What do you think gays and lesbians "really" think about transgendered people?

Question

Are they truley welcomed in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, 'transgendered' community?

Answer 1

I think that there are a lot of wonderful gay and lesbian people who are completely accepting, loving, and the kind of people I want to befriend.

However, I think that cross-dressers, drag performers, transgenders, and transsexuals are still not fully accepted by everyone in the community. Remember- we had to fight hard to get the "B" and "T" (and later on, "Q" and "I") added onto GLBTQI. Initially, and even now, a lot of people don't understand why gender issues are connected to sexual orientation. I agree that they are separate things, but that doesn't mean they don't belong together in such a context.

There are gay men who disdain "straight-acting" gay or bisexual men, gay men who disdain feminine gay or bisexual men, lesbian women who disdain "straight-acting" femme lesbian or bisexual women, lesbian women who disdain butch lesbian or bisexual women, those who believe the "only" way to be a correct gay person is to be in a butch/femme relationship, or a butch/butch or femme/femme relationship. There are gay men who cringe and frown on gay men in drag, and probably women who do similarly to drag kings. And a lot of them will not accept transsexuals as the gender they feel they are- particularly with lesbian transwomen (it's an awful fact that many gay women's bars are closed off for "wimmin'-born-wimmin'). It comes, I think, from the same thing that straight people suffer- they simply can't imagine having gender dysphoria (being born in the wrong body), or not having one of the dichotomous genders out there (male, female), and thus discriminate because they can't put themselves in their shoes.

There are a lot of great people, but there are people just as prejudiced, ignorant, and bigoted as there are in the straight community. Just depends. But on the surface, though there might be tension, we all seem to basically get along.

Answer 2

Not yet - just take a look at the stinkin' Michigan Womyns Music Festival. Their WBW policy is a subject of HUGE debate, complete with "Camp Trans" that sets up across the street.

I'll just throw in some anecdotes here...

I went to a women's college that has a reputation as a real lesbian hotbed. If not a campus majority, they (and I'm included in this) were certainly the loudest voice around. There was also a disproportionately large trans (and transitioning) population, probably because the collge had a reputation as being a relatively safe place to be "out" in any respect. So, when all was said and done, there were men at a girls-only school. It ended up being a subject of much debate, especially when a transgender man (FtM) decided to run for student body president. There were a lot of people who thought that he had no right to represent the school. While I was there there were several changes that made the institution more trans-inclusive, such as changing the bathroom signs and changing the school contitution to have gender-neutral language (from "her" to "the student"). Every step of the way, someone got upset about it, and it was all a massive headache. I think that even though the end result was progress, the process must have been pretty disheartening for a lot of Ts.

Personally, I wouldn't have qualms about dating a transgender person of any orientation. I haven't, but that's because I'm pretty much a boring old married lady. Some of my lesbian friends have/would date someone transgendered, some wouldn't.

I think a lot of people here have raised valid points about the accepetance of anything other than what an individual considers to be "normal". No one likes bisexuals, gay men don't like lesbians, girls in butch/femme relationships think that anyone in a femme/femme relationship is a freak, etc... It'll take a LOT of time and work before that changes. The queer community (and I'm using that as an umbrella term) is in no way unified, and I think that's a real problem.

Answer 3

Do you mean transsexual, as in operated on, or do you simply mean a "drag queen" by another name. People in gay culture demand so much diversity from the public, however, give very little in return. There are certain circles, just like in high school, where these people are welcomed and accepted. I tend bar in a gay bar and am amazed every day at the prejudice, bigotry, and racism that I come across. We are fighting for an equal world as long as the scales are balanced in our favor, right? As a general rule, and to step down from my soap box, no, I don't believe that even in the gay community these people are accepted as they should be, the reason, fear on the part of the jerks that act like a tenth grader.

Answer 4

Personally I think drag queens are more accepted in the gay community than bisexuals, if only because the "fun loving, tough as nails but with a heart of gold" tranny stereotype seems to be prevalent in gay culture. I personally have a lot of fun seeing drag shows and lip synching; whereas bi people are seen as "gay without conviction" or just sitting on the fence about the matter. To many gays, they see it as at least trannies go out and LIVE the gay experience every day instead of hiding behind a wall of I could be either.

Answer 5

like anything else it just comes to what is in other peoples heads. Their are people that hate gays and lesbians as well as black and hispanics. The majority of people I believe would be fine with them and the others not. Everyone has a problem with something this world is not perfect and will never be.

Answer 6

As we're all unique (except me) we probably have different opinions. I would like to think that gay and lesbian people would be more accepting, since we have experienced marginalisation first hand. Sadly, this is not always the case. Oh well.

Answer 7

Speaking as a gay man, I feel I accept anyone. Regradless. I think there remains some stigma in certain groups of gay men of who they accept or don't. As for any group who doesn't respect you for who you are, then you don't need them in your life. Be whoever you are. Hold you head high and be proud. Life is what you make it. Make it great for you. Someone loves u.

Answer 8

... why not? They face as much adversity as we do. Hey, I'm omnisexual, and that's not even included in the title! Seriously, who cares? Don't make a big deal out of it. We should all just accept each other.

Answer 9

I'm bisexual and I don't feel completely accepted and I don't think trans people do either.

Answer 10

i'm sure that we in the LGBT are the same as any other cultural group, and so there are people that probably uncomfortable around trans people but for the most part i think that the trans folks are just as welcome as anybody else.