It seems to me (with emphasis on "to me") that the meaning of "transition" has changed over time.
In olden days when I still lived in a closet, transition meant that you took hormones, had surgery and did all that the law allowed to officially change your name and sex designation.
Today, the definition of "transition" is a lot looser. You don't have to take hormones and/or you don't have to have surgery and/or you don't have to legally change your name or sex designation. You don't even have to live full-time in your trans gender.
So I guess I transitioned some time ago and didn't even know it!
Regarding my transition, one thing I would do differently is not change my first name and use Stanley rather than Stana.
And so it goes.
Thought for the Day
And so it goes.
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| (Source: Harper's BAZAAR) |
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| Robert Caso femulating in the 1993 film The Naked Truth. |
I think the entire field of "T" being has been in a state of flux and continues to evolve.
ReplyDeleteBack when you and I were first slipping into our mother's stockings there were, at best, two terms...transvestite and transexual and no real appreciation of the spectrum between the two. I believe Virginia Pierce came up with the term 'transgenderist' to describe herself since she had not had surgery to make her a transexual and since she was virtually full time she was more than the textbook transvestite.
Since that time the term 'transgender' has become somewhat of an umbrella term with tons of sub catagories.
As for me, I do not care what you call me...just do not call me late for dinner.
Pat
Way back then, I was unaware that there was any spectrum between TV and TS, so I assumed I had to be one or the other!
DeleteIf its confusing to the trans people, think how confusing it is for the "straights"
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point, Connie!
DeleteI have a Kurt Vonnegutt sweatshirt with his picture and, "And so it goes".
ReplyDeleteVonnegutt is my favorite author.
DeleteI have a friend, "Kevin" who is part-time like us.... He or she, always "Kevin" because "that's my name."
ReplyDeleteSo many of the terms in our little community seem to mean different things to different people, for me I think Transition is the process of changing from the person one pretends to be to the person one authentically is.
ReplyDeleteCertainly it is a process, not an action, so personally I am very much still in transition.