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Transfeminine, often abbreviated to transfem, refers to people who were assigned male at birth and have a gender identity, gender expression, or both that is predominantly feminine. Transfeminine people may or may not identify as female. It can be a standalone identity term or an umbrella term for certain identities, such as:[1]

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Etymology

The term "transfeminine" may or may not have been coined by Jane Nance in 1985 in the article "TRANSFEMININE!!!", which was published in the journal The TV-TS Tapestry. Nance described being assigned male at birth and having a feminine identity, not a "basic male self-identity". However, the existing "transvestite" and "transsexual" terminology of the time was inadequate and did not account for not feeling like "a male dressing in women's clothes" when presenting as a woman, having a self-image as a woman, but lacking an interest in surgical transition. Nance wondered, "Do we need another term or category to cover my particular reality? Maybe! Could it be 'transfeminine' (a male who feels like a female, strictly undefined in relation to any issue of an operation) - perhaps!"[2]

Community

The top part of this section is more general, while the subsections are specific. A wide range of topics can be included here, such as impacts that people who identify as this term have on society, things specific to this identity's community (like ace rings to asexuals), and miscellaneous achievements or contributions by this group that do not fall into the other subsections. If not needed, it can be left blank between the Community heading and History subheading.

History

Document the community's most important history, including facts such as key events, breakthroughs in improving the community's wellbeing and rights, or historical figures known to belong to the community.

Flag

Optional section: Include a pride flag if one exists and there is evidence of its use beyond someone proposing a possible design. This section should also explain the meaning behind the flag's design and who created it. Do not add flags that are specifically for sub-groups; those belong on pages for those sub-groups. High quality PNGs or SVGs are preferred. References are required for this section.

Distinction

Optional section: If the topic has similarities to another gender/orientation, use this section to highlight the differences between them.

Controversy

Optional section: If this topic has been the subject of any controversies, detail them in this section. For example, it could explain outdated or disputed terms, disagreements about how this identity is defined, identity-phobic discourse around popular flags, or other conflicts.

Perceptions and discrimination

This section focuses more on the specific kinds of discrimination and oppression that these people may face. Examples would be mentioning systematic transphobia and non-binary erasure on the page for agender, mentioning rates of mental health issues in this group, etc.

Media

This section should be used to elaborate on the portrayal and representation of this identity in various forms of media, which can include a listing or links to various artists or movies, series, etc. Subheadings like Film, Television, Literature, and Music should be used where appropriate.

Resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mardell, Ash. The ABC's of LGBT+. Mango Media Inc., 2016. ISBN 9781633534087.
  2. Nance, Jane. "TRANSFEMININE!!!". The TV-TS Tapestry: The Journal for Persons Interested in Crossdressing & Transsexualism. no. 47, Tiffany Club, 1985. (web archive)
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