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{{Warning}}{{DISPLAYTITLE:Transmedicalist}} |
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[[File:Scum2.png|thumb|220x220px|The most widely used transmedicalist flag]][[File:Scum.png|thumb|Another transmedicalist flag|alt=]] |
[[File:Scum2.png|thumb|220x220px|The most widely used transmedicalist flag]][[File:Scum.png|thumb|Another transmedicalist flag|alt=]] |
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[[File:A transmedicalist flag.png|thumb|Another transmedicalist flag]] |
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A '''Transmedicalist''', also known as a '''Transmed''', '''Truscum''', '''Trumed''', '''Trident Trans (TT)''', or '''Nunchuck Non-Binary''', is an [[exclusionist]] who has a set of beliefs about the transgender identity and the "criteria" or discourse around what's "necessary" to be transgender. Their beliefs tend to lean more towards strict interpretation of being transgender, which can in some cases lead to harmful, exclusionist gatekeeping of the trans community, though not all transmedicalists are active exclusionist or gatekeepers and may be relatively accepting and inclusive. The most common, "core" belief that is generally associated with being the base belief of transmedicalism is that some form of [[dysphoria]] is required to be [[transgender|transgender,]]<nowiki/>however, that belief is usually only harmfully perpetrated from radical transmedicalists (known colloquially as radmeds) and is generally a less divisive belief among non-radical transmedicalist circles. Some transmedicalists believe surgery for non-dysphoric people is non-essential and purely cosmetic for them due to them not having gender dysphoria. They also tend to generally believe that trans individuals need to meet a strict set of criteria to be trans, and they're often exclusionary towards [[Non-Binary|non-binary]] and [[xenogender]] individuals. |
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[[File:The trident trans pride flag.png|thumb|The Trident Trans (TT) flag]] |
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A '''Transmedicalist''', also known as a '''Transmed''', '''Truscum''', '''Trumed''', '''Trident Trans (TT)''', or '''Nunchuck Non-Binary''', is an [[exclusionist]] who has a set of beliefs about the transgender identity and the "criteria" or discourse around what's "necessary" to be [[transgender]]. The defining belief of transmedicalism is that [[Dysphoria|gender dysphoria]] in some form is necessary to be transgender. This technically classifies them as exclusionists towards transgender individuals who do not experience gender dysphoria in any form, though most transmedicalists are not exclusionary and are very open to genuine and respectful discourse. There are some extremely exclusionary transmedicalists, but they only represent a small part of the whole community. |
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Beyond the core belief that gender dysphoria is necessary to be transgender, there are a vast amount of different beliefs in the community. Some transmedicalists support [[Non-Binary|non-binary identities]], and some don't. Some support [[Xenogender|xenogenders]], and some don't. Some support [[Pronouns|neopronouns]], and some don't. There's a vast amount of different scientific theories which are used by different members of the transmedicalist community to support different beliefs. While harmful gatekeeping is nowadays most commonly associated with transmedicalism as a whole, the community consists of radical transmedicalists, and general transmedicalists. Radmeds tend to be much more exclusionary, hateful, and intentionally gatekeeping, while the rest of the transmedicalist community may not behave similarly. |
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Just like with any large category of people and ideologies, there is diversity within transmedicalism. While harmful gatekeeping is nowadays most commonly associated with transmedicalism as a whole, the community consists of radical transmedicalists, and general transmedicalists. Radmeds tend to be much more exclusionary, hateful, and intentionally gatekeeping, while the rest of the transmedicalist community may not behave similarly. Less-radical transmedicalists may or may not have exclusionist beliefs, and even the ones that do are much less likely to be actively exclusionary, and instead tend to prefer nuaanced conversations instead of just blatant, blanket exclusionist statements. Transmedicalists who adhere to the immediate aforementioned "standards" should not be treated with disrespect, as general transmedicalism is much less harmful than radical transmedicalism, and for that reasom, this page is split into harmful, more radical transmedicalist beliefs, and less harmful, non-radical transmedicalist beliefs, to display the nuance in the transmedicalist community. The reason that many of the harmful beliefs are centered and highlighted here is that they are often the center of discourse much more and are usually much more front and center in discussions in trans spaces, and it's important to recognize the immense harm those beliefs have had and are continuing to have on trans individuals while also acknowledging that this harm does not represent the imprint of the entire transmedicalist community and should not be held against the whole community but rather the harmful exclusionists within the community who perpetrate, either directly or indirectly, the harm from the following beliefs. |
