Transfeminine: Difference between revisions

    From Nonbinary Wiki
    (clarification note on fashionist@)
    imported>Eksynn
    (→‎History: clarified the definition to be less specific to transgendered people (as it's not), fixed a few spelling mistakes and added the prefix "cross-" to the definition.)
    Line 1: Line 1:
    [[File:Trans-woman.png|thumb|The most commonly used transfeminine flag. Alternative flags can be seen at [[:Category:Transfeminine pride flags]].]]
    [[File:Trans-woman.png|thumb|The most commonly used transfeminine flag. Alternative flags can be seen at [[:Category:Transfeminine pride flags]].]]
    '''Transfeminine''' (also written '''trans-feminine''' or '''trans feminine''', and sometimes abbreviated to '''transfem''' or '''transfemme'''<ref group="note">The word ''femme'' is mostly used in relation to lesbians. See [[Femme]] for more information on the topic.</ref>) describes a transgender person (generally one who was [[Sexes#Assigned male at birth|assigned male at birth]]) who seeks to present femininely, or to [[transition]] to look more feminine, or who identifies as more female than male. The label "trans-feminine" can be considered either a [[gender identity]], a [[gender expression]], or both. It is an [[umbrella term]] that includes [[woman#transgender women|trans women]] who don't consider themselves nonbinary, and [[nonbinary]] feminine people.<ref name="NBGQ2016">[http://nonbinarystats.tumblr.com/post/141311159050/nbgq-survey-2016-the-worldwide-results NB/GQ Survey 2016 - the worldwide results], March 2016.</ref><ref>"Transfeminine." ''Dictionary.com.'' https://www.dictionary.com/browse/transfeminine</ref>
    '''Transfeminine''' (also written '''trans-feminine''' or '''trans feminine''', sometimes abbreviated to '''transfem''' or '''transfemme'''<ref group="note">The word ''femme'' is mostly used in relation to lesbians. See [[Femme]] for more information on the topic.</ref>, and sometimes known as '''cross-feminine''' or '''cross-femme''') describes a person, transgender or otherwise (generally but not exclusively one who was [[Sexes#Assigned male at birth|assigned male at birth]]) who seeks to present femininely, identifies as more female than male, or wishes to [[transition]] to look more feminine. In general, although not exclusively, the prefix "''cross''-" is used by individuals who do not wish to nor believe themselves to be in transition, but still does not align their life-style or gender choice to be in full or partial synchrony with their physical sex.
     
    The labels can be considered to be a [[gender identity]], a [[gender expression]], or both. It is an [[umbrella term]] that includes [[woman#transgender women|trans women]] who don't consider themselves nonbinary, and [[nonbinary]] feminine people.<ref name="NBGQ2016">[http://nonbinarystats.tumblr.com/post/141311159050/nbgq-survey-2016-the-worldwide-results NB/GQ Survey 2016 - the worldwide results], March 2016.</ref><ref>"Transfeminine." ''Dictionary.com.'' https://www.dictionary.com/browse/transfeminine</ref>
    Some examples of genders that transfeminine individuals may identify as include:
    Some examples of genders that transfeminine individuals may identify as include:
    *Binary [[woman#transgender women|trans women]]
    *Binary [[woman#transgender women|trans women]]
    Line 7: Line 9:
    *[[Multigender]] people
    *[[Multigender]] people
    *[[Genderfluid]] people who identify as feminine more often than other genders.
    *[[Genderfluid]] people who identify as feminine more often than other genders.
    *[[Nonbinary]] people, as long as they identify with feminity.
    *[[Nonbinary]] people, as long as they identify with femininity.


    One web-site about nonbinary gender identity explains how someone can be both trans-feminine and nonbinary:   
    One web-site about nonbinary gender identity explains how someone can be both trans-feminine and nonbinary:   

    Revision as of 15:45, 2 February 2023

    The most commonly used transfeminine flag. Alternative flags can be seen at Category:Transfeminine pride flags.

    Transfeminine (also written trans-feminine or trans feminine, sometimes abbreviated to transfem or transfemme[note 1], and sometimes known as cross-feminine or cross-femme) describes a person, transgender or otherwise (generally but not exclusively one who was assigned male at birth) who seeks to present femininely, identifies as more female than male, or wishes to transition to look more feminine. In general, although not exclusively, the prefix "cross-" is used by individuals who do not wish to nor believe themselves to be in transition, but still does not align their life-style or gender choice to be in full or partial synchrony with their physical sex.

