Online Questionnaires
Re-thinking Transgenderism The Trans Research Review
• Understanding online trans communities.
• Comprehending present-day transvestism.
• Inconsistent definitions of ‘transgenderism’ and the connected terms. • !Information regarding • Transphobia. • Family matters with trans people. • Employment issues concerning trans people. • Presentations of trans people within media. The Questionnaires
• ‘Male-To-Female’ (‘MTF’) transsexual people [84 questions] ! • ‘MTF’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists [83 questions] ! • ‘Significant Others’ (Partners of trans people)
[49 questions] ! • ‘Female To Male’ (‘FTM’) transsexual people
[80 questions] ! • ‘FTM’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists [75 questions] ! • ‘Trans Admirers’ (Individuals attracted to trans people) • [50 questions] The Questionnaires
2nd Jan. 2007 to ~ 12th Dec. 2010 on the international Gender Society website and gained 390,227 inputs worldwide ‘Male-To-Female’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists:
Being 'In the closet' - transgendered only in private or Being 'Out of the closet' - transgendered in (some) public places
204 ‘Female-To-Male’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists:
Being 'In the closet' - transgendered only in private or Being 'Out of the closet' - transgendered in (some) public places
0.58 1 - Understanding online trans communities. Transgender Support/Help Websites
‘Male-To-Female’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists: (679 responses)
Always 41
Often 206
Sometimes 365
Never 67
0 100 200 300 400 1 - Understanding online trans communities. Transgender Support/Help Websites
Transsexual women: (406 responses)
Always 44
Often 164
Sometimes 178
Never 20
0 45 90 135 180 1 - Understanding online trans communities. Transgender Support/Help Websites
‘Male-To-Female’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists: (679 responses)
Always 41
Often 206
Sometimes 365
Never 67
0 100 200 300 400 1 - Understanding online trans communities. Transgender Support/Help Websites
Transsexual women: (406 responses)
Always 44
Often 164
Sometimes 178
Never 20
0 45 90 135 180 2 - Comprehending present-day transvestism. “Do You Feel More Relaxed Cross-dressed Than in Male Mode?”
130 126
96 98 86
65
33 33
0 Never Sometimes Often Always 2 - Comprehending present-day transvestism. “Do You Feel More Confident Cross-dressed Than in Male Mode?”
140 132
105 92 83
70
35 31
0 Never Sometimes Often Always 3 - Inconsistent definitions of ‘transgenderism’ and the connected terms. Preferred Identifying Terms
‘MTF’ Transvestites/Cross-dressers/Transgenderists (1361 inputs)
Other 38
Tranny 123
Trans woman 45
Trans person 35
Transgenderist (TG or TGist) 45
Cross-dresser (CD) 383
Transvestite (TV) 242
Tgirl 237
Transgendered 213
0 100 200 300 400 3 - Inconsistent definitions of ‘transgenderism’ and the connected terms. “Other”
• ‘female impersonator’, ‘No preference’ (x3), ‘woman’ (x6), ‘Girl’, ‘Transexualite’, ‘man or bi’, ‘TV/ CD/TG’, ‘Shemale’, ‘Sissy’, ‘don’t care’, ‘Tranny only by other T-girls’, ‘Tran-dress-tight’, ‘Trans lesbian’ (x2), ‘Exploring’, ‘alternate lifestyle’, ‘Inner femme’, ‘bird’, ‘or my CD name’, ‘a person’, ‘ts’, ‘gurly, gurly guy’, ‘gurly-boy’, ‘Crossdresser’ (x3), ‘not sure’, ‘confused lover of silky satin lingerie and sleepwear on my body’, ‘bi-gendered’, ‘queer’, ‘pandrogonous’. 3 - Inconsistent definitions of ‘transgenderism’ and the connected terms. Preferred Identifying Terms
Transsexual women: (759 inputs)
Other 34
Woman 153
Tranny 51
Trans woman 57
Trans person 34
Transsexual (TS) 151
Tgirl 98
Transgendered 181
0 50 100 150 200 3 - Inconsistent definitions of ‘transgenderism’ and the connected terms. “Other”
• ‘No preference’ (x3), ‘me’ (x2), ‘crossdresser’ (x4), ‘just me’, ‘Its just a label’, ‘Transgender’, ‘Pre-op M2F’, ‘shemale’, ‘non op presently’, ‘transvesdit’, ‘By my name’, ‘The term “Girl” applies to young/young looking women’, ‘Transsexual woman’, ‘two- spirited’ (x2), ‘girl’, ‘femboi, girlyboy, etc’, ‘FemMale’, ‘intersexed & transexual’, ‘bad girl’, ‘CD’, ‘Individual’, ‘TG’, ‘woman/girl’, ‘pre op transsexual’, ‘bitch’, ‘gender variant’, ‘female’ 4 - Transphobia. “Do you experience physical danger because of your transgenderism?”
