Just FYI: Transgendered is an inappropriate word. The proper word is Transgender.

[Zorra]

Last edited Sat Apr 12, 2014, 07:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Examples:

Correct: He is straight.

Incorrect: He is a straighted.

Correct: She is lesbian.

Incorrect: She is lesbianed.

Correct: He is gay.

Incorrect: He is gayed.

Correct: She is transgender.

Incorrect: She is transgendered.

See how that works?

Use "Transgender," not "Transgendered." – The word "transgender" is an adjective, not a noun, and never needs the extraneous "-ed" at the end. Chaz Bono can be described as either a man or a transgender man. He is not "a transgender," "a transgendered," or "a transgendered man."

http://www.glaad.org/publications/resources-journalists-and-media-covering-chaz-bono-and-transgender-issues

http://transactivists.org/

http://transequality.org/

http://www.hrc.org/issues/transgender

http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx

http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/otherprotections.cfm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142922.htm

http://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/transgender-rights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

http://www.wikihow.com/Respect-a-Transgender-Person

http://www.glaad.org/transgender

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/transgender/

http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/magazine/90519/transgender-civil-rights-gay-lesbian-lgbtq

[rumdude]

1. oh ok

[Jamaal510]

2. Speaking of which,

this is slightly OT, but I've been confused over whether it's more acceptable to say "transgender" or "transsexual". On this site and on some news shows, I usually hear the former instead, but on other shows, I hear the latter.

[Jennes]

3. I consider "transsexual" to be a subset of "transgender."

Additionally, while both are adjectives, transsexual can also be used as a noun.

Also, thanks to the OP for this post. The use of the non-word "transgendered" as well as usage like, "I have a friend who is a transgender" drives me crazy. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard when I hear it.... One can be a transsexual, but one cannot be a transgender.

On a side note, I once heard that the double "s" in "transsexual" is very important. Apparently there is an arrangement with the online porn community to use "transexual" (single-s) when referring to porn , thus letting trans people find online information about transsexual (double-s) issues without having to sort through mountains of porn.

[Zorra]

21. +1. Most of my transsexual friends prefer to be recognized as transsexual.

They feel that there is a universe of difference between who they are, and someone who enjoys cross dressing once a month on a Saturday night. (And that should not be taken as criticism of cross dressers).

Transsexualism is when an individual identifies with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their assigned sex, i.e. in which a person's assigned sex at birth conflicts with their psychological gender. A medical diagnosis can be made if a person experiences discomfort as a result of a desire to be a member of the opposite gender,[1] or if a person experiences impaired functioning or distress as a result of that gender identification.[2]
snip---
Transsexualism appears in the two major diagnostic manuals used by mental health professionals worldwide, the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM, currently in its fifth edition) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD, currently in its tenth edition). The ICD-10 incorporates transsexualism, dual role transvestism and gender identity disorder of childhood into its gender identity disorder category, and defines transsexualism as "[a] desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by a sense of discomfort with, or inappropriateness of, one's anatomic sex, and a wish to have surgery and hormonal treatment to make one's body as congruent as possible with one's preferred sex."[4] The DSM does not distinguish between gender identity disorder and transsexualism, and defines transvestic fetishism as a separate phenomenon which may co-occur with transsexualism. The DSM diagnosis requires four components:[5]

A desire or insistence that one is of the opposite biological sex (that is not due to a perceived advantage of being the other sex)
Evidence of persistent discomfort with, and perceived inappropriateness of the individual's biological sex
The individual is not intersex (although a diagnosis of GID Not Otherwise Specified is available, which enables intersex people who reject their sex-assignment to access transsexual treatments)
Evidence of clinically significant distress or impairment in work or social life.
snip---
Transsexualism is often included within the broader category of transgenderism, which is generally used as an umbrella term for people who do not conform to typical accepted gender roles, for example cross-dressers, transvestites, and people who identify as genderqueer. Transsexualism refers to a specific condition in the transgender realm. Thus, even though a crossdresser and transsexual are both transgender people, their conditions differ radically.[28][29] Though some people use transgenderism and transsexualism interchangeably, they are not synonymous terms.[30]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexualism



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexualism

[Major Nikon]

37. "sex" and "gender" are synonymous in this context

The word "sex" is more inclusive of alternate definitions which is why "gender" is preferred by some.

gen·der
noun
...

2.
sex: the feminine gender.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gender

[Boreal]

4. I always think of transsexual

As one who has transitioned (partially, completely, or in process). Transgender I think of as what's between the ears.

