Comments on: Word of the Week: Tranny

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:35:37 +0000

Yea, what a great take it is

By: Lavida Loca

Lavida Loca — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:26:56 +0000

I agree with Tiresias girl’s take on this

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:34:43 +0000

Excellent comment ! I never thought of it like an affectionate shorthand, thanks for sharing.

By: Tiresias Girl

Tiresias Girl — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:22:11 +0000

I kinda like the informality of the word. Mean-spirited people can turn any term of gender variance into a slur. Meanwhile, “tranny” feels like an affectionate shorthand, akin to calling a Jennifer “Jenny” or a Jessica “Jess” or “Jessi.” Also, “tranny” is non-specific enough to identify with even for gals who haven’t yet figured out what they want, gender-wise.

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:31:21 +0000

So true Kristen, the more sure you are of yourself, the less likely you are to be offended by words.

By: Kristen Kelly

Kristen Kelly — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:30:40 +0000

Being TS and TWICE older than the 20 something group that uses the word often, I was taken back the first few times I heard it used by the younger girls. I think it also bothers me less because of my confidence and comfort I have about who I am. I have heard it used to describe hierarchy, Dresser = CD, Trans = Transitioning, All the Way = Post Op

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:10:12 +0000

Good point Martina. I’ve noticed that transvestite has become more of a hated term than tranny.

By: Martina

Martina — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:09:35 +0000

Being one of the older generation when I came out of the closet after many years of hiding the other side of me away , then I am more at easy to be classed as a crossdresser or tranny than a transvestite.
I also feel that tranny is a more lighted description.

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:35:59 +0000

Not only porn, but crazy shows like Maury or Jerry Springer. I know how you feel Aeva, but rest assured that you are not alone.

By: Aeva Green

Aeva Green — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:34:06 +0000

I’m not out to my room mates, and generally the topic of transfolk doesn’t come up in conversation, *unless* one of my room mates had found some kind of outrageous porn involving such. So naturally, their vocabulary on the subject is pretty limited.

I’m not sure which is more painful, that the main words used in conversation to describe people like myself have a strong pornographic implication, or that I feel compelled to stay silent about the former.

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:13:30 +0000

LOL @ “Trannied Out”

By: nore

nore — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:01:06 +0000

Just seconding what you said about younger people. I hear it used in a playful manner describing everything from someone intending to get srs to just putting on a wig and being “trannied out”

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:35:51 +0000

I kinda like it that we’ve reclaimed the word

Me too

By: Lynn Jones

Lynn Jones — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:34:17 +0000

It seems very informal and for that reason I prefer it. ‘Trans’ comes a close second.

Another element of it is that if the Great Unwashed do shout anything, it’s frequently “oi! tranny”, so I kinda like it that we’ve reclaimed the word

By: Jessica De Leon

Jessica De Leon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:11:41 +0000

Same here, once I heard it being thrown around and used on me, I felt more comfortable with it