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Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 8, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Who do you think the average (not super progressive) feminist will be more likely to resent, and why:

The very clearly masculine man, with a tall and broad build, perhaps strong beard growth, who decides to transition to being a trans woman and tries to fit in as being one of the women in various ways,

Or the clearly effeminate, slender, smaller man who had trouble fitting in with men and now transitions (with more ease) to a trans woman and tries to fit in with women.

I would suspect the former.

Per Blanchard's typology, the former man pattern-matches far closer to "autogynephiliac". As such, assuming she isn't attracted to him, she will have to fend him off in much the same way she would have to with a straight man who doesn't take the hint. She will feel uncomfortable getting changed in front of him or going to the bathroom, as he will be more or less openly leering at her. If she's straight, she can rebuff his advances by claiming she's not interested in "girls"; if she's a lesbian, she will have to put up with his emotionally manipulative whining about the "cotton ceiling". All of her discomfort will be greatly exacerbated by how physically imposing he is relative to her.

By contrast, again per Blanchard's typology, the latter man pattern-matches far closer to "effeminate homosexual with internalised homophobia". As such, he is unlikely to have any sexual interest in her at all, and she can interact with him in much the same way she would her gay best friend (including getting changed in front of him etc.). Although they are nominally competing for men's sexual/romantic attention, they both know that the kind of man who's interested in dating a trans woman is not the kind of man she's interested in dating.

In short, the former is a straight man in a space for women; the latter is a gay man in a space for women, with all that that implies.

First time I've heard of this typology. Will have a look. Thanks for the reply!

Obviously the latter, if they're more attractive and feminine than the average feminist.

The first is fargroup weirdo. The second is competition.

It would certainly depend on what the attempts to fit in with women consist of.

I don’t think this is a very coherent question. What does it mean to be “more prepared to hate?” I’m not sure I understand your usage of “manly man,” either; transitioning to female is pretty darn un-manly.

I’m not sure I understand your usage of “manly man,” either; transitioning to female is pretty darn un-manly.

Even if they were wearing wigs and lipstick, I would not like to meet Karen White or Isla Bryson in a dark alley.

Guess I didn't formulate it well. Edited now. Physical appearance before transition is what I'm getting at. Is the "clearly not a real woman" trans-woman resented more than the "can actually pass more or less for a woman now" trans woman?

Okay, that makes more sense.