[Major Nikon]

5. Then why is it in the dictionary?

trans·gen·der
adjective \-ˈjen-dər\

: of or relating to people who have a sexual identity that is not clearly male or clearly female
Full Definition of TRANSGENDER
: of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person's sex at birth
— trans·gen·der·ism noun
See transgender defined for English-language learners »
Variants of TRANSGENDER
trans·gen·der or trans·gen·dered

trans·gen·der
[trans-jen-der, tranz‐] Show IPA
noun
1.
a person appearing or attempting to be a member of the opposite sex, as a transsexual or habitual cross-dresser.
adjective Also, trans·gen·dered.
2.
being, pertaining to, or characteristic of a transgender or transgenders: the transgender movement.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/transgender

I get what GLAAD is saying in that adding an 'ed' at the end is superfluous, but the claim that transgendered is not a word doesn't seem to be valid and your link doesn't appear to provide support for that assertion. I read it as transgender is preferred over trangendered as the latter implies past tense.

[gollygee]

6. Dictionaries reflect usage

They don't prescribe accuracy. They only reflect what people do, whether it is grammatically accurate or not.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Grammatically, transgendered is well-formed, just like 'gendered'

OED for 'gendered':

Specific to, biased towards, or belonging to one of the sexes or genders; divided or differentiated according to gender (considered either culturally or biologically; cf. gender n. 3a, 3b).

1945 Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. 58 331 Society is gendered far beyond the gendering of the individual man or woman.
1975 Crit. Inq. 2 81 The characters come alive most fully at night, prowling the streets of European cities, and harbor within their gendered bodies an inverted (or opposing) sexual identity.
1986 J. Stacey Are Feminists Afraid to leave Home? 217 Friedan and Elshtain..interpret the feminist critique of a gendered division of labour as a phallocentric privileging of public life, careers, and male rationality, which contributes to the denigration of motherhood.
1997 J. Hynes Publish & Perish ix. 249 Across the back of the sink a neatly gendered division of territory, Barbasol and razor to the right, Clinique and cotton balls to the left.
2004 N.Y. Times 6 Jan. d7/6 Male contraceptives have become an inevitable factor in the dynamics of change in the gendered social order.

[gollygee]

8. I don't see them as being the same

One specific group of people is affected by "transgender" so I defer to them as far as usage goes. The word "gender" is much more universal.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Yes, but that's a matter of preferred usage, not grammar (nt)

[Ms. Toad]

11. What is in the dictionary does not match with the preference of those described

who, for the most part, find using transgendered borderline offensive (because it suggests the person using the word can't be bothered to ask about the preferred term).

[Major Nikon]

30. I'm not so sure most have a preference one way or another

But I do understand why some would consider it offensive. Transgendered implies they were once something else. I think the discussion is a good one to have. I've used the term before myself without thinking about it much and leaving off the 'ed' certainly seems more grammatically clear. I found another reference on Huffpo that does a good job of explaining it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/transgender-or-transgende_b_492922.html

[Ms. Toad]

40. I linked to that in another post of mine.

While I certainly haven't surveyed all transgender individuals, my life is full of trans* friends (including my high school sweetheart) and many more in a community in which talking about words is very important. I don't know any of them who would use transgendered.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

10. Four of the first five dictionaries I've just tried disagree with you, I'm afraid.

Until I saw this post, I wasn't aware that transgendered was a world (I may have seen it used, and just not noticed the distinction between it and transgender, or I may just not have seen it).

But, having looked it up, it turns out that you're wrong, and it is.

Which is not to say, of course, that it won't cause offence (you're the only person I've ever seen take offence at it, but that may just be because I haven't seen it used).

[Ms. Toad]

12. Many transgender individuals do find it at least borderline offensive.

Given the other words which are used to describe them, this particular variant is not the worst - but when in doubt have a conversation with a transgender man or woman and ask what they prefer.

[Zorra]

18. And am I correct in surmising that you are a *straighted* white male? Try this:

"Transgendered" is an erroneous variant of the word transgender, mistakenly used by straighted people, and even sometimes gayed people, who don't know any better. However, the usage of the word trangendered may alienate, and often insult, the majority of transgender people, and if it is your wish to continue do so, that is your right. Transgender is a condition at birth, just as are the condition of being lesbian, gay, transsexual, or straight.

If you try to use this word as a noun, you may create unrest among the multitudes of transgendered people out there, possibly even the transsexualed. The gayed and lesbianed folks probably won't appreciate it either. Do you know actually know anyone who is a transgendered?

People do not become lesbianed, gayed, straighted, or transgendered at some point in their life, do they?

We are born this way. Lesbian. Gay. Transgender. Straight.

So, how old were you when you decided you decided to be straighted, or should I say heterosexualed, if you prefer?

