Transphobia Glossary

With many thanks to Gemma for her glossary article as a base (with their consent, of course.)

Table of contents

1. 41% and other references to suicide
2. Autogynephilia (AGP)
3. Adult human female (AHF)
4. Biological sex
5. Conversion therapy
6. Handmaid, handmaiden (or sex traitor)
7. Homophobia
8. KPSS
9. Men
10. Misogyny
11. Rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD)
12. Self ID
13. TIM / TIF
14. Tranny / Troon
15. Transgender ideology / trans-rights activist (TRA)
16. “What is a woman?”
17. Women

41% and other references to suicide

An often (incorrectly) cited statistic regarding transgender suicide rate. The study this statistic comes from was looking at suicide attempt rates, not rates of (completed) suicide. Often used as a vehicle to point out that trans people are mentally ill (they’re not.)

See the page on suicide for more information.

Autogynephilia (AGP)

The theory (proposed and really only supported by) Ray Blanchard that transgender women are attracted to the idea of themselves as women; as a kind of paraphilia or fetish. This is a heavily criticized theory that has been heavily debunked but still remains a staple way to pathologize trans women.

See the page on Autogynephilia for debunking.

Adult human female (AHF)

The “correct” response to “What is a woman?” that intentially positions “female” as the imperative noun of the definition, used in this way to emphasize the biological sex condition of womanhood.

Biological sex

The simplistic and binary view of sex as two distinct and immutable classes defined by biology, despite biology acknowledging the spectrum of sexual characteristics and intersex persons. The definition typically ranges from chromosomes, to genitalia, to the less tangible “organization of development for the production of gametes”.

Conversion therapy

Based on a conspiracy theory that suggests gay children are being transitioned (“transed”) as a form of homophobic conversion therapy.

Handmaid, handmaiden (or sex traitor)

A reference to The Handmaid’s Tale that TERFs use to label women who are allies to the trans community. The essence of this epithet is that they have shamefully given themselves up to serve the oppressor. Functionally the same as ‘quisling’ or ‘bootlicker’, from a different perspective.

Homophobia

When used to describe the idea of trans acceptance, “homophobia” is code for “not being same-sex-attraction exclusive”.

KPSS

“Keep Prisons Single Sex”. Moral panic hashtag.

Men

Can refer to cisgender men, or transgender women, with about equal probability. In some cases it can even refer to cisgender women who they don’t like, or transgender men that they’re deeply confused by.

Misogyny

When used to describe the idea of trans acceptance, “misogyny” is code for “not defining women by biological sex”. Often not used to describe behavior such as making fun of women for their appearance (or “being on their knees for a man”)

Rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD)

The conspiracy theory that kids are being brainwashed or peer pressured into identifying as trans. Thoroughly debunked in ROGD.

Self ID

The vague concept that anyone can determine, and insist that others must socially and legally agree to, their gender at any given moment’s notice. Often paired with moral panic around bathroom predators (which is a fabrication/exaggeration) e.g. #NoToSelfID.

TIM / TIF

“Trans-identified male” and “trans-identified female”— terms that misgender and cram biological sex back into the way they talk about trans people.

Tranny / Troon

Slurs that refer to transgender people.

Transgender ideology / trans-rights activist (TRA)

The abstraction and dehumanization of transgender people into a belief system and activists that are easier to deride.

“What is a woman?”

The gotcha question, and thought-terminating cliche, that GCs use whenever their definition of womanhood is challenged (or even not explicitly validated.) The purpose of this question is two-fold:

1. To waste your time in a pointless debate, and to make you look foolish when you try to have a nuanced discussion with someone who has decided that a kindergarten-level understanding of gender is superior
2. To make you look foolish for not answering it, by making kindergarten-level taunts that amount to “because you can’t”.

This is also known as sealioning, because it presents itself as an invitation to good-faith discussion on its surface, but rarely ever is.

Explored more in this page.

Women

The sex class whose definition gender-critical people seek to uphold, specifically the biologically essentialist, colonial definition of women.

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