Question for the transgender/intersex community

[BeautifulBlue]

Hi guys,

I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about transgender/transsexual/intersex men/women and their topics, but I just recently came across something that sparked a question. I'm going to try not to be rude in answering it (I don't think it's a rude question,) but I'm mostly asking so I don't offend others in the future.

Now... the individual in question is an adult entertainment star, Sarina Valentina (don't Google her unless you're prepared to see adult content.) Now... she specifically mentions on her website and on her YouTube channel that she's transitioned from male to female. However -- despite her cosmetic procedures to give her a more feminine figure (breasts, curves, behind, etc.,) she still has her male genitalia.

My question is: what would one define Sarina as? My inclination is to say female--because honestly, she presents herself as a woman and considers herself one. Most people would go to the lengths to say that she is a 'shemale,' but I think that's such an ugly word.

Anyhow... is there a proper term to call someone who has both male and female genitalia? Do I refer to her as a woman (which I'm fine with saying?) Do I say she's intersex?

Let me know what your guys' thoughts are. I hate to ask this question, but I don't want to offend anyone by saying the wrong thing.

Thanks,

- Blue

[East]

My question is: what would one define Sarina as?

Chick with a Dick mile:

Watch This Clip:biggrin:

[OrphanPip]

Someone's gender identity is whatever they identify as. To be honest many of the women who do the whole cosmetic top surgery and go into the porn industry aren't often good representatives of the trans community, they often are caught in a bad situation because of drug issues and are forced into the "shemale" role in order to make a living and as a compromise to full transition. Although, that's not to say that just top surgery is not a viable choice for trans people, since they might not want to lose sexual sensations or not be able to afford the full surgery. Although, often the hormone treatments cause complications that ultimately require some sort of bottom surgery (at least a hysterectomy for trans men). Some trans people might choose not to take hormones or undergo any sort of surgery.

As to intersex people, those are people born with ambiguous genitalia, so it doesn't have to do with surgery, although many intersex people might want sex reassignment surgery because they feel the sex/gender they were assigned at birth (the policy used to be "it's easier to dig a hole than build a pole" for ambiguous genitals) did not align with their gender identity. Intersex is a different issue because often they were (and continue to be) subjected to multiple genital surgeries as infants and young children (including hormone treatments as adolescents) without their informed consent in order to "normalize" them.

[ZombieSlayer]

well, if shes MtF you should call her a female. because thats who she's living as.

[BeautifulBlue]

well, if shes MtF you should call her a female. because thats who she's living as.

Oh, I consider Sarina to be fully female, so no worries.

I think my question was more along the lines of what a technical term of a woman like her would be, or if there is some scientific/medical term that covers that spectrum. I could honestly care less about whether she has a penis or not, because she's being who she is and, quite honestly, I think she's absolutely beautiful. I'm more interested in the scientific and/or medical aspect than anything morally about it.

[ZombieSlayer]

technical speaking, she's a transexual woman.

[WheresTheLove]

She doesn't have male and female genitalia. Just male. She has no vagina or female reproductive organs.

[dfiant]

I remember reading somewhere that when it comes to trans that the genitals become irrelevant in gender identity because trans feel anything from detached to repulsed by their genitalia, especially so with with males who feel they were genetically born females (and visa versa), but given the wrong body and genitalia.

I would refer to them by the gender they prefer, like with Cody and Ryan I refer to them in the masculine gender because that is the way they wish to be refered.

To me that is just the most respectful thing that I can do