My friends keep
mentioning ‘she-males’ and I don’t really know that
they’re talking about. What does it mean?
Answer
A she-male (or
transgenderist) is a biological male with artificially
created female sex characteristics, usually breasts.
Their bodies are in a state of sexual limbo: not quite
male and not quite female.
Unlike transsexuals
(individuals who feel trapped in the body of the
opposite gender and seek medical attention to correct
this problem) a transgenderist has no desire to have
gender-reassignment surgery (i.e. a sex-change
operation) to alter their genitals. Most transgenderists
prefer to remain biological men while receiving
female-hormone injections and plastic surgery to make
their bodies appear more womanly. Some are so feminine
looking, in fact, their penis is the only giveaway that
they are not a guy. This can be a source of erotic
pleasure for both the transgenderist and their sexual
partner.
It should also be noted
that some transsexuals perform as she-males in the sex
industry in order to earn money for sex-reassignment
surgery, but this is not the same thing as a true
transgenderist. A true transgenderist takes pleasure in
being in a mixed-gender situation while a transsexual
does not.
For more information on
sexual identity, you can to contact the London Lesbian
and Gay Switchboard, which provides information, support
and a referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual
men and women and heterosexuals. You can call them on
020 7837 7324, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
