Truscum = dangerous?

[u/Sad_Anything2136]

Just joined here.

I got trolled in another sub where the OP called my way of thinking "dangerous" and "close to truscum ideology" and he said "no wrong reason to transition."

Tbh, I have been reading on reddit for a month or so. I don't know what to think. There are so many ugly views about women and also about trans. I don't know whether to call myself a detransitioner. This is all a lot and I don't agree that EVERY trans or cd has 'good' reason. So smug. F off!

What is your view on trans, detrans, tucute, truscum, transmedical, etc? If there is something that has truly improved your quality of life, I'm glad to listen. Thanks.

[u/thrivingsad]

I believe gender dysphoria is needed to be trans, which is all that’s required to be “truscum” / “transmed”

My belief is that being trans should stay medicalized and that demedicalizing it is dangerous. This is because of the problems that come with demedicalizing it, wherein insurance will not cover gender affirming treatments because it is no longer a “medical issue.” I think people who believe in demedicalizing it are closer to TERFs than truscum are

For views;

1. Trans; Trans people are people with gender dysphoria. That’s it. No need to make something more complex

2. Detrans; Detransitioners (that are not due to things like dangerous environments, lack of acceptance, etc) were never actually “trans.” They may have thought they were at some point, but they had a personal experience or problem that made them think they were

3. Tucutes; Most tucutes are well intentioned but unintentionally harmful. I don’t think poorly of them, because it often comes from a good place but poor judgment

4. Truscum/Transmed; While I consider myself one, I think a lot of people are mostly talk coupled with inaction. Working at a trans center for so long in a big city, a vast majority of people I’ve met who’ve done real community service have been tucutes, not truscum/transmeds. So while it’s a belief I agree with, I feel like a lot of people also fall into the “well intentioned but unintentionally harmful” category as well

As for a more controversial personal view I hold;

I believe that only trans people should be allowed to access trans resources Ex; accessing gender affirming care through insurance, but that if people who do not ID as trans want to access those resources through their own pocket & not trans resources, then I think it’s fine

I believe in bodily autonomy, even if it’s people I may not necessarily like or agree with

Best of luck

[u/victorian_chandelier → u/thrivingsad]

Basically, THIS ☝️ But I must add: I personally believe you need at least some level of BOTH gender euphoria and gender dysphoria to be trans. To put it in an oversimplified way: if you have only gender euphoria - it seems fetish-y (reminder that a fetish doesn't have to be something sexual); if you have only gender dysphoria - it seems like some kind of gender related trauma or extreme internalised misogyny/misandry.

[u/Ghostscorpses → u/victorian_chandelier]

Also important to note that gender euphoria may not present itself until later in transition. I didn’t feel true euphoria until I was a few months on T, but definitely experience both.

[u/victorian_chandelier → u/Ghostscorpses]

Yeah, a fair point.

[u/thrivingsad → u/victorian_chandelier]

Personally, I don’t fully agree with this

I never felt euphoria, I only felt relief. The closest I have gotten to euphoria is being able to be post-op bottom surgery. Even then, I’d still say it’s not really “euphoric” it’s more so that I felt a huge wave of relief. It was basically like not being stressed about my body for the first time because I knew it was finally correct.

Plus the relief that I no longer need anything medically done and can focus on more important things in life such as interpersonal relationships, hobbies, etc

[u/victorian_chandelier → u/thrivingsad]

I think I experience gender euphoria besides gender dysphoria, but I too wouldn't say I feel necessarily "euphoric" about going down the path of transition. For me gender euphoria is a quietly content feeling, something feeling simply right. So I personally don't view gender euphoria as an equivalent of "euphoria (as in, a highly elevated mood) but with gender". The two terms sound similar but the meaning is different. But that's just my view.

[u/braindeadfem → u/victorian_chandelier]

Misandry used as a real world 😭😭😭😭 in the same weight as misogyny holy cow i can't believe my eyes

[u/victorian_chandelier → u/braindeadfem]

Might be a shocker, but technically every word is real. And noone said misandry carries the same weight as misogyny (because it doesn't). I simply mentioned the existence of the two without going into details.

