#AskMargie: T in LGBT

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What exactly is the T in LGBT?

MANILA, Philippines – What exactly is the T in LGBT?

In this week’s episode of #AskMargie, Dr. Margie Holmes talks about transwomen, transexuals, and transvestites and how our community deals with them.

Watch:

Today’s topic is all about the T in LGBT.

We got several interesting questions about this topic.
Let’s start with the most basic question – definitions.

@SenyoritePepe: How do we define transwoman, transexual, and transvestite?

Dr. Holmes: Transwomen are those who are assigned as men at birth but identify as women. Transmen are those assigned as women at birth but identify as men.

A transsexuals is someone who explores hormone therapy and surgeries to align their bodies with their experienced gender identity.
A transvestite is a cross dresser, someone who wears clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex or gender and may be either straight, gay or bisexual …and that is only talking sexual orientation!!

Victor Hall suggests: Can we address transphobia not only coming from the hetero community but the gay community as well.

MOI: Dr Brenda Alegre a transpinay working at the U of HK says: Thanks, Victor. Not only do some heteros frown at transgenders and refuse to take them seriously, but the others in the LGBT community too. In fact, transpeople sometimes don’t accept themselves either out of fear, out of lack of knowledge etc.

Here are some more of your comments:

Carlos Gonzales: I’m bothered when a transgender woman goes into the men’s public restroom dressed up like a woman. Should they go into a women’s restroom instead? If a man goes into the ladies’ restroom, I would expect them to get beat up. I worry for the women if a ladyboy enters a ladies’ public restroom to do their business there.

Dr. Holmes: Dr. Allegre says to Carlos: the word ladyboy should be avoided if possible. In many cases, transgender people find it offensive because of the term’s association with porn and sex work. Some transgenders don’t want to consider any internal duality of gender, lady + boy, as many would rather identify with 1 gender, that opposite which they were assigned at birth

Also, Carlos, transpeople wish they could comfortably use their preferred toilets, but their fear is that if a transwoman goes to the female CR, others complain about her. So they’re forced to use the men’s instead. But please understand, many transwomen felt disrespected more in the men’s CR. They were called names and it is funny for men to assume they are there to do “boy hunting.”

Mitch Ong: Recently I’ve seen a TV show segment called Super Sireyna that supposedly promote understanding and acceptance of transwomen. I worry that such images promote a very specific space for acceptance. Mga super ganda lang ba ang pwedeng irespeto at tanggapin bilang transwomen?

It feels like the same standards being imposed on women are also imposed on transwomen. That doesn’t seem like real acceptance of our value as unique human beings to me.

Dr. Holmes: What a brilliant observation, Mitch and you are, of course, right.

And it is sad that a TV segment that purports to help others understand and promote transwomen may be doing the opposite by stereotyping them simply as beautiful women with their long black hair and lithe bodies; as if their physical selves are the only things important about them.

This is as much a travesty as shows that have only the beautiful, young and sexy as heroes and heroines, thus undermining the self esteem and confidence of many teenagers and even adults. Most of all, it is a damn lie since we are all different and look different too!!

Finally, Yomi Artemus asks: What is the best way for transmembers of the LGBT community to earn respect and acceptance?

Dr. Holmes: Maybe this is a question we should ask ourselves, not transgender people, because the transgender is willing to be accepted but oftentimes finds he isn’t , no matter what he does. SO…I think the better question is to you cisgenders out there: Do you consider transgender people your equal in every way? If not, what do transpeople have to do before you can accept them? Because we all deserve respect—gay or straight, trans- or cis-gendered.

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