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Der Begriff Transgender wird allgemein verwendet für ein breites Spektrum von Individuen, Verhaltensweisen und Gruppen, die sich durch eine teilweise oder vollständige Umkehrung der "Geschlechterrolle" auszeichnen. Geschlechterrollen ;vergleichen Sie auch die anderen Definitionen unten. Inhalte 1 Überblick 1.1 Andere Definitionen 1.1.1 Transgender und nicht-umoperierte Transsexuelle 1.1.2 Transgender als ein "dazwischen" 2 Transexuell 2.1 Terminologie und Konzepte, verglichen mit transgender 3 Transvestismus 4 Andere 5 Andere Themen 6 Transgender in nicht-westlichen Kulturen

Ein Transgender-Symbol, eine Kombination aus dem Männer-und dem Frauensymbol kombiniert mit einem dritten Arm, der die Transgender repräsentiert.

Terminologie

Der Begriff verbleibt in ständigem Wandel, aber die am meisten akzeptierte Definition ist folgende:

Menschen, die, normalerweise ab der Geburt und basierend auf ihrem Genital, einem Geschlecht zugeordnet wurden, die dies aber als falsch oder nur als eine unvollständige Beschreibung ihrer selbst empfinden.

Eine andere ist: Die Nicht-Identifizierung mit, oder Nicht-Präsentation als das Geschlecht, das einem bei der Geburt zugeordnet wurde.

Transgender haben sich nicht unbedingt einer Umwandlungstherapie unterzogen und haben nicht zwingend ein Interesse an einer solchen. Mit anderen Worten, nicht alle Transgender sind zwangsläufig transsexuell .

Bezieht man sich auf die zwei Hauptrichtungen von Transgender, können die Begriffe Transmann für Frau-zu-Mann Transgender (was im weiteren mit FtM abgekürzt werden kann) und Transfrau für Mann-zu-Frau Transgender (was im weiteren mit MtF abgekürzt werden kann) verwendet werden. Bisher vermutete man stets, dass es erheblich mehr Transfrauen als Transmänner gäbe. Das Verhältnis ist jedoch ungefähr 1:1.

Transgender kann eine Reihe von Unterkategorien beinhalten, welche, unter anderem, Transsexuelle, Transvestiten, Transvestiten, bewusst androgyne Menschen, Menschen, die genderqueersind, solche, die cross-genderleben, Drag-Kings und Drag-Queenssind- unter vielen anderen. Nicht dazuzuzählen, weil hier kein Geschlechtsbezug besteht, sind (wobei in der Praxis die Grenze schwer zu ziehen ist) transvestitische Fetischisten .

Viele Menschen identifizieren sich auch als reine Transgender, obwohl sie möglicherweise auch in eine der zuvor erwähnten Kategorien passen.

In welchem Ausmass intersex Menschen (deren Genitalien oder andere körperliche, sexuelle Charakteristika die nicht rein männlich oder weiblich sind) in die Transgender Kategorie gehören wird oft diskutiert. Nicht alle Intersex Menschen haben ein Problem mit der Geschlechterrolle die ihnen bei der Geburt zugewiesen wurde, und nicht alle haben Schwierigkeiten mit der geschlechtliche Identität . Diejenigen jedoch, die Probleme haben, ordnet man manchmal den Transgenderzu.

Das Gegenteil von Transgender ist cisgender.

Die Begriffe "geschlechtliche Dysphorie"und "Störung der Geschlechtsidentität" werden von Medizinern gebraucht, um diese Tendenzen als einen psychologischen Zustand und die Reaktion auf seine sozialen Konsequenzen zu beschreiben.Genaugenommen werden Geschlechtsdysphorie und Störungen der Geschlechtsidentität als psychische Erkrankungen betrachtet, wie beschrieben in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), dem Standardwerk für psychische Gesundheitspflege. Leider wissen viele Anbieter psychischer Gesundheitsfürsorge nur wenig über das Leben von Transgendern, und Menschen, die bei diesen Fachkräften Hilfe suchen, enden meist darin, selbst aufzuklären, statt Hilfe zu bekommen. Unter diesen Therapeuten, Psychologen etc., die über Transgender Bescheid wissen, glauben viele, dass eine Geschlechtsumwandlung die beste oder einzige Lösung sei. Diese funktioniert gut bei echten Transsexuellen, jedoch oft weit weniger gut bei den cross-gender Menschen, die sich weder als reine männlich noch als weiblichsehen.