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Less-radical transmedicalists may or may not have exclusionist beliefs, and even the ones that do are much less likely to be actively exclusionary, and instead tend to prefer nuanced conversations instead of just blatant, blanket exclusionist statements. Transmedicalists who adhere to the immediate aforementioned "standards" should not be treated with disrespect, as general transmedicalism is much less harmful than radical transmedicalism, and for that reason, this page is split into harmful, more radical transmedicalist beliefs, and less harmful, non-radical transmedicalist beliefs, to display the nuance in the transmedicalist community. |
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It is important that transmedicalism not be reduced and simplified to one or a few beliefs, as it is a comprehensive and deep-running ideology. The following are the basic beliefs which constitute transmedicalism, but that does not mean that every transmedicalist believes all of these things, and it doesn't mean that if they do that they're actively exclusionary. Keep in mind that not all beliefs will be listed but there will be some to get the idea of transmedicalism. |
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The reason that many of the harmful beliefs are centered and highlighted here is that they are often the center of discourse much more and are usually much more front and center in discussions in trans spaces, and it's important to recognize the immense harm those beliefs have had and are continuing to have on trans individuals while also acknowledging that this harm does not represent the imprint of the entire transmedicalist community and should not be held against the whole community but rather the harmful exclusionists within the community who perpetrate, either directly or indirectly, the harm from the following beliefs. |
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It should be made entirely clear that the following beliefs trend more towards the radical side of transmedicalism and that not all transmedicalists believe all of these things. The following beliefs are simply being highlighted because they are the most harmful transmedicalist beliefs, and this page exists for education purposes and to protect trans individuals from potential harassment due to beliefs like the following. |
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==Transmedicalist Beliefs== |
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The following beliefs are the most common transmedicalist beliefs, though that in no way means that every transmedicalist believes all of the following things. The only classifying belief for being transmedicalist is the belief that some form of gender dysphoria is necessary to be transgender, but all other transmedicalist beliefs are secondary and not endorsed by all members of the community. |
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===Dysphoria Is Necessary To Be Trans=== |
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The basic transmedicalist belief is that some form of dysphoria is necessary to be trans. Some believe that it's only necessary to have one or a few forms, and some believe it's necessary to have all forms, while still others believe that it's necessary to have them at an intense level. This stems from the belief that being transgender is a medical condition and that "trans brains" are different than "cis brains". Most transmedicalists do not distinguish between dysphoria and being trans, which results in the belief that dysphoria is necessary to be trans because it is its medical component. Many transmedicalists believe that gender dysphoria is the cause of being trans, and not that being trans is the cause of gender dysphoria. |
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#[[File:Tumblr 79cb569b2582567c01bd19ef36721a1a 0cd4294b 1280.png|thumb|Another transmedicalist flag|alt=]]'''The trans identity as a disorder'''- since gender dysphoria is a diagnosable, actual mental disorder, its heavy association with trans individuals may lead many to believe that being trans in and of itself is a mental disorder, and as many transmedicalists don't separate gender dysphoria from being transgender, it's a common belief amongst transmedicalist circles that being transgender is itself a mental disorder. While there are transmedicalists who don't believe those things, many do. Believing that being transgender is a mental disorder plays into the beliefs of transphobic cisgendered individuals, as it's a common argument from them that being trans is "freakish" and a mental illness. |
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# '''Non-binary people are a "mockery" to binary transgender individuals'''- As is the case with many transmedicalist beliefs, this belief is rooted in the scientific belief that sex is a binary and that falling outside of it is medically impossible and inaccurate. This also plays into the idea of the binary opposition between male brains and female brains (an opposition that doesn't actually exist). Due to other transmedicalist beliefs that being trans is a medical identity because of the medical implications of dysphoria, the idea that non-binary people are "defying" sex is, to the transmedicalist, an act which delegitimizes the medical needs of dysphoric binary transgender individuals, and therefore by extension an act which makes non-binary people perceived threats to medical transition for binary trans people. Because many transmedicalists believe that gender needs to be binary or else it will risk delegitimization of binary struggles, they believe that non-binary struggles aren't real because they're medically impossible and therefore only a misconstrued fantasy instead of an individual's actual reality and identity, and they therefore believe that non-binary people are a "mockery" to binary transgender individuals.[[File:Trident trans.png|thumb|The TT flag|alt=]] |