GLAAD's Transgender Media and Education Program
http://www.glaad.org/transgender

"The word transgender never needs the extraneous "ed" at the end of the word. In fact, such a construction is grammatically incorrect. Only verbs can be transformed into participles by adding "-ed" to the end of the word, and transgender is an adjective, not a verb".

TRANSGENDER TERMINOLOGY, from the National Center of Transgender Equality (pdf)
http://transequality.org/Resources/TransTerminology_2014.pdf

Is this blog post intolerant of the straighted?

Is this blog post intolerant of the bisexualed?

Is this blog post intolerant of the lesbianed?

Is this blog post intolerant of the transsexualed?

Is this blog post intolerant of the gayed?

Is this blog post intolerant of the homosexualed?

Is this blog post intolerant of the transgendered?

Transgender or Transgendered?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/transgender-or-transgende_b_492922.html

Here is a post from one of our transgender DUers:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11379657#post9

Transgender
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

[phleshdef]

20. Comparing the word to straight or gay or lesbian is also incorrect. False equivalency.

Those are sexual orientations. Being transgender is not a sexual orientation, its about gender identification, not who you are attracted to.

I don't THINK I've use the word "transgendered", I've never really thought about it. This is the first time in my life I've seen anyone make an issue of it, EVER. I don't believe its a slur though and its in the dictionary. This just seems like word police bullshit that doesn't really mean anything.

[Zorra]

31. And your post seems like conservative authoritarian dominant straight majority police bullshit that

means you don't really know much about the subject.

Now, you can continue to say it like an ignorant republican, if you wish, or you can say it like transgender folks say it, and the majority of other people who are aware, literate, knowledgeable, progressive, and considerate, say it.

If it was me, I'd choose to run with the smart people on this.

Here is how the overwhelming majority of both transgender, and aware, knowledgeable, and considerate other people say it.

http://transactivists.org/

http://transequality.org/

http://www.hrc.org/issues/transgender

http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx

http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/otherprotections.cfm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142922.htm

http://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/transgender-rights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

http://www.wikihow.com/Respect-a-Transgender-Person

http://www.glaad.org/transgender

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/transgender/

http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/magazine/90519/transgender-civil-rights-gay-lesbian-lgbtq

[AverageJoe90]

41. That's a bit overly harsh, don't you think?

And your post seems like conservative authoritarian dominant straight majority police bullshit that
means you don't really know much about the subject.

Now, you can continue to say it like an ignorant republican, if you wish,

I'm not so convinced of that. In fact, he wasn't, to be truthful. He was just offering a different perspective.....although frankly, I don't agree with Nikon on the "word police" thing, either; it didn't come across as such to *me*, anyhow.

I'm just saying we need to be careful about not going too far with disagreements. We don't win fights that way.

[Zorra]

45. Maybe. I suppose that, as a female minority liberal LGBT feminist, I may be

overly sensitive about instances where (apparent) straight white males tell me that minority issues which effect me, and mine, issues that may be important to me, and us, are bullshit.

Gayed, Blacked, Transgendered
January 8, 2014
By Dan Savage

Is there a term that is preferred to "transgendered"? I recently wrote an article that described a MTF person I know as transgendered. The article was positive about transgendered persons I have known (she is one of many). Upon seeing a draft prior to publication, this person flipped out so hard that I felt compelled to cut off all contact with her. I also killed the article. One of her complaints was that I used the word "transgendered" to describe her, and she identifies as something other than that. I feel like an old fart even asking, but have you heard of this? What is the new term if it's not okay to say "transgendered" anymore?

Confused In Straightland

"Let's assume CIS got the subject's identity right (versus genderqueer or agender) and is being respectful," said Shadi Petosky, a writer, a trans woman, and the cofounder of PUNY Entertainment. "Even if CIS showed her respect, CIS isn't showing respect for the English language." Transgender is an adjective like blue or tall, Petosky pointed out. It's not a noun or verb. So the correct term is "transgender man," "transgender woman," or "transgender person," not "transgendered man."

"It might help if CIS thinks about the adjectives gay or black," said Petosky. "You're a gay man or you're gay. You're not 'gayed.' The president is a black man. He's not a blacked man. Only an ignorant person or a bigot would get gayed/blacked wrong. And to say that Dan Savage is 'a gay' or Barak Obama is 'a black' sounds homophobic or racist because it dehumanizes. Trans people want dignity, CIS, so if you are saying transgender or trans outside of 'they're transgender,' you have to put man, woman, or person (or human) after it. Because that is what we are."