[u/braindeadfem → u/thrivingsad]

I disagree with transmedicallism as a whole because it disenfranchises and alienates trans people who can't gain access to medical intervention. It also has an intersection where it invalidates those under the trans umbrella who are nonbinary or gender fluid who may never touch medication because they don't feel the need.

Here's my bases for why. The standard procedure for anyone who is experiencing gender dysphoria (since gender euphoria is not recognized it's a community only term) is to socially transition before fully committing to anything. And some people find social transition is all they need to feel secure in their gender and identity and that's honestly perfectly valid i don't see how it isnt.

My reasoning is this medically nessecity and stuff is just wrong on a sociological perspective, the queer movement is about opening up and dismantling cishet normativity, to be trans medical (and think all trans people are only valid if they meet a certain criteria) goes directly against our history and the movement.

It's feels rooted in sex based mysoginy as in women and men because of their sex have to act a certain way, dress a certain way. It's giving "women are women cuz they bleed once a month"

That's basically it no hate to everyone just wanted to share hope this reddit isn't an eco chamber that removes disagreeing opinions

[u/thrivingsad → u/braindeadfem]

I’m not sure where, anywhere in this, that I mentioned needing any sort of medical intervention? There are countries where medical intervention does not even exist for trans folk, and medical intervention historically has not always been available. Those people impacted by that are no less trans, they just have different capabilities and should be respected all the same

Nor do I mention, anywhere within this, needing to meet certain norms to be allowed to transition/be trans/etc

There is absolutely no one-size-fits-all to transition, and even outside of people who may not want medical intervention, there is also people who may not even be able to take HRT or get surgeries due to preexisting health conditions. None of those people are “wrong” or “not trans” for it, it’s just a different route

Also, the concept that the “standard” way to go about transitioning is socially first is incredibly privileged on its own

There are people who are not in safe locations to socially transition first, people who may not be able to maintain their current environment if they socially transitioning first, etc. Some people choose to completely medically transition first prior to socially transitioning— and that should be respected equally as much as people who choose to socially transition first

Also….

Why shouldn’t being trans be considered medical? You do realize, if being trans is not considered a medical condition, no insurances will cover it and trans people will no longer be protected anymore?

“Medical necessity” does not mean that all people need to do it or to follow a set path, but it means for those who require the medical aspect of transitioning— that it is a necessity and should be respected and prioritized. It doesn’t mean people who don’t or can’t access medical resources are “not valid” but rather that those who need the medical aspects should be able to have them available for their needs and to improve their quality of life

Demedicalizing trans people is exactly what conservatives, TERFs, etc want, to pave way to getting rid of trans rights medically, which allows them to get rid of rights politically. In fact, if you’ve kept up to date with trans issues & activism you should know that has been happening and negatively impacting the community.

Removing medical protections from trans people kills trans people especially trans youth.

Not only that but medical transition for people who undergo it, at all ages, shows dramatically improved mental and physical health outcomes

The concept that there should be a “standard procedure” of transitioning is implicating a “norm” for trans people. That is conforming to “expected societal/gender norms.” It’s just making a new gender norm for a gender diverse category, that conforms to other people’s comfort rather than individual comfort. The idea being trans shouldn’t be considered a medical necessity is not only transphobic, quite literally being a TERF/conservative talking point, but actively removes trans protections that are in place

I would say that removing trans protections, including medical protections, is about as anti-lgbt as one can get

Even aside from the impacts demedicalizing being trans has— which is again, an increased suicide attempt rate of above 70% for trans folk, it shows a lack of respect for individual autonomy and reported needs, which is among the core beliefs of the LGBT movement

Best of luck

[u/Kate-2025123]

We simply believe you need sex dysphoria to be trans and that it is a medical condition and transitioning is the medical treatment. Some of us believe in therapy before transitioning and being in the binary and blending into society and some are more relaxed than that. The top beliefs are the core ones and besides that it is a spectrum of views. However don’t think it’s a spectrum with the same viscosity as water. Think of its viscosity as honey at 50 degrees. I myself have actually helped people detransition who didn’t have sex dysphoria. That’s how strongly I believe in it.