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# '''The existence of non-binary identities is sexist'''- The common transmedicalist belief that non-binary identities are sexist stems from transmedicalsts' understanding of sex. They believe that sex is a binary- male and female. They believe that denying that is denying the realities of biological sex, which they in turn believe is sexist due to its potential to undermine the struggles some binary transgender individuals face due to their biological sex, and that denying the realities of biological sex is harmful and therefore sexist. |
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# '''Trans people must hate their bodies'''- this belief belongs to a specific group of transmedicalists who believe that body dysphoria is necessary to be transgender. They believe that trans men should be revolted by their physically "female" characteristics, such as their hips and their breasts, and that trans women should be revolted by their physically "male" characteristics, such as their genitalia and bodily hair. This group of transmedicalists believes that being trans can't accompany love of one's own body parts because that would additionally accompany reminders that, due to those characteristics, they can't truly be who they are on the inside. This is a more specific transmedicalist belief- not all transmedicalists who believe that dysphoria is necessary to trans believe that specifically body dysphoria is necessary to be trans. |
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#'''Neopronouns are ableist-''' A belief in some transmedicalists is the belief that [[neopronouns]] aren't for those who are neurodivergent and is against them. The claim is that it is not friendly towards those who are dyslexic or those who have a difficulty learning pronouns, therefore promotes ableism. There is also the belief it is "trans-trender" or it is a mockery to the transgender community. There is also the misconception that all neopronouns existed recently, however, neopronouns can [https://themicheab.medium.com/neopronouns-theyre-way-older-than-you-think-ae0ec7030ac0 date as far back as the 1300s]. A main set of neopronouns that get in the lines of critique is [[Nounself Pronouns|nounself pronouns]], as nounself can use any noun. However, those believe it can be in lines of racism and cultural appropriation with pronouns such as fae/faer or ae/aer pronouns. |
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One of the reasons many transmedicalists are very adamant about this belief is due to the history of harm that transphobic cisgender rhetoric has caused to transgender individuals. For example, one of the most harmful misconceptions about being trans is that it's a choice. Being transgender is not a choice, and implying that it is is very harmful. That harm is incapacitated by things like the belief that gender dysphoria as a medical diagnosis is a necessary part of being transgender, as well as the sexed brain theory and the classification of being transgender as a legitimate medical identity. Beliefs of gender dysphoria being necessary to be trans offer validity and support to transgender individuals in the persistent struggle against individuals claiming their identity is a "choice" and a "lifestyle". |
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=== Non-Radical Transmedicalist Beliefs- === |
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While radical transmedicalists tend to believe the previous things, many transmedicalists heavily disagree with the harmful aforementioned ideologies and tend to have much more general beliefs about the nature of trans identities. While they still generally believe that some form of dysphoria is necessary to be trans, they tend to be more open to discussions. They believe that dysphoria is in no way a monolithic experience and, unlike radical transmedicalists, do not believe that there is only a few "right" ways to experience dysphoria. They recognize the diversity of experience when it comes to dysphoria, and recognize that whether ones trans identity is dependent upon whether or not they have dysphoria is a variable thing and may vary from individual to individual. Instead of seeing dysphoria as a strict qualifier for being trans, they see it much more as a general descriptor of the trans experience, which may not be applicable in some situations but may be generally applicable to the trans identity as a whole. |
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===Being Transgender Is A Medical Condition=== |
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Some non-radical transmedicalists also believe that acknowledging the difference between gender dysphoria and gender incongruence is important and that gender incongruence and gender dysphoria may fluctuate in importance when it comes to determining one's identity for different people. They do not believe that trans people need to hate their bodies, and they tend to be less exclusionary and much more accepting of GNC and presentation non-conforming trans people than their radical transmedicalist counterparts. A lot of non-radical transmeds are not exclusionist towards non-binary identities, in fact, there's a large amount of non-binary non-radical transmedicalists. |