Andere Definitionen

Ursprünglich wurde der Ausdruck Transgender in den 70ern von Virginia Prince in den USA geprägt, als Kontrast zu dem Begriff "transsexuell", als Bezeichnung für jemanden, der keine Operation wünscht, um das "Geschlecht zu ändern", und/oder der sich "zwischen" den Geschlechtern sieht, sich nicht strikt mit dem einen oder anderen Geschlecht identifiziert, sich weder als rein männlich noch als rein weiblich sieht.

Transgenderisten und nicht-operierte Transsexuelle

Häufig wird in älteren Texten (vor den 90ern), heute jedoch kaum noch, der Begriff Transgender gebraucht als Bezeichnung für "nicht-operierte Transsexuelle" oder "nicht-operierte Transmenschen", die nicht mit ihrem natürlichen Geschlecht leben und, obwohl eine Geschlechtsumwandlung möglich wäre, sich dagegen entschieden haben; manchmal entscheiden sie sich auch gegen eine andere Therapie zur Geschlechtsumwandlung .Manchmal wird, zum Beispiel in den Niederlanden (jedoch nicht im restlichen Europa), der Begriff transgender immernoch für diese spezielle Gruppe benutzt anstatt als Oberbegriff.

Diese Gruppe ist manchmal auch bekannt als "Transgenderisten" oder "nicht-operierte Transsexuelle" . Viele betonen, dass der Begriff "nicht-operierter Transsexueller" weit vom Ideal entfernt ist, weil er ein Oxymoron zu sein scheint (Menschen, die dem anderen Geschlecht angehören wollen, dies jedoch nicht umsetzen) oder er Menschen darüber definiert, was sie nicht sind, anstatt darüber, was sie sind. Leider scheint es keinen perfekten Begriff für diese Menschen zu geben.

Transgender als ein "dazwischen"

Transgender wird manchmal auch spezifisch als ein "dazwischen"-Begriff gebraucht, statt als Oberbegriff.

Ein neuerer Begriff ist "genderqueer", der sich auf das Gemisch von traditionell typisch "männlichen" und "weiblichen" Eigenschaften bezieht, und der auch das "dazwischen", welches manchmal mit transgender und Transgenderismus assoziiert wird, bezeichnet.

Transsexuell

Hauptartikel: Transsexuell

Transsexuelle sind Menschen, die den Wunsch haben, oder es erreicht haben, einem anderen physischen Geschlecht zuzugehören, als dem, welches ihnen bei der Geburt zugewiesen wurde. Eine typische (wenn auch zu vereinfachte) Erklärung ist die einer "Frau gefangen im Körper eines Mannes" oder umgekehrt; viel transsexuelle Frauen sagen, dass sie faktisch immer weiblichen Geschlechts waren, als Kind jedoch aufgrund ihrer Genitalien dem männlichen Geschlecht zugeordnet wurden, und da ihnen bewusst geworden sei, dass sie Frauen seien, wünschten sie sich eine Anpassung ihres Körpers. Transmänner fühlen entsprechend genau das Gegenteil.

The process of physical transition for transsexuals usually includes hormone replacement therapy and may include sexual reassignment surgery (a.k.a. gender reassignment surgery). For transwomen, electrolysis for hair removal is often required, while many transmen have breast-reduction surgery as early as possible, whether accompanied by genital surgery or not.

