Media Reporting and Reference Guide on LGBT Issues

“shemale”,
“tranny”
“so”
gay/queer/
lesbian etc.
“transvestite”/
“crossdressers”
people with
“unspecified”,
“unclear”,
“unknown” sex
Trans women
Gay men, but
sometimes to
LGBT people in
general)
Trans women
Intersex people
Such terms dehumanize transgender people
(GLAAD, 2016). Especially the term “tranny” is very
offensive (LGBTQIA Resource Center - University of
California Davis campus N.d.b).
They are offensive terms used often against Trans
women <strong>and</strong> can be found in porn industry <strong>and</strong>
porn websites. Such terms sexualize <strong>and</strong> objectify
Trans women.
Offensive term for gay people <strong>and</strong>/or LGBT people
in general. Their gender identity <strong>and</strong>/or sexual
orientation, is used to describe something that is
very repulsive, undesirable <strong>and</strong>/or ugly (LGBTQIA
Resource Center - University of California Davis
campus N.d.b).
Offensive term mainly used against trans women
<strong>and</strong> crossdressers. Rarely, some trans people use
this term in order to identify themselves. But
even if this is the case, always prefer the term
“Trans” or “Transgender” to refer to Trans people
(Theofilopoulos 2015).
Crossdresser as a term, although it is considered
more acceptable than transvestite, is still a
problematic term, that is used to deny trans
people’s identity (mostly used to describe trans
women as “men in dresses”) <strong>and</strong> of course it is
based on a very binary view of gender, where
clothing <strong>and</strong> other accessories are strictly for
men or women.
The recognition of only two sexes (male <strong>and</strong>
female) leads to the categorization of intersex
people as people of “unspecific”/”unknown”
sex. Such categorization is disrespectful, deprives
intersex people of the rightfulness of their body
<strong>and</strong> may also lead to the violation of their right
to bodily integrity is via unconsented medical
procedures (Ghattas 2015).
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