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Since gender dysphoria is a diagnosable, actual [[Neurodivergent|mental disorder]], many transmedicalists believe that being transgender is a condition due to their beliefs that dysphoria is a requirement to be trans. Another common reason for this belief is medical theories about the brain structures of transgender individuals being different than the brain structures of cisgender individuals of the same sex, lending credence to the belief that being trans is a medical condition in tandem with the sexed brain theory. |
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===Medical Transition Is Necessary To Be Trans=== |
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Overall, radical transmedicalists are very exclusionary and promote harmful ideologies which can immensely harm younger, more impressionable trans communities and individuals, but their radical beliefs differ vastly from the much less exclusionary, more open views of the rest of the transmed community- both are based on their views and discourses regarding the correlation between trans identities and common trans experiences like dysphoria, transition, and presentation, but there is marked diversity and nuance within the community that is important to acknowledge. |
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| ⚫ | Another one of the most common transmedicalist beliefs is that medical transition of some form is a necessary process for transgender individuals. This is due to the fact that transmedicalists believe that gender dysphoria is also necessary to be trans, and that, as a medical condition, medical transition is the proper treatment. This belief holds that there's an undeniable and irrevocable correlation between being trans, gender dysphoria, and medical transition, though not everyone with this belief agrees on what "level" of medical transition is necessary for transgender individuals. Some think that undergoing [[HRT|hormone replacement therapy]] is enough, while others believe that HRT and [[Transsex|gender confirmation surgery]] are necessary, and others still believe that HRT and all possible forms of GCS are necessary for one to be trans. Some transmedicalists may believe that [[Transine|someone who claims to be trans but does not want to transition medically]] is not actually trans, and is merely pretending to be trans for credit. Individuals accused of this are often referred to by transmedicalists as '''transtrenders''', which is a harmful and invalidating term. |
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===Other Common Topics/Beliefs=== |
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Apart from common beliefs relating to the trans identity as a whole in its relation to the medical world, other common topics for debate and discourse within the transmedicalist community are things like non-binary identities, xenogenders, and neopronouns. |
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====Non-Binary Identities==== |
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Many transmedicalists support non-binary identities in a variety of ways, through concepts like the [[intersex]] brain theory, and many transmedicalists are themselves non-binary. However, while support for non-binary identities is widespread throughout the transmedicalist community, some more radical transmedicalists have harmful beliefs that non-binary individuals are not real or that they're a "mockery" to binary transgender individuals. Those "radmeds" may believe that being non-binary is medically impossible and that the different ways in which they would experience dysphoria could potentially delegitimize the struggles of binary transgender individuals. However, that exclusionist belief is not a defining feature of the transmedicalist community and is instead a more radical belief among radmeds. |
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====Xenogenders==== |
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Another common topic for debate and varying opinions among transmedicalists is xenogender identities. Some transmedicalists fully support xenogenders, some are ambivalent towards them, and some do not support them. Transmedicalists who support xenogenders believe that different gender experiences are valid, and transmedicalists who don't support xenogenders may posit that gender is not just a construct or an arbitrary feeling, but a concrete reality which therefore can't be related to things like animals or concepts. Many transmedicalists may support aspects of both of the aforementioned arguments about xenogenders, but some might not have any opinions one way or the other regarding xenogenders. |