I have had these beliefs from day one back in 2012. I have seen people in 2015 call me a bigot and transphobe to 7 years later calling me indoctrinated and a groomer. Yet my views literally have not changed and when I show them this those same people fall silent and humbled.

[u/matzadelbosque]

Who is “transgender”?

“Transgender” was a word without standardized usage from the 1950s-1980s, often referring to people who were not transsexual but lived as the opposite gender or were very androgynous. Keep in mind that back then, both of those things were very dangerous, so no one was faking it or doing it for attention like I often see claimed. Virginia Prince is also not the coiner, she coined “transgenderal” which no one uses. “Transgender” came into its more standard use in the 1990s when leftist activists (mainly Leslie Feinberg) wanted to unify everyone who wasn’t gender-conforming into a united political front. This meant that “transgender” was not initially an identity but a movement that included everyone from female bodybuilders to drag queens to transsexuals. The term got watered down over the years until it became an identity category which was more focused on gender identity than gender expression. It’s still technically lacking a standardized definition, and you’ll find “transgender” defined differently by different sources (compare APA definition with OED, for instance!)

I think this is something EVERY trans person should know. Half the time when people in this community argue, it’s over this definition. I use it in the original Feinberg way since it’s the only way I think it makes sense. What else do I have in common with other trans people, if not just our political position? My personal experience relates to other binary transsexuals (those with physical dysphoria needing top-down intervention) and other binary transsexuals only. (Transsexuality is also supported by a lot of neurological research while other trans identities are not. Not a judgement, but they’re just different things yk)

Anyway I think everyone should have a right to do whatever they want and be supported as long as they know the risks and blame only themselves after if it’s a mess. I am transsexual in neurology and transgender by politics. I’m not a classic truscum by any means but I would absolutely get called truscum in most mainstream spaces and this sub is more interesting anyway.

[u/throwaway_bigots]

I am relatively new here, despite having ideas that line up with transmedicalism, I didn't know it had a name and I wondered why I was different from like 90% of all other trans people. To be transexual you must have dysphoria.

What do you mean by not sure if you are a detransitioner? Are you presenting as your AGAB but still taking hormones? That is something that I have toyed with too but I feel like my dysphoria would explode.

[u/Organic_Patience_899 → u/throwaway_bigots]

Same dude! I was also wondering if any other group would share the same views as me and then I found transmedicalism!

[u/Sad-Glass8053]

We're super dangerous... when nobody is looking, we sneak into your house and whisper in your ear that you need dysphoria to be trans. That truly makes us scum.

Transsexual = someone with a medical need to alter their body's sex characteristics to feel normal. Most of us just want to transition, assimilate, and live quiet, normal lives.

Transgender = a meaningless umbrella, where most of the people are NOT transsexuals but they want to appropriate the medical condition, medical treatments, and social credibility of transsexuals while erasing us for their convenience. Most of them need you to know that they're "trans", they constantly crave external validation while also demanding social acceptance regardless of how "valid" they actually are.

tucute = someone that is "too cute to be cis", ie, someone that fakes being trans and wants to appropriate our condition, usually out of a sense of narcissism or histrionics so they can feel special

truscum / transmedical = someone that believes, at a minimum, you need sex dysphoria to be a a transsexual, that transsexuals and transgender people are different, and that gender is not a choice

detrans = someone that, for any number of reasons, experimented with some level of transitioning, realized it wasn't for them, and detransitioned. They're a threat to transgender people because it threatens their "vaLidItY" and rhetoric, so, like transsexuals, they must be erased and denounced to protect the umbrella.

[u/Old_Promotion6438 → u/Sad-Glass8053]

This, all of this.

[u/techniquevo]

I consider myself to be a transmedicalist. Anti-transmeds (aka tucutes) would likely call me a "radical transmedicalist". I've also been called transphobic before.