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=18638386

Thanks, AverageJoe90. I'll try to keep saying it as nicely as possible right on up to the point where I have to break out the pepper spray. (;

[AverageJoe90]

47. I'm not sure you quite got my point, TBH.(do I detect a hint of sarcasm?)

This wasn't meant as a slam on you, nor was it diminishing any pertaining issues that you or others may face.....just the way you said it was problematic, that's all.

[Zorra]

52. I believe I got your point, well taken.

Sarcasm...well, yeh, ~ but not directed at you whatsoever.

[phleshdef]

43. LOL, what did I say that was even remotely "conservative". You're just throwing word arounds now.

You have no actual point, so you accuse me of being a Republican because you got nothing. That's all that shit is right there.

And trying to police what people say at this trivial of a level is definitely more of a conservative trait than a liberal one.

[Zorra]

55. I see it as kind of one of those conservative Duck Dynasty Dude type things.

African Americans: "We don't want to be called "colored". We want to be called African Americans."

Duck Dude: "I don't THINK I've use the words "colored", I've never really thought about it. This is the first time in my life I've seen anyone make an issue of it, EVER. I don't believe its a slur though and its in the dictionary. This just seems like word police bullshit that doesn't really mean anything."

Same shit, different day.

[phleshdef]

56. well how you see it is misguided at best....

...and painfully stupid at the least.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

23. No, you would not be.

Because "straighted" is not grammatically correct English, whereas, according to four out of five dictionaries, "transgendered" is.

By all means ask people not to use it.

But do so because it's offensive, rather than saying it's incorrect English, because it appears you're simply incorrect about that.

[Zorra]

26. Fair enough. Would you mind posting the links to your dictionary variants

of the word transgender? Or just post which dictionaries they are so i can look them up?

Thanks.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

32. I thought they were four of the first five that came up when I googled "dictionary".

So I think that four of them will have been http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ , http://dictionary.reference.com/ http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ http://www.collinsdictionary.com/

But the fifth link that google brings ups for "dictionary" is apparently one I haven't visited, so I'm not sure what the fifth was. It might have been http://www.merriam-webster.com/, I guess?

[Zorra]

33. OK, when I google

define transgendered all I get for results for the main definition is transgender.

In the results, however, transgendered is also listed as a variant/adjective ~ as in also: transgendered.

It is unfortunate that some inappropriate non-words can be used used mistakenly, in everyday usage, by people ignorant of a subject, can make it into the dictionary.

Thank you, I will correct my OP.

I'm hoping to do what I can to fix this problem.

[chimaxx]

57. Preference and grammar go in different directions here

Last edited Mon May 9, 2016, 06:46 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm all for empowering transgender people (and others) to choose their own terminology for self-dentification.

But the grammatical explanation you include is simply not true:

"The word transgender never needs the extraneous "ed" at the end of the word. In fact, such a construction is grammatically incorrect. Only verbs can be transformed into participles by adding "-ed" to the end of the word, and transgender is an adjective, not a verb".

Verbs are not the only words that can be turned into participles by adding an "-ed"--a fact well known by talented and renowned grammarians.

"Gender," like "talent," is a noun. If you want want to add a modifying prefix to it (like trans- or muliti-) and turn it into an adjective, there is no good grammatical reason why it wouldn't take an "-ed" at the end.

Why should it be "multitalented," but "transgender"?

Because transgender people say so is a good enough reason.

But people--of whatever genders or talents--look foolish if they try to argue that it's because grammar says so. It doesn't. Grammar actually points the other way.

Turning a noun (like gender) usually requires an alternate ending, whether an -ian, a -ual, an -ed or something else:

Incorrect: She is Lesbos.

Correct: She is lesbian.

Incorrect: He is homosex.

Correct: He is homosexual.

See how that works?

[etherealtruth]

13. Thank you, I did not realize this

[Nye Bevan]

14. I guess someone should tell this support site that.

http://iamtransgendered.com

This website is dedicated to providing support and information to the transgendered community and to people who are being introduced to the community. I decided to build this website as a way for me to explain to my Mom what being transgendered is about.

That is, if you are comfortable lecturing to minorities about what you feel are acceptable ways to refer to themselves. In which case click the contact link and straightsplain it to them.

[Ms. Toad]

16. That site is out of line with real life discussions I have had

with at least a dozen transgender friends of mine. It is an individual's personal expression, not a statement by the trans* community - or even a group of people representing the community.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/transgender-or-transgende_b_492922.html
https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender

That doesn't mean there aren't trans* individuals who use the word transgendered. There are members of every minority who use words which the majority reject as ignorant - at best, and bigoted at worst. I would never presume to correct someone who is speaking about him or herself. But as someone who aspires to be a trans* ally, it is quite appropriate for me to suggest to a primarily cis audience that "transgendered" is not a term which finds wide acceptance in the trans* community. In the same way I might suggest to a primarily white audience that "colored" is not a term which finds wide acceptance.

