What is the difference between homosexuality and transidentity?
Currently, there is a confusion between homosexuality and transidentity; the two are often associated. However, the first one is a sexual orientation, while the second one concerns the construction of identity, the definition of oneself. Let's unravel this together.
What is homosexuality?
The prefix "homo" of Greek origin meaning "the same", homosexuality is defined by the fact of feeling a love and/or sexual attraction towards people of the same sex. "Hetero" meaning "the other", heterosexuality is defined by the fact of feeling an amorous and/or sexual attraction towards people of the other sex than one's own. "Bi" meaning "two", bisexuality is defined by the fact of feeling a love and/or sexual attraction towards people of both sexes.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality are sexual orientations. As such, they are more about the relationship with the other than the relationship with oneself. Sexual orientation does not require any change, it is a fact.
What is transidentity?
The prefix "trans" expresses the idea of change, of crossing over. Transidentity means changing one's identity - in this case one's gender identity.
Two main reasons are cited by those who wish to transition:
some people who claim to suffer from gender dysphoria say they were born "in the wrong body". Gender dysphoria is the medical term used to describe the distress felt by some trans people who believe they are of the opposite sex and claim to be "born in the wrong body" (see lexicon).
These people seek feminizing or masculinizing hormone treatment; some go so far as to undergo so-called "sex reassignment" operations, which consist of the removal of genitalia to reform organs that resemble those of the opposite sex. To the extent that they change their genitalia, these people can be referred to as transsexuals.others simply state that they feel a social discomfort and do not recognize themselves in the "gender identity" (see lexicon) that was imposed on them at birth.
Not all trans people report having gender dysphoria. Nevertheless, all of them express the need for change (body change, change of dressing room, change of marital status, change of how they are perceived, etcetera).
Transidentity is about the relationship to oneself, to one's identity, and according to trans people, it requires a change.
HOMOSEXUALITY & TRANSIDENTITY: Similarities and differences
What gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual people have in common is that they can be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, transsexuality, or transidentity. In the same way, women can be discriminated against on the basis of their gender; people with disabilities can be discriminated against on the basis of their disability; people with psychiatric disorders can be discriminated against on the basis of their mental health status; black people can be discriminated against on the basis of their skin color; Jewish, Kabyle, Kurdish, oromo people can be discriminated against on the basis of their ethnicity, etc.
Some people may be cross-discriminated against, at the crossroads of several discriminations.
Transgenderism has become associated with the struggle for gay rights under the pretext of intersectionality. However, transidentity, unlike homosexuality, is not a sexual orientation and is more about the relationship to oneself than the relationship to the other.
