What Does It Mean To Identify as Transmasculine?

It is a non-binary term and includes genderqueer people, gender-fluid people, and anyone who is assigned female at the time of birth but whose gender falls in the masculine range. Gender expression is how a person shows a perception of others, while gender identity is related to how a person views oneself. 

A masculine person does not necessarily identify as a male, so it is possible to physically transition to a male-like state, “the transmasculine,” without the identification of a male. In short, it is the term for a person who likes the description of transmasculinity.

Transmasculine vs transgender

Transmasculine and trans men are both types of transgender. Being a trans man and transmasculine, however, differs from each other. The term transgender is used as an umbrella term to describe anyone who fails to identify whatever they were assigned at the time of birth.

Likewise, the trans man or transgender man is the man who was assigned female at the time of birth. Similarly, the word trans-masculinity refers to the people who are assigned females at the time of birth but are falling under the umbrella of the men’s gender. So, it's all about understanding the gender differences.  

Transmasculine people thus have a non-binary identification. The people who identify themselves as binary don't classify as men or women. Instead, such people tend to identify as both beyond or between these genders. 

How does society view trans-masculinity?

The society in the UK, like other societies, is set up under the binary view of gender as female or male. A lot of effort and time is necessary to set up an identification between trans women and trans men, i.e., the transgender person with the gender identity as entirely female or male. Trans transmasculine people are often outside of this view of gender, and there are many ways their gender is expressed and experienced. 

Thus, anything beyond this binary vision is frequently overlooked. Another issue is that the culture is combined and mixed up with gender identity, identity and sexual orientation. It means the transmasculine have to experience erasure from the narratives of trans liberation and trans identities. 

Sometimes, such people are identified as butch lesbian women, rendering their real identities invisible. Consequently, transmasculine people experience emotional fallout from support systems, e.g., family and friends who are not responsive or affirming their needs.

Issues faced by the transmasculine people  

Transmasculine people face many of the same types of issues as other transgender people, e.g., rejection by the family, hate crimes, violence, and the risk of discrimination. Some of the problems faced are; 

Inadequate support  

In many cases, the people identifying themselves as transgender people don't get the support they want from others, and transmasculine people are often overlooked while discussing the issues faced by transgender people. 

According to health professionals, it stems from the fact that our society tends to be less policed and more tolerant of masculine expression than feminine expression. It is, however, extraordinarily provocative and alarming to see a person assigned male at the time of birth playing with the objects than the person assigned female at the time of birth playing with the masculine objects. 

Poor legal documentation for gender identity 

The individuals living outside the binary gender identity often face the lack of a third gender or the nonbinary options for gender like the driving license. This means they frequently need to explain the gender or pronouns to be viewed validly and accurately. Some people have a false belief that non-binary people are usually indecisive or are not brave yet to admit it now. 

All this creates a mess around personal identification and gender reality.

Higher risk of mental health illnesses 

Transmasculine people experience a higher risk of issues related to mental health, e.g., depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviour, ideation, etc. A recent study published by the Journal of General Internal Medicine in 2023 concluded that the risk of suicidal ideation is significantly higher in transgender men, transgender females and non-binary people assigned male or female at the time of birth, etc. 

Likewise, another cause of distress is chest dysphoria, in which a person feels chest distress or discomfort due to unwanted development of the breast. The masculinising chest surgery has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of this dysphoria. Factors like bullying, lack of healthcare access, discrimination, etc, contribute to the mental health distress faced by the transmasculine person. 

Poor Healthcare Access 

Healthcare Access is a routine issue faced by transgender people. People fail to attribute the problems with the transmasculine identity, e.g., menstruation, ovaries, pap smears, etc. The treatments and the insurance companies do not cover the surgeries, hormonal therapies, and other treatments don't cover them. Even if such frameworks exist, the mental health and the medical community need a lot of gatekeeping. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the difference between transman and trans masculinity? 

Transmasculine or transmas is the broad term for all trans individuals with masculine identities. It includes trans men and non-binary people who were assigned females at the time of birth. These people have identification that is partially but not entirely male. A transman is a person who was identified as female at the time of birth but identified themselves as male. 

What is the transmasculine symbol? 

The standard transmasculine flag consists of pink stripes at the bottom and top with light blue gradients towards the middle. The transgender flag inspires the standard transmasculine flag and identifies with most of its signs. 

What is trans neutral? 

It is a transgender person who is transitioning with, identifies with or has a transition towards a neutral gender expression and a neutral gender identity. It is an unaligned or non-binary gender without any inclinations.

What is gendervoid? 

It is one of the gender identities that fall under a non-binary umbrella. It refers to a sense of a void or a space where the gender identity must be. The people identified as the gendervoids often feel unable to experience their gender. 

Is there any example of transmasculinity? 

Transmasculinity is the affiliation with the masculine side of the gender spectrum. For example, a person can be masculine without identification as a male. Likewise, it is possible to physically transition to the masculine state without the identification of the male. 

Summary 

Transmasculine people are the people who were assigned females at the time of their birth, and their gender expression and identity are masculine, but they are not necessarily male. Such people are often overlooked as society doesn't look at their issues. Such people face issues related to healthcare access and medical access, as well as a lack of supporting documents. 

This factor makes it more challenging and essential to ally with such people. To learn about domestic violence and its association with gender, visit our page titled ‘Sexual Violence: Definition, Prevention and Effects’. Likewise, to learn about Testosterone and Dominance in Men, see our informative pages.