‘Male-To-Female’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists: (324 responses)
Always 4
Often 8
Sometimes 86
Never 226
0 75 150 225 300 4 - Transphobia. “Do you experience physical danger because of your transgenderism?”
Transsexual women: (396 responses)
Always 1
Often 11
Sometimes 126
Never 258
0 75 150 225 300 4 - Transphobia. “Do you experience physical danger because of your transgenderism?”
‘Male-To-Female’ transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists: (324 responses)
Always 4
Often 8
Sometimes 86
Never 226
0 75 150 225 300 4 - Transphobia. “Do you experience physical danger because of your transgenderism?”
Transsexual women: (396 responses)
Always 1
Often 11
Sometimes 126
Never 258
0 75 150 225 300 5 - Family matters with trans people. “What triggered you to ‘come out’?”
Other 43
Professional therapy/counselling 27
Telephone help lines 7
Others telling me that I was more like a girl/woman than a boy/man 49
Being single due to being widowed 1
Being single due to divorce/break-up 41
Family member's support 18
Friend's support 54
Partner's support 59
Reading 'trans' books 53
Talking to other 'trans' people in reality' 82
Visiting transgender websites/communicating with other 'trans' people 144
0 40 80 120 160 5 - Family matters with trans people. “What triggered you to be transsexual?”
Visiting 'trans' people's websites; communicating with 'trans' people on the internet 105
Talking to 'trans' people in reality 69
Reading transgender themed books 64
First a TV but increasingly wanted to be transsexual 88
Transgender fantasies got so strong wanted to be transsexual 135
Increasing discomfort with having a male body 260
Increasing dislike of men 61
Others telling me that I was more like a girl/woman than a boy/man 125
Partner's support 36
Friend's support 40
Family member's support 20
Being single as a result of being divorced or widowed 35
0 75 150 225 300 6 - Employment issues concerning trans people. Transvestites/crossdressers/transgenderists. Employment issues concerning trans people. Transsexual women. 7 - Presentations of trans people within media For your transgendered identity do you have any role models (eg: real or in films etc)?
Open response box but no role models were expressed…
Possible people? ! ‘Hayley Patterson’ introduced in the ‘ITV’ television series Coronation Street in 1998. According to Press For Change she enhanced mainstream acceptance of Transsexualism. But the actress, Julie Hesmondhalgh, is not trans in reality. Samantha Johnson of the ‘Beaumont Society’ interviewed this actress about her role and her character’s marriage to ‘Roy’: 7 - Presentations of trans people within media Interview
• Johnson:
There have been comments from certain quarters that the role is unsuitable for the pre 9pm watershed …
• Hesmondhalgh:
People are terrified of anything that challenges their ideas of normality. Coronation Street has always been the most conservative of the soaps and in many ways Roy & Hayley are two of the most conservative characters in the street. That’s where the true subversiveness lies! 7 - Presentations of trans people within media What about cross-dressers/transvestites?
Eddie Izzard
2 ‘Emmy Awards’ in 2000 ‘British Comedy Award’ in 1993 and 1996 ! Izzard was nationally admired during and after he completed 43 marathon runs in 51 days for charity during 2009. He was given a “BBC Sports Personality special award” Office for National Statistics and Ministry of Justice
An Overview of Hate Crime in England and Wales 2013 Identified Hate Crimes
40000
30000
2011/12 2012/13 20000
10000
0 Transgender Disability Sexual orientation Religion Race Q52 - If you went to psychiatric therapy/counselling how helpful was it?
40% of the 240 transsexual respondents chose “It helped me a lot”
Only 25% of the 197 transvestic respondents chose “It helped me a lot” Online Questionnaires – Rethinking Transgenderism
Thank you ! ! ! Lee R J Middlehurst [email protected] [email protected]