Words Mean Things: You’ve Been Transgendered!

When I hear “This is my friend _____ , she’s transgendered”, I cringe. It may seem innocuous, but using the word “transgendered” indicates that being transgender is something you have done to you. Imagine someone saying “this is my friend Andy, he’s gayed” or “this is my best friend Betty,  she’s lesbianed.” Like being gay and lesbian, being transgender isn’t something that you have done to you, it’s part of who you are. I’m proud to be of Irish, Scot, German, and native American descent. But I’d never say I’m “Irished and Proud.”

But don’t feel bad, even folks at the National Center for Trangender Equality have made the same mistake:

If you make the mistake it’s not too big of a deal, but please try and remember to say transgender? There’s a rumor that if you say “transgendered” too many times, the transgender fairy will visit you in the night and transgender you! It’s just a rumor, but better safe than sorry.

Transadvocate contributor: Marti Abernathey  (1924 Posts)

Marti Abernathey is Transadvocate.com's blog editor. She's also a podcaster, activist, and radiologic technologist in Madison, Wisconsin. She's been a part of various internet radio ventures such as TSR Live!, The T-Party, and The Radical Trannies, to name a few. As an advocate she's previously been involved with the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, Rock Indiana Campaign for Equality, and the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition. She's taken vital roles as a grass roots community organizer in The Indianapolis Tax Day Protest (2003), The Indy Pride HRC Protest (2004), Transgender Day of Remembrance (2004), Indiana's Witch Hunt (2005), and the Rally At The Statehouse (the largest ever GLBT protest in Indiana - 3/2005). She was a delegate from Indiana to the Democratic National Convention and a member of Barack Obama's LGBT Steering and Policy Committee.