The Guide To Being Transgender

I hate the term "passing"

People use the term passing to characterize what it is to look like the gender you identify as.

I hate the term "passing." To me, it denotes that a person needs to look like the gender they identify as. To me, it implies that you have to look a certain way in order to be trans, and you have to halt your self expression because otherwise you aren't trans enough.

Not only that, but the term suggests that a person only "passes" as the gender they identify as, and not that they actually are that gender. There are so many things wrong with this term, to be honest.

You may disagree with me. That's alright. This is my opinion; that's all.

I use "passing" simply because it's a well-known term and people know what it means. I use it for simplicity's sake.

I am male. I don't have to "pass" as male, because I am male. There's no refuting that. It's a fact.

However, many people find joy when they do "pass," me being one of those people. My point is simply that the term "passing" is somewhat invalidating, and that you don't have to "pass" as the gender you are.

Just be yourself and express yourself. Don't worry too much about passing unless you need to for your mental health.