourselves…..labelling is too often based on inadequate or restrictive meaning……..whether they are nouns or verbs !

  6. Kaida Kaida says:

    Um… what do you mean “Verbs can’t have a past tense?” “I ‘went’ to the store?” “Susan ‘pleaded’ with the internet to use proper grammar?” Both those examples are past tenses of verbs. One even ‘used’ “-ed” in its formation.

    • angela_g angela_g says:

      I prefer “Susan pled” but no one ever uses that word anymore. Sorry about the verbal confusion but just because I’m an editor you can’t expect me to understand grammar. I apologize and I’ll never do it again.

  7. michale michale says:

    personally, i’m transgendered
    thank you so much for publishing TG Forum, btw!