[Zorra]

27. Well said. Ms. Toad. nt

[qazplm]

29. how about just recognizing

that's there are differences and gently/politely correcting someone if they don't use the proper term?

[Ms. Toad]

36. That's pretty much what I said -

(except that I wouldn't correct someone who actually is a trans* individual and who chooses to use a different term than everyone else I know).

[Zorra]

25. Too funny! I was born LGBT, and am very active in many aspects of the LGBT community, on

a daily basis.

And this OP is a part of that activity.

I couldn't "straightsplain" if I tried, but you seem to be quite expert at it.

[Nye Bevan]

28. OK, well if you think this is important, good luck with your mission.

You certainly have a fair amount of persuading to do.

[Zorra]

35. Thanks. We're winning, and it's getting closer to game over all the time.

Use "Transgender," not "Transgendered." – The word "transgender" is an adjective, not a noun, and never needs the extraneous "-ed" at the end. Chaz Bono can be described as either a man or a transgender man. He is not "a transgender," "a transgendered," or "a transgendered man."

http://www.glaad.org/publications/resources-journalists-and-media-covering-chaz-bono-and-transgender-issues

http://transactivists.org/

http://transequality.org/

http://www.hrc.org/issues/transgender

http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx

http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/otherprotections.cfm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142922.htm

http://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/transgender-rights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

http://www.wikihow.com/Respect-a-Transgender-Person

http://www.glaad.org/transgender

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/transgender/

http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/magazine/90519/transgender-civil-rights-gay-lesbian-lgbtq

[stevenleser]

15. Are we talking about parts of speech? IOW, referring to an individual, that person is transgender

but speaking of the T in LGBT is that Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual and Transgendered folks?

I use this a lot so this is important for me to know. I want to say it right.

[Zorra]

22. Always use transgender, and you won't ruffle any feelings in the LGBT

and straight ally community.

Thank you for your interest, and your long time active support of the LGBT community, Steven.

[stevenleser]

34. Got it. Thanks Zorra!

back atcha

[AverageJoe90]

42. "I use this a lot so this is important for me to know. I want to say it right." Seconded.

TBH, I'm not always the "perfect" ally myself. But I also feel that it's important to understand what people prefer so as to gain a better understanding, etc.(apologies if this is not well-worded, btw)

[Sissyk]

17. Thank you for that, Zorra!

I makes perfect sense to me.

I am probably guilty of that a time or two myself because I didn't take the time to educate myself. I won't do so again.

[Shandris]

19. Given the part of the country I live in...

...I'm impressed if anyone knows either word, and am more likely to write 'transgendered' off as a regional mispronunciation than anything (because that is so incredibly common among the non-college-educated, which is something to the effect of 98% of people in my immediate vicinity). However, Zorra is absolutely right and the amount of variance that any single person is going to accept is highly mutable, so it's best to correct people on the side of caution/propriety.

Edit: For clarity, I mean that mispronouncing things (including the variations of things) is very common where I live, not that the use of the word is. Don't make me learnt you some specifics examples.

[calimary]

24. Hey, good to know. Thanks, Zorra!

[JJChambers]

38. So transgender is the preference but transgendered is OK too. Got it.

I'll try to remember to use transgender.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

48. Grammatically correct, certainly, but judging by responses to this thread not "OK". N.T

[AverageJoe90]

39. I've tried not to use "transgendered" myself, TBH.

This is actually because I often hang around Dave Futrelle's ManBoobz site, and that's where I learned the difference initially.

In any case, this OP may prove to be helpful for education in the long run so maybe we should either sticky it in the LGBT Forum, or something.

[Jenoch]

44. My guess is that 'transgendered' is not use as a slur

so much it is used because people think of the word being used in the past tense.

[TransitJohn]

50. That's lazy thinking, then.

The -ed suffix doesn't always make a verb past tense, it's applied to other parts of speech than verbs.

[Takket]

46. you should take your fight to the dictionary

The word is transgendered is superfluous. It isn't needed and if it has become offensive, it should just go away. But as long as the dictionary recognizes it as an actual word, people are going to use it.

[Zorra]

51. I know. Neanderthals still use the "n" word, the "c" word, "f---ot, etc. also,

and all those are in the dictionary as well.

I'm just trying to communicate with the humans here.

[WinkyDink]

49. And definitely not transgendered in the Ukraine!

[demwing]

53. "inappropriate" words are among my favorites

just behind "banned" words.

[William769]

54. kick & recommended.