    The labels can be considered to be a gender identity, a gender expression, or both. It is an umbrella term that includes trans women who don't consider themselves nonbinary, and nonbinary feminine people.[1][2] Some examples of genders that transfeminine individuals may identify as include:

    One web-site about nonbinary gender identity explains how someone can be both trans-feminine and nonbinary:

    Some neutrois people [neutrois is a specific nonbinary identity that is neither male nor female] feel they aren’t completely 100% gender-free or gender-neutral; rather, they lean a little more towards one side or another of the gender spectrum. Transfeminine means the person tilts towards female [...] It’s important to note this does not invalidate, contradict, or cancel out being neutrois, as they still feel a strong affinity with this identity. Instead, being transmasculine [...] is more of a modifier or a complement which adds to the complexity of their gender, gender expression, or gender identity. In these cases there might be a preference to present more closely to one gender over another, or it can be more comfortable to just live as one binary gender rather than the other. However, this choice is more often a result of convenience in order to navigate a society in which only two genders are recognized. A lot of people would ideally opt to have neutrois recognized as their gender and not be forced to make a decision between male and female only.

    -Micah, "What is neutrois?"[3]

    This explains several reasons why a person can identify as both trans-feminine and as a nonbinary identity.

    History

    Text lines white icon.svg This article lacks significant content. You can help the Nonbinary wiki by completing it!
    Note to editors: remember to always support the information you proved with external references!

    We would appreciate information about when transfeminine was coined, or sources showing its earliest known usage.

    The word "transfeminine" was used in a 1985 issue of The TV-TS Tapestry, a magazine "for persons interested in crossdressing & transsexualism". In that issue, Jane Nance wrote about the difficulties of describing herself with the then-current terminology: Since Jane felt her identity was fully womanly, she did not want to identify as "transvestite", and since she did not want surgical transition she felt that "transsexual" was not accurate either, and neither was "transgenderist", since "I'm living and functioning in the world most of time in the male role." She proposed "transfeminine" as a possibility and said that the definition could be "a male who feels like a female, strictly undefined in relation to any issue of an operation".[4] This might or might not be the first recorded usage of the word "transfeminine".

    "Transfeminine" was one of the identities that became available in the gender selection on Facebook in 2014.[5]

    Related terms

    A similar but distinct umbrella term to the trans-feminine spectrum is the male-to-female spectrum (MtF spectrum), meaning that they were assigned male at birth, and transition in a more female direction. This term is also not limited to people who specifically identify as women. "Trans-feminine" and "MtF spectrum" carry different nuances of meaning that may suit people in different ways. Trans-feminine doesn't call out someone's birth assignment, but does call out their gender expression as being feminine. There are trans women who prefer a more butch than feminine gender expression. Meanwhile, MtF spectrum doesn't specify one's gender expression as being feminine, calls out one's birth assignment, but transgender people can feel uncomfortable with having their gender assignment pointed out. Due to these nuances, people may feel that one term is more suitable than the other for their own comfort and for the most accurate description of their identity.

    A demigirl is someone who only partially identifies as a girl or woman, whatever their assigned gender at birth.[6]

    The counterpart of trans-feminine is trans-masculine.

    Notable people

    There is more information about this topic here: notable nonbinary people

    Notable people who consider their identity to be outside the Western gender binary, and who describe themselves with the word "transfeminine," include:

    See also

    Notes

    1. The word femme is mostly used in relation to lesbians. See Femme for more information on the topic.
    2. Alok Vaid-Menon was described as a fashionist@ (sic) in this article from Them.us. Note that the suffix -ista is already a gender-neutral suffix in modern languages like Spanish, but the Nonbinary Wiki respects chosen self-descriptors.

    References

    1. NB/GQ Survey 2016 - the worldwide results, March 2016.
    2. "Transfeminine." Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/transfeminine
    3. Micah, "What is neutrois?" Neutrois.com. Retrieved April 14, 2019. http://neutrois.com/what-is-neutrois
    4. Nance, Jane (1985). "Transfeminine!!!". The TV-TS Tapestry (47): 31–33.
    5. "Facebook custom gender options: Here are all 56 custom options.", Slate. February 13th, 2014. Accessed April 10th, 2017.
    6. http://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/55798-definitions-master-list/ AVEN: Definitions Master List
    7. Hawgood, Alex (October 29, 2020). "Yass, We Can! Drag Performers Enter the Political Mainstream". W Magazine. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
    8. https://www.iannefieldsstewart.com/
    9. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaqFE1-PCaw/