Transgender name calling

[aiden_raccoon]

You'd think in the over 5 years I've been in the fandom and having known and still know many transgender people that I would know what pronoun to use, but it confuses me and no one has yet to answer my question

Comments

[sex_on_paws]

When i find myself in conversation with a trans-gender person i just ask them what they would like to be referred to as.

[aiden_raccoon]

I'll respond again here by saying that I am not talking about speaking with an individual transgender, but about a non-descript transgender in a mundane conversation. If I say he, I may be wrong, if I say she, I may be wrong, if I say shemale or tranny, that is not accepted. It is a total guessing game and a trap if you get it wrong. Or the person my want to be known as "he" so you say "he" but the person you're talking to thinks you mean that by saying "he" that is the actual gender and "he" is actually a "she" under the hood. So then you have to deal with another perception of the conversation. It is too frustrating and too much to expect from someone who is not a part of the community. Give me a ONE word shorthand slang term, like "tranny" except not offensive that I can use that will also make the non-trans person I am talking to understand.

[kuddlepup]

"Transgender" or "TG" is about as common in reference as "Gay" or "Straight" when referring to people. They are both as neutral a term as can be used.

[aiden_raccoon]

I just feel that using transgender as a term is too scientific for the general public to ever get accustomed to using. I sense the general public does not care to get educated on the subject and will continue to always and forever use slang terms for it. Would you say that is a fair assessment or am I in the minority with this feeling? I mean, I'm even a part of the GLBT community and I don't understand.

[artyskox]

trans

[coopervulp]

As far as whether or not to use "he" or "she", if you don't know which a transgender identifies as, then use "they". It's a gender neutral pronoun that works perfectly well to denote a person whose gender identity may be unclear.

As far as having an inoffensive slang term to denote transgenders as a whole, I don't think one exists at this point. Most people will simply use "transgender". It may be a long word, but I think you're giving the general populace too little credit. There are enough people who know what it means, and if the topic comes up among the odd person who doesn't it's not like it's hard to briefly summarize.

[aiden_raccoon]

I dunno. People are pretty stupid.

[artyskox]

they is the easy escape, but eventually someone will ask why you are referring to 1 person in the plural.

Just stick with tranwreck.