Some spell the term transexual with one s in order to reduce the association of their identity with psychiatry and medicine.

Terminology and concepts, compared to transgender

Transgender is often used as a euphemistic synonym for transsexual people by some. One set of reasoning for this is that it removes the conceptual image "sex" in "transsexual" that implies transsexuality is sexually motivated, which it is not. This usage is problematic because it can cause transgender people who do not identify as transsexual to be confused with them. It also seems to remove the issue of social presentation (gender, in its social sense) from the question, even though gender role and presentation is an important part of the equation.

Furthermore, many transsexuals reject the term "transgender" as an identification for themselves, either as a synonym or as an umbrella term. They advance a number of arguments for this. One argument is that the use of the umbrella term inaccurately subsumes them and causes their identity, history, and existence to be marginalized. Another is that they perceive the term to be the breaking down of gender barriers, whereas transsexual people themselves usually identify as men or as women -- just not as they were assigned at birth. A third occasionally mentioned is that they did not change gender at any point -- they have always had their gender (identity), and the difficulty is their sex (anatomy), which they desire to change. However, others point out that transsexual people do change their gender role at some point, and that most non-transsexual transgender people always had their gender identity, too.

A more problematic dispute with the use of the term "transsexual" is that it refers to processes of chemical and/or anatomical modification that do not actually render an individual reproductively viable after transition processes, nor change sex chromosomes. Particularly, criticism of transsexual women by some feminists includes the contention that their transition is cosmetic rather than fundamental, and they are thus not "really" changing their sex at all (thus the use of transgender). These critics claim that the presumption of reproductive viability is what distinguishes "women" from "men". This argument is used to discount the rights of identification and association with other women that transsexual women might claim. However, many arguments that link whether someone is a "woman" or a "man" based on reproductive capability, or chromosomes, fall apart when considering non-transsexual people who are infertile or non-transsexual men or women who have a chromosomal configuration different from other men and women in the general population.

Probably many of these problems are associated with the history of the term "transgender" and its other definitions; see above.

To respect the identity of those transsexual people who do not identify as transgender, the constructions trans, trans*, or transgender and transsexual sometimes are used to describe all transpeople.

Further, many people who this article would define as transgender reject the term altogether, along with other related terms (transsexual, crossgender, etc.). This is most commonly seen with people who have changed sex but who do not define themselves as transsexual. A common statement is that a transsexual is someone who is undergoing a change from one sex to another; someone who has already done so is simply a "man" or a "woman". This brings up issues of the extent to which someone who is not a part of a group may define it, also seen in the case of, for example, "men who have sex with men" (MSMs), who do not see themselves as homosexual but could still be defined as such.

Cross-dressing

Main articles: cross-dressing, transvestism, drag king, drag queen, transvestic fetishism

A person who is cross-dressing is any person who, for any reason, wears the clothing of a gender other than that to which they were assigned at birth. Cross-dressers may have no desire or intention of adopting other behaviours or practices common to that gender, and particularly does (currently) not wish to undergo medical procedures to facilitate physical changes. Contrary to common belief, most male-bodied cross-dressers prefer female partners.

Drag involves wearing highly exaggerated and outrageous costumes or imitating movie and music stars of the opposite sex. It is a form of performing art practiced by drag queens and drag kings. Drag is often found in a gay or lesbian context. The term "drag king" can also apply to people from the female-to-male side of the transgender spectrum who do not see themselves as exclusively male identified, therefore covering a much wider ground than a "drag queen".

Transvestic fetishism is a term used in the medical community to refer to one who has a fetish for wearing the clothing of the opposite gender. This is considered a derogatory term by some, as it implies a hierarchy of value in which the sexual element of transgender behaviour is of low social value. Many reject the term "transvestite" for this reason, preferring cross-dresser instead. It is often difficult to distinguish between fetishism that happens to have female clothing as an object and transgender behaviour that includes sexual play. Some people feel that transvestic fetishism does not count as cross-dressing.