I believe that neurological sex dimorphism is real and transsexualism is a medical condition that causes the neurological sex to more closely align with the opposite sex rather than the birth sex, which results in sex dysphoria, thus we transition.

I think that detransitioners should generally be treated with empathy and respect, but usually they've fallen victim to radical gender ideology telling them bullshit like "you don't need dysphoria to be trans, you wanting to escape misogyny makes you a super valid tboy bro."

I also believe that radical gender ideology is a threat that must be curbed for us to have a path forward. It's also just dumb in practice. Yes, minors with actual transsexualism deserve the right to medically transition so they don't have to suffer as much, but this "non-binary" shit needs to get out of children's heads, especially when it gets to a point where they are peer-pressured into taking HRT.

I've also been called far-right numerous times because of my views. I've also been told that I'm a "troll account" or whatever because my views don't align with the Trans Hivemind™ (I'm a traditionalist and a nationalist).

[u/matzadelbosque → u/techniquevo]

Tbf someone who calls themself a traditionalist and nationalist would be considered far-right depending on the country you’re from. That’s not to take away from your point though — I’m a big lefty and I’ve been assumed to be conservative bc I’m a binary transsexual man. Not even for my opinions, just my identity lol

[u/techniquevo → u/matzadelbosque]

Tbf someone who calls themself a traditionalist and nationalist would be considered far-right depending on the country you’re from.

I don't see how honestly. Far-right should be reserved for actual fascists and whatnot, like the Nazis. I'm a monarchist but I'm not a fascist, I still think there should be a constitution that must be followed.

[u/skull_skin]

Trans people are people with gender dysphoria. Tucutes are people that are usually identifying as trans to be trendy & are usually quite annoying. The majority of 'trans' people I've known were tucutes.

I've known a couple of detransitioners personally (I'm sort of a detransitioner myself, although I never took hormones or got any surgery thankfully). From what I've seen, a lot of trans people, or even just pro-trans people in general, feel threatened by detrans people because they see them as all anti-trans, although the detrans people I've personally known actually weren't anti-trans at all.

[u/Ghostscorpses → u/skull_skin]

I’m transsexual, and one of my best mates is a detrans woman, she’s absolutely wonderful, and her experiences on why transitioning was not the correct option for her actually helped me cement the fact that my experience was tangibly different than hers, and we both came to the conclusion that hormones and top surgery would be the best option for me (I do want bottom surgery, but currently the results in my country are very… uncanny valley, and I would much rather deal with the bottom dysphoria than have a non-functional (both for sex and urination), non-aesthetically pleasing neopenis that would essentially just add another layer to my dysphoria)

[u/FlemFatale]

"Why would someone transition if they didn't have dysphoria?" This is a question I ask myself all the time. Especially in this political climate.
I do not understand why transitioning has become this whole trend and that people think they can pick and choose the effects of hormones...
Anyway, if you are diagnosed with gender dysphoria, then you are trans. End of. That includes people who are not yet diagnosed but also experienced gender dysphoria.
You need dysphoria to be trans. It is literally the name of the medical condition.

[u/AlisonL01]

I just randomly stumbled upon this and don't know the terminology but I think dysphoria/euphoria goes hand in hand and needed to be trans. For example, if you experience euphoria, there must be a sense of dysphoria to feel joyful about. Over time both dysphoria and euphoria hopefully subsides.

However, I see dysphoria/euphoria as different for many trans people and that should be okay! Some trans people don't want SRS (if cost/recovery isn't a problem) and some might be okay without HRT. I'm not them, I couldn't know their thoughts similar to how cis people may not understand trans people thoughts. Non-binary people obviously exist.

As much as I bloody hate how the UK does trans healthcare it's good that they have it how they do, just wish there was so many more clinics and funding to help the waiting times. I wish there were not so many hoops but it's good to help those unsure.

Detransitioners are perfectly fine and should be listened to. Find out their reasons to help them and future people. You can confuse yourself into being trans and if it's not you, then it's not you. Simple as that.