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Originally Posted by Lurking Guy
Didn't know shorthand for transexual was considered offensive. Especially considering a friend of mine refers to herself as such. I think you're just overly sensitive. Sorry if I hurt your feelings.
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You didn't hurt my feelings. I was just warning you that the term you used was coined as a pejorative. There are individuals who refer to themselves using that term, but this is similar to people who refer to themselves as niggers, or gay men who call themselves faggots.
Just because one person refers to themselves using that term, it does not make it all right for you to use it to refer to other individuals. First off you are not trans so, you have not experienced the bigotry that often comes alongside that term, and thus even individuals who refer to themselves jokingly as trannies might find your usage as an outsider offensive. Secondly just because one person is comfortable with the term does not mean that other are. The majority of transfolk will have a problem with you using that term.
I personally would prefer not to be refered as such, but it is not that big of deal. Most of the people who have called me that were biggots. You are perhaps the first person to use that term referring to me and not telling me that I am an abomination, a whore, a faggot, or other such nonsense.
The short hand most used by transfolk is trans not tranny.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by NLGJA Stylebook supplement
tranny: Often a pejorative term for a transgender person, it is now being reclaimed by some transgender people. Caution: still offensive when used as an epithet and should be avoided except in quotes or as someone's self-identified term.
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http://www.nlgja.org/resources/stylebook_english.html#t