People usually use the word ‘Tranny’ and ‘Shemale’ for the transgender community in general. However, both words have a different meaning to them and that is why it becomes extremely necessary to know when and where to use the words.
So what is the difference between ‘Tranny’ and ‘Shemale’? In a nutshell, ‘tranny’ is used to refer to the people who are transexual whereas ‘shemale’ is used for the trans women who have male genitalia along with female organs due to hormones or surgery.
Now that we have seen the major difference between ‘Tranny’ and ‘Shemale’, let’s have a look at each of the terms individually and draw a comparison between both of them.
So without much ado, let’s get started!
What Does The Term ‘Tranny’ Mean?
‘Tranny’ is popular slang for transvestites and is often considered to be derogatory by the people of this community.’ Transvestites are those people who dress feminine and have got equally feminine traits, for instance, they behave or have likings that usually females have, but aren’t biologically feminine.
A lot of transvestites do know right from the very beginning that their gender identity is different from what they were assigned during birth. At the same time, it is still possible that people might understand their preferences over a period of time.
It should be noted that the people who belong to the transvestite community might initially find it too difficult to accept as they would prefer to stick to the traditional societal norms. Due to this, they might even end up damaging their own mental and physical health.
One needs to keep in mind that the term ‘Tranny’ was coined with the intention to use in such a manner so as to ridicule someone and hence should be avoided at all costs.
What Does The Term ‘Shemale’ Mean?
‘Shemale’ is a trans woman with male genitalia and female characteristics that are caused because of hormones produced by their body. Although the term ‘Shemale’ is used a lot, especially in the pornography industry it is considered to be derogatory by the members of the community.
At first glance, you might feel that a ‘shemale’ has got a really good feminine physique, however, at a closer look, you will realize that there are still certain physical qualities that are different from what a usual female would possess.
As they have male hormones dominating them, their foot size is bigger as compared to the average female foot size. Their usual voice is deep and hence shemales’ have got a very artificial voice, as they make a conscious effort to speak softly. Another noteworthy feature is their height, ‘Shemales’ are generally taller than an average girl.
As per one of the researches, it was observed that ‘Shemales’ don’t live too long and hence they prefer to live their life to the fullest, which means that they often resort to plastic surgeries to enhance their beauty.
Differences Between Tranny And Shemale
Meaning
‘Tranny’ is a slang word that is used for transvestite. Whereas, ’shemale’ is used for a trans woman who has male genitalia along with secondary female organs.
Origin
The word ‘Tranny’ has come into origin since the twentieth century whereas the word ‘Shemale’ has been in existence since the nineteenth century.
Scope
‘Tranny’ refers to all the transsexuals and cross-dressers and hence is more inclusive and has a wider scope as compared to ‘Shemale’.
‘Shemale’ is referred to only to a specific section of the community; trans-females and male genitalia.
Comparison Chart: Tranny Vs Shemale
| Point Of Difference | Tranny | Shemale |
| Alternate Names | ‘Tranny’ is also referred to as cross-dressers in society. | ‘Shemale’ is also called out by the term ‘aggressive woman’. |
| Stand In Modern Culture | ‘Tranny’ word is considered to be very humiliating and hence the activists have even got the word banned from Facebook. | ‘Shemale’ is used more in the pornography industry. Moreover, the word is considered to be offensive and hence is preferred to be less-spoken. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does The Term ‘Non-Binary’ Mean?
The term “Binary'' means ‘two’ and that is what a person usually is classified into ‘male’ or ‘female’. Therefore, the people who usually do not fall into either of the categories prefer to call themselves Non-binary as they have mixed traits of both genders and can’t confine themselves to just one gender.
Is There Any Religion That Accepts The Transgender Community?
Every religion has a different view with respect to the acceptance of the transgender community. However, there are few religions that are commonly known as LGBT-affirming religious groups. To name a few, Buddhism has always been very supportive of the community. Some Christian denominations whole-heartedly accept the transgender community.
Despite the fact that religions don’t accept the transgender community, most people do not hold any prejudice against the community and treat them like normal humans.
Why Do Some People Prefer To Use The Pronoun ‘They/Them’?
A lot of people use the pronouns ‘They/them’ as they can't categorize themselves into ‘he/she’ and hence opt for a gender-neutral pronoun. However, not all non-binary people use this pronoun, but most of them do use it.
It is a good practice if you directly ask people what pronoun they prefer rather than assuming it.
Why Do Some Men Prefer Shemale Over Females?
A lot of men prefer ‘shemales’ because they are more pretty than average females and that is mostly because of the number of surgeries that they have gone through. Moreover, shemales are considered to be more passionate lovers and that is what attracts men the most.
Conclusion
We hope that you have understood the difference between the terms ‘tranny’ and ‘shemale’ and that you would now be in the position to properly use the terms according to the person’s identity.
However, we highly recommend that you do not speak any of the words as they are considered to be very insensitive and derogatory and there are a lot of activists who are trying to ban these terms as they hurt the community’s emotions.
