Definition of "Transphobia"

Pronounced "trans-FOE-BEE-uh."

Related terms include cissexism, transmisogyny, trans*, transgender, T-word, and TERF.

"The TERF messageboards were overflowing with transphobia. Several people were even using the T-word."

Transphobia is a strong dislike, hatred, sense of disgust, or fear related to trans* people. It is observed in both conservative anti-LGBT+ circles and in some self-identified progressive communities, such as the trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) movement. Transphobic beliefs and practices are a source of anxiety, violence, and systematic discrimination against transgender people. 


Transphobia intersects significantly with other forms of hatred and discrimination, including homophobia and misogyny, and may take the form of transmisogynyThe word "transphobia" is related to, but distinct from, cissexism, although there is some overlap and some people use the terms interchangeably. Whereas cissexism is a belief that cisgender people are superior, transphobia is a hatred for people who are not cisgender. 

First used in the 1990s, the word "transphobia" is a portmanteau comprised of "trans-"-- meaning "across from" and referring to trans* identities-- and "phobia," meaning "fear of." However, like the related terms homophobia and xenophobia, the words does not necessarily refer to a phobia in the psychological sense, as an intense fear. It can also refer to disgust and hatred that do not accompany conscious feelings of anxiety. http://queerdictionary.blogspot.com/2014/09/definition-of-trans-with-asterisk.html