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An important conversation to be had around xenogenders is their potential impact on [[neurodivergent]] individuals and especially cisn’t neurodivergent individuals. Some (but not all) neurodivergent may find it difficult to understand the concept of xenogenders, and some may feel that xenogenders being a sort of "divergent" kind of identity while being associated with aesthetics delegitimizes other forms of divergent experiences like their own. It's important that neurodivergent voices are centered in the discussion around xenogenders and that their opinions be taken seriously and steadfastly and listened to with an open heart, as this Wiki supports xenogenders, but it also doesn't stand for disrespect or intolerance towards neurodivergent communities. As one Reddit user mentioned, xenogenders have been directly harmful to them and many autistic transgender individuals, and they believe that for that reason, neurodivergence and xenogenders are important discussions to have in tandem with each other, not separately. |
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====Neopronouns==== |
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One thing many transmedicalists commonly discuss is neopronouns. One relatively common belief about them is that they are ableist due to the difficulty some neurodivergent individuals may have in understanding them, how to spell them, and how and why to use them. Many neurodivergent individuals may have troubles with comprehension of neopronouns, and it's therefore a common belief that they're not neurodivergent-friendly and therefore promote ableism. Other beliefs surrounding neopronouns in the transmedicalist community include (but are not limited to) that they are valid because they may be validating to individualss' gender identities and there's nothing wrong with that, and that that they're a mockery to trans individuals because they accompany a rise in non-binary visibility and some radmeds believe non-binary individuals are mockeries to the trans community. |
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A large amount of the transmedicalist community is very respectful and kind, but there are some more radical transmedicalists whose ideologies are harmful to the transgender community as a whole, as they're restricting and invalidating, and promote harm to transgender individuals. Some of the more common radical transmedicalist beliefs include that non-binary individuals aren't valid and are a mockery, that body dysphoria is necessary so trans individuals therefore can't like their bodies at all, and that transgender individuals can't be GNC. Most transmedicalists don't believe these things, but the ones that do may contribute harmfully to the trans community, and it's important that that harm be highlighted and uprooted. |
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====Trans individuals can't like or appreciate their own bodies==== |
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Many transmedicalists believe that body dysphoria is necessary to be trans, but some radmeds take that to the extreme and say that no trans person can like their body, claiming that "truly" being trans would make one hate their body so much that they couldn't like it in any way. This belief is harmful because it promotes even more self-hatred in the trans community and invalidates trans individualss' attempts to cope with body dysphoria by trying to like their own bodies. |
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====Trans men need to be masculine and trans women need to be feminine==== |
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| ⚫ | One of the most pervasive radical transmedicalist beliefs is that trans individuals need to fully present as their gender identity so that they can "prove" that they're dedicated to living as their gender identity. This belief stems from the belief that social dysphoria is necessary to be transgender- due to social pressures placed on stereotypical gender roles (men and women dressing and acting specific ways), many transmedicalists believe that these social gender roles and stereotypes have contributed to trans individuals' harm and that they must therefore be overvigilant when it comes to observing them in order to be perceived as their correct gender. The idea that trans individuals are used to being mistaken as a different gender because of how they present and behave drives in the idea that gender presentation is tied into gender identity for transgender individuals. |
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This belief is harmful because it relies upon the misconception and common transphobic rhetoric that being trans is a performance. Instead of treating the trans identity as the fundamental core identity that it is for some, this belief treats it like it's just an outward performance, which is one of the most common rhetorics used against trans individuals by transphobic cisgender individuals. Gender presentation is not determined by gender identity, and acknowledging that cisgender individuals can be gender non-conforming while holding trans individuals to the standard of conformity to gender roles and stereotypes is treating trans individuals like their identities are different than cis individualss', like they have to prove something, like they're not ''really'' trans, and they can only convince individuals they are through a gender performance. This belief is fundamentally transphobic. |
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Transmedicalism is a diverse set of ideologies. Radical transmedicalist ideologies are immensely harmful, exclusionist, inaccurate, and generally hurtful, and there is no place for such vehement exclusionism and harm on this wiki, and there should not be room for it in any community whose goal is to promote respectful, inclusionist discourse and acceptance. However, non-harmful transmedicalist ideologies belonging to the general community and not specifically radical transmedicalists are valid discourses, and there is space for them in this wiki and in all forums, so long as they are respectful and civil. This wiki does ''not'' support radical transmedicalism or the promotion of harmful exclusionism, but it does support respectful discourse regarding non-harmful differing ideologies, including non-harmful non-radical transmedicalist ideologies. |
