Did I miss something?

[stlpenguin]

Okay, first off, my credentials - A few of you may already know me, as I've recently started posting actively on this board in the last week or two. I'm a 27 year old crossdressing submissive male. I'm straight-ish, and curious about men but have never been with one. Hopefully that will change soon. I've been crossdressing for about a year now, and it's become a reasonably regular part of my life.

However, I was at my Domme's home earlier today, when Her husband pointed out an article in a local GLBT publication about troubles with one of our local news stations - apparently, this news station had used the word "Transvestite" while relating a story, and the article noted the outrage of the local GLBT community over this. They sited the word's "negative connotations" and that it was "antiquated."

I admited to being a bit puzzled about this... did I miss something? When did Transvestite become a bad, insulting word? I always thought it was a technical term. Trans - meaning "Across a boundary", plus Vest, meaning "Clothing." Hence, "One who dresses across a boundary [of gender]" It makes perfect sense to me, and has little negative connotation that I can discern.

So, my question is thus : when did "Transvestite" become a bad word? What, if it IS a bad word, is the appropriate term to use instead? Or, has the Detroit GLBT community overreacted to this alleged issue?

-- Scott / Sara

 

[KokopelliRises]

As far as I can think of, they're just overreacting.

 

[Paige.]

Overreacting

When did the word 'gay' become such a dirty word to the straight community? It used to have a much different connotation than its homosexual reference today. I don't think you will find many 'straights' saying they are feeling gay, or that they had a gay time. It is a distasteful word in their mouth because of the meaning they attach to it, the meaning that is now universal.

Our reactions to words depends on our personal emotional attachment to them due to our personal history. If someone was being very nasty to me in English I would react. If they cursed me in Russian I wouldn't care because I have no attachment to the Russian words and my strings wouldn't be jerked.

BTW Sara is a very attractive crossdresser. Please keep posting and communicating.
Paige

 

[stlpenguin]

When did the word 'gay' become such a dirty word to the straight community? It used to have a much different connotation than its homosexual reference today. I don't think you will find many 'straights' saying they are feeling gay, or that they had a gay time. It is a distasteful word in their mouth because of the meaning they attach to it, the meaning that is now universal.

Our reactions to words depends on our personal emotional attachment to them due to our personal history. If someone was being very nasty to me in English I would react. If they cursed me in Russian I wouldn't care because I have no attachment to the Russian words and my strings wouldn't be jerked.

BTW Sara is a very attractive crossdresser. Please keep posting and communicating.
Paige

*nod* Excellent point, Paige. Perhaps that's just a community-centric thing that - as I'm new to the community, relatively - have not caught on to yet.

And thank you for the kind compliment! *blush* You're wonderful!

-- Scott / Sara

 

[Etoile]

"Transvestite" is a bit antiquated but it still applies. I think the main issue is that it sounds so clinical. I usually see "cross-dresser" instead. Sometimes "transgender" is used, though less so for heterosexual men who enjoy dressing in women's clothing, because "transgender" can also imply a sense of uncertainty about your own gender. Many CDers are quite accepting of the fact that they are men...they just want to wear women's clothes and feel feminine sometimes.

Use whatever word feels most comfortable to you, I say!