Just to set the record straight – gays & lesbians are not the same as transsexuals/transgender people. We understand them, we understand they are misunderstood, and we consider them part of our broader “community”, but they are not part of the same phenomenon.

If you are gay or lesbian, or bisexual, you are comfortable with the chromosomes and genitalia you were born with – you are simply sexually and emotionally attracted to the same sex. Yes, plenty of gay men are effeminate and plenty of lesbians are masculine, but they are not interested in swapping dicks for pussies or vice versa.

Before I contrast that with the trannies, let’s break them down:

• transvestite – simply likes to dress in the opposite sex’s clothing (has nothing to do with wanting to be the other sex, or attraction); remember -vest-; this has to do with clothing
• transgender – considers self as the opposite gender but doesn’t necessarily want to go through with the surgery; these are women who identify as “boi”, men who identify as “girl” or “lady”. SF has tons of transgender FTM (female-to-male)
• transsexual – genuinely feels like he/she was born in the wrong gender, and usually goes through surgery to correct the sex to what he/she feels is the right one; most transsexuals are attracted to the opposite sex, while some are attracted to the same sex.

As you can see, none of these three presumes what sex you’re attracted to. For example, if you were a MTF transsexual, that means you were born a male, but feel natural as a female, so you undergo surgery to become a female. You could be attracted to men (heterosexual) or women (homosexual). I have seen both. Really.

And, despite popular perception, an MTF transsexual is not a really, really gay guy (although it might seem that way sometimes). You don’t get progressively gayer until >poof!< you want to be the other sex. If that were true, I would want to be a woman just a little bit. I don’t. Again, I’m 100% happy with the sex I was born into.

But the reason that gays & lesbians, for the most part (well, the open-minded ones, at least – there are plenty of bigots of all types in our community!), sympathize with trans people of all types is because:

• we understand that what feels 100% natural to us may not be what the majority feels
• we understand it’s not “just a phase”
• we understand that if you’re not “normal”, then you can face hatred and even violence from bigots

This is why we support trans people’s protection under the hate crimes laws proposed to protect us.

Another thing: Drag queens are transvestites just for performance. Not the same as transvestites who do so for private pleasure. Not the same as transgenders or transsexuals.

(Just trying to set the record straight for the curious.)