‘Autogynephilia’
It might not be a time period that’s instantly recognisable to the common reader, however in case you ask any trans individual like me about it, they’re more likely to roll their eyes.
Autogynephilia, or AGP, is a phrase that repeatedly seems on my social media, and was initially coined by sexologist Ray Blanchard, which means, briefly, a male one that is aroused by the thought of themselves as a feminine.
The time period got here from analysis by Blanchard on male-to-female transsexuals who had been identified with gender dysphoria, however his conclusions have been criticised for not assembly fashionable scientific requirements, and contradicted by additional strains of analysis.
Whereas the time period nonetheless seems to be floating about in anti-trans circles, I’ve not heard of it being utilized by any medical skilled that gives fashionable gender affirming care.
The phrase has definitely by no means been employed by any trans individual I do know to explain themselves, however I nonetheless see it consistently thrown round as an insult to demonise or humiliate us.
It’s simply one other manner by which folks on-line make all kinds of untamed claims about me and my life, and people of different trans folks, constructed upon ignorance, exclusion, and plain bigotry.
My complete joyous, advanced, and comfy sense of self is diminished to a perception that my id is solely that of a person who clothes in girls’s underwear and clothes for sexual gratification.
By the identical coin, I repeatedly get referred to as a predator, paedophile and a fetishist, the place my transness is diminished to some kind of sexual fantasy or deception.
Individuals make these claims with out understanding the very first thing about me.
Actually, my transition had valuable little to do with intercourse or sexual arousal, which has really waned since I got here out and underwent hormone remedy and intercourse reassignment surgical procedure.
The explanation I transitioned was easy – I used to be deeply sad and distressed about being perceived, handled and seen as a person in society.
From an early age I used to be gender non conforming, and by no means felt snug with the labels, expectations and implications pushed upon me.
I’ve all the time felt an affinity with different girls, and with the ability to categorical my femininity and id in that manner has introduced me pleasure, happiness and peace – versus the unhappiness, misery and nervousness I felt earlier than.
Having the ability to dwell my life in line with my reality has been your best option I’ve ever made.
I be ok with myself, my physique and the best way I look.
I by no means may have imagined that for myself earlier than I transitioned, and with the ability to be myself has allowed me to have a life price residing.
That is one thing I do know to be the case for quite a few trans folks.
Nobody I’ve ever met has transitioned for their very own sexual gratification.
And using the time period autogynephilia by anti-trans forces is simply the most recent of their ongoing bid to demonise each facet of our existence.
It might hassle me extra that they did this, if it wasn’t so pathetic.
It’s pitiful, actually, that they cling to shoddy medical language that doesn’t maintain as much as scrutiny, and isn’t mirrored by the lived experiences of trans folks.
It goes to indicate but once more how that anti-trans ideology is predicated on concern and delusion, reasonably than actuality and fashionable science and medical experience.
Because of the anonymity of the web and poor neighborhood pointers and administration of social media, it makes folks like me simple prey for bullies and abusers on-line.
I repeatedly get hit with the insult that I’m simply ‘a person in a gown.’
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It’s one other try to scale back the trans expertise to somebody who will get gratification from switching genders.
But it surely simply reveals that these folks clearly don’t know any trans folks. For starters, I don’t are inclined to put on clothes!
They’d definitely retract their feedback in the event that they noticed me in my standard apparel of joggers, denims, hoodies and comfy jumpsuits.
In my expertise, trans individuals are much more gender non-conforming and defy stereotypes than the common inhabitants, so to label us ‘males in clothes’ simply doesn’t make sense.
On the finish of the day, we must always all be capable of put on no matter makes us really feel snug, and what makes us really feel good.
For some trans folks that matches neatly into expectations about gender, however for some it doesn’t. No two trans individuals are the identical, and that’s how we prefer it.
However whether or not we’re being labelled as having autogynephilia, or males in clothes, trans individuals are all the time demonised by components of society.
It’s very apparent not one of the folks attacking us have made any makes an attempt to meaningfully get to know a trans individual, ask them about their experiences and actually hearken to them.
In the event that they did, I’m certain they’d discover that we’ve much more in widespread than what units us aside, they usually’d realise we’re simply folks like them, attempting our greatest to navigate life and get by like everybody else.
Do you may have a narrative you’d prefer to share? Get in contact by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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