Introduction to Trans-identities, Bodily autonomy and Cognitive liberty. (Part One)
(plain text: Introduction to Trans-identities, Bodily autonomy and Cognitive liberty. (Part One). End PT.)
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Trans-identities, more commonly known as transIDs (transIDs), are labels and terminology to describe a broad range of experiences; the most common definitions are:
1. desiring a physical body or mental state different than what one already has,
2. experiencing something in a different way than what is expected of society, culture, etc., and/or
3. experiencing a disconnect or dissonance between one’s internal sense or view of self and what they have or appear like externally and physically.
Many would describe their transidentity experience as already being said identity, like being born this way, but their physical appearance does not match their internal, true self (true self). Majority of transidentity individuals do not inherently desire (do not inherently desire) or want their transidentity, but they “just are” that way and cannot control it (cannot control it), or are such for reasons like trauma, pre-existing disorders or conditions, biological/psychological, spiritual, and more; despite this, there are people out there that inherently do (do) want their transidentity or choose it, and their experience is just as important to discuss. Reasons one may voluntarily choose to be transidentity are: Finding it to be a more comfortable, fulfilling, or otherwise positive experience (imagine being ambidextrous but preferring one hand over the other!)– Finding it fun or interesting– As a temporary or long term coping mechanism or stress reliever/comfort giver– Finding it to be better form of self-expression than other labels. Ultimately it’s up to the individual and it’s highly personal. Since there’s not as many people who voluntarily chose transidentities with no pre existing motivations, it’s difficult to give a consistent list of reasons.
Other less common definitions that many technically count as transIDs are experiences and labels that encompass desiring things that are not related to the body or go beyond just a physical body, such as transobject (desiring or internally having an object one does not already have), transreligious, or worldixure (desiring or internally seeing oneself as living in a different world, commonly a fictional one). These labels do not get as much attention compared to others, but mockery and misunderstanding of them still happen. For example, a common argument is “why say you’re trans[word], when you can just say you are [word]?” The answer is, they are (are) whatever they are trans for. The transID label is just a descriptor or modality for many to further explain and express one’s relationship and experience (relationship and experience) with said identity, and helps individuals further connect with and understand themselves and others with similar experiences. Some transID individuals do not see themselves literally as a thing, but have a connection with or otherwise a certain relationship with it. For example, a nonman nonbinary could label themselves as a transman, but not because they are (are) a man, but because they possibly identify with (with) the male gender or experience- are aligned with men (solarian and similar)- are only a man conditionally or infrequently- or otherwise have a certain relationship with men or manhood outside of being one.
The list of existing and possible transidentities are endless, but the most discussed ones within communities that accept them are transgender, transage (see also: chronosian), transspecies, transabled (subtypes transneuro/nosorian), transbody (umbrella term as well as individual term), transblood, and transrace/ethnic/national (often abbreviated as trace to avoid conflation with the adoptee term transracial.)
Transgender is the most well known, common and supported out of every transID, which has a broad and inclusive definition and that is often very personal to the individual who is transgender themselves. The commonly understood definition is “of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity differs from the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth”. [source: Merriam Webster (link)]
Being transidentity does not always imply “transition” like many assume. It simply means experiencing something in a way that is unexpected, unique, and/or different (different) from what is expected (of society, culture, religion, or any social group) or what one already has. For example, an individual who was assigned female at birth can still be a transwoman because of finding their experience of womanhood somehow different, disconnected or removed from their society’s current understanding or view of femaleness. They could be a nonbinary woman, gender nonconforming woman, or intersex woman. Other reasons include gender being affected by race, orientation, neurodiversity/mental state, and many more. [source: LGBTIA Wiki(link)]
This is important to know, because for an identity like transautistic (we’ll be getting to this later), one can be born or assigned with autism spectrum disorder and still be transautistic, because they experience their autism in a different way than what’s expected and/or desiring a different level, intensity, or severity of autism than they currently have, and other reasons similar to previously explained.
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