Transmedicalism is a diverse set of ideologies. Radical transmedicalist ideologies are immensely harmful, exclusionist, inaccurate, and generally hurtful, and there is no place for such vehement exclusionism and harm on this wiki, and there should not be room for it in any community whose goal is to promote respectful, inclusionist discourse and acceptance. However, non-harmful transmedicalist ideologies belonging to the general community and not specifically radical transmedicalists are valid discourses, and there is space for them in this wiki and in all forums, so long as they are respectful and civil. This wiki does ''not'' support radical transmedicalism or the promotion of harmful exclusionism, but it does support respectful discourse regarding non-harmful differing ideologies, including non-harmful non-radical transmedicalist ideologies. |
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[[Category:Beware]] |
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[[Category:Bigoted Groups]] |
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[[Category:Exclusionist Groups]] |
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Revision as of 07:02, 2 July 2022
A Transmedicalist, also known as a Transmed, Truscum, Trumed, Trident Trans (TT), or Nunchuck Non-Binary, is an exclusionist who has a set of beliefs about the transgender identity and the "criteria" or discourse around what's "necessary" to be transgender. The defining belief of transmedicalism is that gender dysphoria in some form is necessary to be transgender. This technically classifies them as exclusionists towards transgender individuals who do not experience gender dysphoria in any form, though most transmedicalists are not exclusionary and are very open to genuine and respectful discourse. There are some extremely exclusionary transmedicalists, but they only represent a small part of the whole community.
Beyond the core belief that gender dysphoria is necessary to be transgender, there are a vast amount of different beliefs in the community. Some transmedicalists support non-binary identities, and some don't. Some support xenogenders, and some don't. Some support neopronouns, and some don't. There's a vast amount of different scientific theories which are used by different members of the transmedicalist community to support different beliefs. While harmful gatekeeping is nowadays most commonly associated with transmedicalism as a whole, the community consists of radical transmedicalists, and general transmedicalists. Radmeds tend to be much more exclusionary, hateful, and intentionally gatekeeping, while the rest of the transmedicalist community may not behave similarly.
Less-radical transmedicalists may or may not have exclusionist beliefs, and even the ones that do are much less likely to be actively exclusionary, and instead tend to prefer nuanced conversations instead of just blatant, blanket exclusionist statements. Transmedicalists who adhere to the immediate aforementioned "standards" should not be treated with disrespect, as general transmedicalism is much less harmful than radical transmedicalism, and for that reason, this page is split into harmful, more radical transmedicalist beliefs, and less harmful, non-radical transmedicalist beliefs, to display the nuance in the transmedicalist community.
The reason that many of the harmful beliefs are centered and highlighted here is that they are often the center of discourse much more and are usually much more front and center in discussions in trans spaces, and it's important to recognize the immense harm those beliefs have had and are continuing to have on trans individuals while also acknowledging that this harm does not represent the imprint of the entire transmedicalist community and should not be held against the whole community but rather the harmful exclusionists within the community who perpetrate, either directly or indirectly, the harm from the following beliefs.
Transmedicalist Beliefs
The following beliefs are the most common transmedicalist beliefs, though that in no way means that every transmedicalist believes all of the following things. The only classifying belief for being transmedicalist is the belief that some form of gender dysphoria is necessary to be transgender, but all other transmedicalist beliefs are secondary and not endorsed by all members of the community.
Dysphoria Is Necessary To Be Trans
The basic transmedicalist belief is that some form of dysphoria is necessary to be trans. Some believe that it's only necessary to have one or a few forms, and some believe it's necessary to have all forms, while still others believe that it's necessary to have them at an intense level. This stems from the belief that being transgender is a medical condition and that "trans brains" are different than "cis brains". Most transmedicalists do not distinguish between dysphoria and being trans, which results in the belief that dysphoria is necessary to be trans because it is its medical component. Many transmedicalists believe that gender dysphoria is the cause of being trans, and not that being trans is the cause of gender dysphoria.
