Tranny: Understanding Why This Term is a Slur and Its Misconceptions

What does the term “Tranny” mean?

Tranny is a slang and derogatory term used to refer to a transgender person, most often a trans woman. It is a transphobic slur, just like “faggot” for a gay man or “dyke” for a lesbian. This word carries a history of violence and contempt towards trans people.

Originally, “tranny” was the English diminutive of “transsexual” or “transgender.” However, its use quickly became tinged with negative connotations, particularly due to its association with the fetishization and dehumanization of trans people in certain contexts, such as the pornographic industry.

Why is this word a slur?

• It dehumanizes: “Tranny” reduces a person to their trans identity, as if that were the only thing that defined them. It denies their complexity, their personality, their humanity.

• It is associated with violence: This word has been and is still used by aggressors of trans people. It is synonymous with hatred, rejection, and violence.

• It is used to fetishize: In the porn industry, the word “tranny” is often used to fetishize trans women, to reduce them to an object of fantasy for cisgender men. This is a form of exploitation that denies their identity as women.

How is the term “Tranny” often misinterpreted and confused?

Unfortunately, this term is very often misinterpreted online: on porn video sites, videos with “travs” (cross-dressers) or “shemales” are often found under this name. This confusion is problematic because it conflates very different identities and practices.

It is important to note that “travesti” translates to “cross-dressing” or “cross-dresser” in English, and not “tranny.” Cross-dressing is a sartorial practice, while transgender identity is a matter of deep gender identity.

The words to use when talking about transgender people

If you want to talk about a transgender person, use the words they have chosen to define themselves. In general, we use:

• A trans woman

• A trans man

• A trans person

If you don’t know which pronoun to use, ask them. It’s a basic sign of respect.

In Short:

The word “tranny” is a slur. Never use it. If you hear it, correct the person who used it. Ignorance is not an excuse for transphobia. Respect for trans people also involves respecting the words we use to refer to them.