The Middle Men: An Introduction to the Transmasculine Identities

Little attention has been paid to the transmasculine (female-to-male [FTM] transsexual and transgender) community. When we hear the word transsexual, most of us immediately think of male-to-females. However, the FTM community is thriving and rich with variety. This essay provides an inside look at the little-examined identities within the almost invisible world of FTMs. Positing that the transmasculine community does not subscribe to just one mode of identification, I illuminate the varied experiences of transmasculine individuals by organizing the plethora of defining FTM labels into three broad categories: Woodworkers, Transmen, and Genderqueers. Within the admittedly limiting confines of this taxonomy, it becomes possible to gain a better understanding of the people behind the labels and achieve insight into their individual therapeutic needs.