One of the reasons many transmedicalists are very adamant about this belief is due to the history of harm that transphobic cisgender rhetoric has caused to transgender individuals. For example, one of the most harmful misconceptions about being trans is that it's a choice. Being transgender is not a choice, and implying that it is is very harmful. That harm is incapacitated by things like the belief that gender dysphoria as a medical diagnosis is a necessary part of being transgender, as well as the sexed brain theory and the classification of being transgender as a legitimate medical identity. Beliefs of gender dysphoria being necessary to be trans offer validity and support to transgender individuals in the persistent struggle against individuals claiming their identity is a "choice" and a "lifestyle".
Being Transgender Is A Medical Condition
Since gender dysphoria is a diagnosable, actual mental disorder, many transmedicalists believe that being transgender is a condition due to their beliefs that dysphoria is a requirement to be trans. Another common reason for this belief is medical theories about the brain structures of transgender individuals being different than the brain structures of cisgender individuals of the same sex, lending credence to the belief that being trans is a medical condition in tandem with the sexed brain theory.
Medical Transition Is Necessary To Be Trans
Another one of the most common transmedicalist beliefs is that medical transition of some form is a necessary process for transgender individuals. This is due to the fact that transmedicalists believe that gender dysphoria is also necessary to be trans, and that, as a medical condition, medical transition is the proper treatment. This belief holds that there's an undeniable and irrevocable correlation between being trans, gender dysphoria, and medical transition, though not everyone with this belief agrees on what "level" of medical transition is necessary for transgender individuals. Some think that undergoing hormone replacement therapy is enough, while others believe that HRT and gender confirmation surgery are necessary, and others still believe that HRT and all possible forms of GCS are necessary for one to be trans. Some transmedicalists may believe that someone who claims to be trans but does not want to transition medically is not actually trans, and is merely pretending to be trans for credit. Individuals accused of this are often referred to by transmedicalists as transtrenders, which is a harmful and invalidating term.
Other Common Topics/Beliefs
Apart from common beliefs relating to the trans identity as a whole in its relation to the medical world, other common topics for debate and discourse within the transmedicalist community are things like non-binary identities, xenogenders, and neopronouns.
Non-Binary Identities
Many transmedicalists support non-binary identities in a variety of ways, through concepts like the intersex brain theory, and many transmedicalists are themselves non-binary. However, while support for non-binary identities is widespread throughout the transmedicalist community, some more radical transmedicalists have harmful beliefs that non-binary individuals are not real or that they're a "mockery" to binary transgender individuals. Those "radmeds" may believe that being non-binary is medically impossible and that the different ways in which they would experience dysphoria could potentially delegitimize the struggles of binary transgender individuals. However, that exclusionist belief is not a defining feature of the transmedicalist community and is instead a more radical belief among radmeds.
Xenogenders
Another common topic for debate and varying opinions among transmedicalists is xenogender identities. Some transmedicalists fully support xenogenders, some are ambivalent towards them, and some do not support them. Transmedicalists who support xenogenders believe that different gender experiences are valid, and transmedicalists who don't support xenogenders may posit that gender is not just a construct or an arbitrary feeling, but a concrete reality which therefore can't be related to things like animals or concepts. Many transmedicalists may support aspects of both of the aforementioned arguments about xenogenders, but some might not have any opinions one way or the other regarding xenogenders.
An important conversation to be had around xenogenders is their potential impact on neurodivergent individuals and especially cisn’t neurodivergent individuals. Some (but not all) neurodivergent may find it difficult to understand the concept of xenogenders, and some may feel that xenogenders being a sort of "divergent" kind of identity while being associated with aesthetics delegitimizes other forms of divergent experiences like their own. It's important that neurodivergent voices are centered in the discussion around xenogenders and that their opinions be taken seriously and steadfastly and listened to with an open heart, as this Wiki supports xenogenders, but it also doesn't stand for disrespect or intolerance towards neurodivergent communities. As one Reddit user mentioned, xenogenders have been directly harmful to them and many autistic transgender individuals, and they believe that for that reason, neurodivergence and xenogenders are important discussions to have in tandem with each other, not separately.
