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)