What Does It Mean to Be Transfeminine?
Sian Ferguson |
So, what’re the basics?
Transfeminine people are people who were assigned male at birth (AMAB) but identify more with a feminine identity.
Being assigned male at birth means that, when you were born, someone declared you a male based on your genitals. It’s a more respectful alternative to saying that you were “born a man” or “biologically male.”
Transfeminine is often used to refer to:
- transgender women
- AMAB nonbinary people who identify with femininity
- AMAB demigirls (which is someone who partially identifies as a girl, woman, or feminine)
- AMAB gender-fluid people who identify with femininity, whether it’s all, most, or some of the time
- other AMAB people who identify with femininity
- In other words, transfeminine is a broad term that includes a few different groups of people.
Why might someone opt to use this term over others?
“Transfeminine” is a broad term that applies to any AMAB person who identifies with femininity.
The term is helpful because it’s an umbrella term that describes a few different groups of people, including transgender women, feminine nonbinary people, and more.
It can be a helpful term for someone who’s exploring their identity and isn’t sure whether they’re a transgender woman or a nonbinary person who strongly identifies with femininity.
It can also be useful for those who simply identify as feminine but not specifically as a woman.
How do you know if it’s the term for you?
There’s no test to figure out whether you’re transfeminine. The only prerequisite is that you identify as transfeminine. But, of course, it can be difficult to figure out your identity at first.
If you’d like to explore and consider whether or not the term fits you, consider doing the following:
- Talk to transfeminine people on online forums or groups, or in person, to hear what being transfeminine means to them.
- Read about the experiences of transfeminine people and ask yourself whether you relate. Bear in mind that everyone’s experience is different.
- Consider which aspects of your gender expression or identity you consider to be transfeminine.
- Try the term out by referring to yourself as transfeminine, either out loud or in written words. You don’t need to share this with anyone if you don’t want to. Just try it and see how it feels.
- Journal about your gender. Sometimes, writing it out helps you understand it better.
This helpful article might help you figure out whether you’re transfeminine. But remember, there’s no “right” way to be transfeminine. If you identify as transfeminine, you are transfeminine.
___________
My Note: I like the way this description feels. According to Wikipedia:
The label 'trans-feminine' can be considered either a gender identity, a gender expression, or both.
Something about dressing feminine and being referred to as a feminine person sits right with me. I like being called “she”, "lady", "ma'am", "her". I like dressing with a feminine differential, or dressing in a dress, putting on make-up, or just being my self in jeans and sandals.
No comments:
Post a Comment