Neopronouns
One thing many transmedicalists commonly discuss is neopronouns. One relatively common belief about them is that they are ableist due to the difficulty some neurodivergent individuals may have in understanding them, how to spell them, and how and why to use them. Many neurodivergent individuals may have troubles with comprehension of neopronouns, and it's therefore a common belief that they're not neurodivergent-friendly and therefore promote ableism. Other beliefs surrounding neopronouns in the transmedicalist community include (but are not limited to) that they are valid because they may be validating to individualss' gender identities and there's nothing wrong with that, and that that they're a mockery to trans individuals because they accompany a rise in non-binary visibility and some radmeds believe non-binary individuals are mockeries to the trans community.
Radical Transmedicalist Beliefs
A large amount of the transmedicalist community is very respectful and kind, but there are some more radical transmedicalists whose ideologies are harmful to the transgender community as a whole, as they're restricting and invalidating, and promote harm to transgender individuals. Some of the more common radical transmedicalist beliefs include that non-binary individuals aren't valid and are a mockery, that body dysphoria is necessary so trans individuals therefore can't like their bodies at all, and that transgender individuals can't be GNC. Most transmedicalists don't believe these things, but the ones that do may contribute harmfully to the trans community, and it's important that that harm be highlighted and uprooted.
Trans individuals can't like or appreciate their own bodies
Many transmedicalists believe that body dysphoria is necessary to be trans, but some radmeds take that to the extreme and say that no trans person can like their body, claiming that "truly" being trans would make one hate their body so much that they couldn't like it in any way. This belief is harmful because it promotes even more self-hatred in the trans community and invalidates trans individualss' attempts to cope with body dysphoria by trying to like their own bodies.
Trans men need to be masculine and trans women need to be feminine
One of the most pervasive radical transmedicalist beliefs is that trans individuals need to fully present as their gender identity so that they can "prove" that they're dedicated to living as their gender identity. This belief stems from the belief that social dysphoria is necessary to be transgender- due to social pressures placed on stereotypical gender roles (men and women dressing and acting specific ways), many transmedicalists believe that these social gender roles and stereotypes have contributed to trans individuals' harm and that they must therefore be overvigilant when it comes to observing them in order to be perceived as their correct gender. The idea that trans individuals are used to being mistaken as a different gender because of how they present and behave drives in the idea that gender presentation is tied into gender identity for transgender individuals.
This belief is harmful because it relies upon the misconception and common transphobic rhetoric that being trans is a performance. Instead of treating the trans identity as the fundamental core identity that it is for some, this belief treats it like it's just an outward performance, which is one of the most common rhetorics used against trans individuals by transphobic cisgender individuals. Gender presentation is not determined by gender identity, and acknowledging that cisgender individuals can be gender non-conforming while holding trans individuals to the standard of conformity to gender roles and stereotypes is treating trans individuals like their identities are different than cis individualss', like they have to prove something, like they're not really trans, and they can only convince individuals they are through a gender performance. This belief is fundamentally transphobic.
Conclusion
Transmedicalism is a diverse set of ideologies. Radical transmedicalist ideologies are immensely harmful, exclusionist, inaccurate, and generally hurtful, and there is no place for such vehement exclusionism and harm on this wiki, and there should not be room for it in any community whose goal is to promote respectful, inclusionist discourse and acceptance. However, non-harmful transmedicalist ideologies belonging to the general community and not specifically radical transmedicalists are valid discourses, and there is space for them in this wiki and in all forums, so long as they are respectful and civil. This wiki does not support radical transmedicalism or the promotion of harmful exclusionism, but it does support respectful discourse regarding non-harmful differing ideologies, including non-harmful non-radical transmedicalist ideologies.