Trans Women; how do you feel?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I couldn't care less if a woman was born that way or identifies that way or whatever. If she's a good candidate for membership, she's a good candidate for membership. I'd be open to genderqueer members as well, as people who identify as such face the world without male privilege, and therefore relate to many of the reasons sororities were founded in the first place.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I couldn't care less if a woman was born that way or identifies that way or whatever. If she's a good candidate for membership, she's a good candidate for membership. I'd be open to genderqueer members as well, as people who identify as such face the world without male privilege, and therefore relate to many of the reasons sororities were founded in the first place.

Is this 100% the case or are there instances where SOME people who identify as genderqueer have benefitted from male privilege? This gets into what genderqueer means and whether it involves an ability to adopt a dual identity when necessary. On a non-genderqueer comparison, there are (biological male-to-woman) transgendered people who adopt modes of femininity (based on gender norms, expectations, general trends, and stereotypes) but are quick to tell men they can "remember the biological male" and whoop a man's ass if necessary.

ETA: Depending on the circumstances, this could lead to other modes of adapting to certain environments and benefitting from male privilege.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Is this 100% the case or are there instances where SOME people who identify as genderqueer have benefitted from male privilege? This gets into what genderqueer means and whether it involves an ability to adopt a dual identity when necessary. On a non-genderqueer comparison, there are (biological male-to-woman) transgendered people who adopt modes of femininity (based on gender norms and stereotypes) but are quick to tell men they can "remember the biological male" and whoop a man's ass if necessary.

Yup, fair, I made a sweeping generalization based on limited experience with a few genderqueer friends. I guess my point is that I don't think someone has to identify as all female all of the time to be a fit for a sorority.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Yup, fair, I made a sweeping generalization based on limited experience with a few genderqueer friends. I guess my point is that I don't think someone has to identify as all female all of the time to be a fit for a sorority.

If by definition the term sorority means 'a fraternal organization for women', and a trans-gendered male to female does not "feel" womanly all the time, then the org is no longer a sorority.


For me, the best part of being in a sorority is that you are part of a sisterhood with all women. Not a sisterhood where a few transgendered women are female 90% of the time, and male 10%.


What it means to "feel" like a woman can be very subjective, even for people born female. But to be a woman (female) based on the biological definition, will not change. Even with surgery, biologically based on sex chromosomes, the male to female can still be considered male, and vice versa for the female to male.

For me, the transgendered male to female will have to always be a woman, and not turn it off when (he)she feels like it.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

If by definition the term sorority means 'a fraternal organization for women', and a trans-gendered male to female does not "feel" womanly all the time, then the org is no longer a sorority.


For me, the best part of being in a sorority is that you are part of a sisterhood with all women. Not a sisterhood where a few transgendered women are female 90% of the time, and male 10%.


What it means to "feel" like a woman can be very subjective, even for people born female. But to be a woman (female) based on the biological definition, will not change. Even with surgery, biologically based on sex chromosomes, the male to female can still be considered male, and vice versa for the female to male.

For me, the transgendered male to female will have to always be a woman, and not turn it off when (he)she feels like it.

You are assuming that everyone identifies as either male or female. That simply isn't the case.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

You are assuming that everyone identifies as either male or female. That simply isn't the case.

That is why I defined my understanding of the term 'sorority'.

My understanding of the original question is 'how do we feel about transgendered male to female people joining sororities.'

My response is that for me, personally, I would want that transgendered male to female to identify as being female all the time.

Even though people may not identify as one gender or the other, that is not going to change who they are biologically.

But, if people are going to choose which gender they identify with, then I want that person to really and truly feel they are female.

To me there is something 'girly' about being in a sorority where joining a co-ed org is just not the same.