The Pressure to Transition.

I think another way that trans* folks conform to gender stereotypes is through the pressure to medically transition. It can be surprising that pressuring to medically transition can come from within the community, but it does happen. Quite often trans* people encounter other folks in the lgbtq community who think they are "not trans enough", or believe that "you wont ever pass like that". This can trigger a sort of self hatred for that person's body that may have not been there before. As well as not allowing them to just be comfortable expressing themselves for who they really are.
It is becoming more and more common for people to ask a trans* person after they come out, "so when are you going to go on hormones?". This is usually common for non-lgbtq people to ask of trans* folks so it can be especially difficult when its from places you wouldn't expect it. It makes it hard for those trans* folks who don't want to go on hormones, or can't for some reason or another, seem like they are not a "true" gender. Even most trans* websites and forums are aimed at helping other folks get hormones or pay for surgery.

This way of assuming that all trans* people are sort of "cookie cutter" type deal, where everyone comes out the same in the end. There needs to be more advocacy and support for trans* people who don't transition medically.
A pretty awesome guy that I've watched on youtube talks a little bit about how doctors can tell you that you may need to take hormones and also how you shouldn't let that deter you from making the decisions yourself.

An article that I read that talks a little bit about the "cookie cutter" theory of trans* folks is called "Transforming the Paradigm of transgender health: a field in transition". It talks mostly about how in the medical field there is a push in the new DSM for "gender incongruity" to be listed rather than "gender identity disorder". This is relevant to this stereotype because if there is a shift from associating trans* people with a disorder makes it seem like there is one cure. This makes it hard for those who do not want to take hormones to still be legally recognized by some states as their gender. This also leaves out the people who might not want hormones but want surgery. A lot of places require that you be on hormones for a certain period of time before you can be eligible for surgery.



Bockting, W. O. (2009). Transforming the paradigm of transgender health: a field in transition.. Sexual & Relationship Therapy, 24 (2),

Do trans* folks conform to gender stereotypes?

This is more focused on transmen, but I think it can also apply to the trans* community as a whole. As a transguy, when I just came out I was always looking for new ways to “pass” as a guy. So like a lot of other guys I would google how to pass. Pretty much no matter what site I was on, I would always find horribly offensive lists like this one: 

• Accept that you will not be able to do a lot of the fashion things other emo guys do.

• If you are gay, flaunt it but in a masculine way. You can wear a male on male symbol or a pink triangle. Avoid plain rainbow pride symbols as it can make people think you are a lesbian. Same if you're a bisexual-you can wear a male on male/female sign, but a plain bisexual flag or the 'biangles' may get you confused for a bi girl.

• Wear masculine or androgynous shoes

• Lose some weight if you are heavy or moderate

• Don't shave your arms, underarms or legs

• Use male body language. Women generally take up less space, while men take up more. Spread your legs apart and if you cross your legs, do it in a square style. Also, cross your arms higher than you usually would, since women cross their arms lower. Generally avoid putting your hands on your hips. If you do, do it when thinking, not when annoyed.

http://www.wikihow.com/Pass-As-a-Guy-and-Still-Be-Scene-or-Emo-(for-FTM-Teens)

Those are just some of he ones that I had a lot of issues with. The first one is a really common stereotype that a lot of FTMs (Female to Male) or transmasculine people hold as well as the non-trans community. A lot of people believe that because someone is trans* that they are not capable of doing things that a cisgendered person could do.  The second one through the rest are also pretty bad, to me they says that I need to counter my inner femininity (my being an Ftm) by being extremely masculine. This is annoying because 1) why are you assuming that I need to be extra masculine? and 2) what if thats not me? will I still be read as male? how can i ever pass?! AHHHH

Things like these lists perpetuate the same stereotypes that the non-trans* community has about us, within our community. 

An interesting article that I read to go along with this stereotype was titled “Queerly Situated? Exploring negotiations of trans queer subjectivity's at work and within community spaces in the UK”, it was based on a study of 30 white trans* people (no racial/ethnic diversity) and 15 identified as heterosexual and the 15 as lesbian, gay bisexual or queer. They were asked a series of questions about their own transitions and how it affected their life. Most of them said that they had waited until later to come out, because they were scared of being fired. They were then asked if they thought that they had anything in common with transvestites. Most said no because those people are “radical”. This is another example of how even within the community there are stereotypes.

Further along in the article is talks about how even though somebody may not appear queer (they use the word “normative”), that they still may be. I think this is what people really need to pay attention to. Throw your assumptions out the window and let people be themselves. You may never know if someone is queer or not, but let them tell you and dont make that assumption yourself.

  This is a great video that talks about this kind of perpetuated stereotype in the FTM community.

Works Cited:

Hines, Sally. (October 2010). Queerly situated? Exploring negotiations of trans queer subjectivities at work and within community spaces in the UK..Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 17 (5)

Gender Stereotypes In The Trans Community.

The gender stereotype that I would like to research this semester is that all transmen were tomboys growing up, and all transwomen were 'girly'.  I would also like to talk about how this stereotype is reinforced even within the queer/trans community.  I'm especially interested in this because I find many of the trans/gender-variant people I that I talk to actually take pride in reinforcing these stereotypes, which I find strange in such an open and accepting community. I feel like if transpeople reinforce them then that leaves less room for fluidity, and can ultimately always make someone feel outlawed. I find it weird that there would be reinforcement of gender stereotyping in a community that is so against the gender binary theory.

An example of how this stereotype is reinforced within the trans community is when let's say a transman says something like, "I played with legos and dirt growing up, so you could see the signs of me being trans early". While they are trying to relate to things that society would see as "male", to prove that they are "really a guy", they are also reinforcing that there are "boy behaviors" and "girl behaviors". This makes it seem like some transmen who, like me, grew up with barbie's and played with dolls aren't "really" a guy.

I'm a big fan of youtube, so heres a video that talks a little about this stereotype if you skip to the 5th minute!