Other

"Transgender" is also used to describe behaviour or feelings that cannot be categorized into these older sub-categories, for example, people living in a gender role that is different from the one they were assigned at birth, but who do not wish to undergo any or all of the available medical options, or people who do not wish to identify themselves as "transsexuals", "men" or "women", and consider that they fall between genders, or transcend gender.

Some people who present as female, but with male genitalia may have been born intersexual but may also be transsexual or transgender, who do transition (taking oestrogens and/or other methods) to achieve some desired secondary sex characteristics, but not sexual reassignment surgery. Sometimes these individuals are referred to as ladyboy or shemale (compare there), but these terms are considered derogatory by many, including most transgender or transsexual people not working in the sex industry.

Other Issues

(Trans-)gender identity is different from, though related to, sexual orientation. Sexual orientations among transgender people vary just as much as they do among cisgender people. Although few studies have been done, transgender groups almost always report that their members are more likely to be attracted to those with the same gender identity, compared to the population as a whole; that is, transwomen are more likely to be attracted to other women, and transmen are more likely to be attracted to other men. Many transgender people who are attracted to others of the same gender will identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Note that in the professional literature, "homosexual" and "heterosexual" are very often used respective to clients' birth sex, instead of their desired sex. Transgender people may feel misunderstood by caregivers because of this practice; it is also quite confusing when a relationship that is considered gay or lesbian by both partners is labeled heterosexual, or a relationship that consists, as far as the partners are concerned, of a man and a women is labeled homosexual. The existence of transgender people and their sexual relationships points to certain inadequacies of language.

Many Western societies today have some sort of procedure whereby an individual can change their name, sometimes also their legal gender, to reflect their gender identity; see Legal aspects of transsexualism. Medical procedures for transgender people are also available in most Western and many non-Western countries. However, because gender roles are an important part of many cultures, those engaged in strong challenges to the prevalence of these roles, such as many transgender people, often have to face considerable prejudice.

Transgender in non-Western cultures

This article describes primarily Western modes of transgenderism. Many other cultures have or have had similar phenomena:

• The so-called berdache in many Native American groups is recognized as a separate gender, a woman-living-man, not as a man who wants to be a woman. The term "berdache" is a misnomer, however, as no Native American group actually used the term; different ethnic groups had different names for the role, such as the winkte. The husband of such a person is not viewed as being gender-different themself, but as a normal male. In some societies there is a corresponding gender for man-living-women ( amazons).
• In Thai culture, there is the kathoey, who is very similar to the English definition of transgender, but is sometimes broader, including effiminate gay males moreso than "transgender" does.
• South Asian cultures have hijra, usually genetic males who have been castrated and live as women.
• Chinese cultures have a wide variety of transgender modes of existence. See transgender in China.

Gender identity disorder

Transgender and transsexualism are only regarded as a disorder if they make a person unhappy and unsatisfied, or causes problems in relations to other people. If they are happy with it, and it causes no problem, it is a personality trait, but not a disorder.

Persons with a gender identity disorder have had strong feelings since childhood that they were born in the wrong body. They want to belong to the opposite sex, e.g. they want to be a woman instead of a man and vice versa. This can be seen in children when they keep on indicating that they want to belong to the opposite sex, want to wear clothes of the opposite sex and have a strong and continuous preference for playing the role of the other sex or pretending to belong to this sex. They also want to play games and have pastimes of the other sex and preferably play with pals of the other sex.

Note that transgender need not include a wish to have sex playing another sex role than born with. Note also that some people normally use their normal gender role, but sometimes wish to try out the reverse gender role.

In adolescents this disorder is very noticeable by signs like wishing to belong to the opposite sex, living like someone of the other sex, being treated as someone of the other sex or be convinced that he or she has the typical feelings and reactions of the other sex. Transsexuals are not transvestites; transvestites are people who every now and then feel good in the clothes of the other sex, but don't want to live like this forever.