Transitioning is really about sexual orientation

I'm really excited because pride prom is tonight! I get to spend my evening hanging out and dancing with my best friends.

One thing that slightly annoys me, though, is how the letter T gets stuck on the end of the term "LGBT."

I love being a part of the LGBT community. If you haven't gathered by now, I'm not straight. No, I'm not gay, either. I don't pin a label on my sexual orientation. If I'm going to fall for someone, I'm going to fall for that person and not their anatomy. Male, female, both, neither, anything...it doesn't make a difference to me. This places me on the LGBT spectrum.

But there's that T again.

Why people insist on putting the T in there is beyond me, because transgender has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

I love my LGBT community, but I can't deny that there's a bit of bias even within said elite group. Transgender can be just as difficult for the alternately-sexually-oriented as it can be for straight people to understand, owing to the fact that TRANSGENDER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEXUAL ORIENTATION. I cannot say that enough.

And even a lot of alternately-sexually-oriented people question why the T is there, because THEIR sexual orientation has nothing to do with being transgender, either.

One of the most difficult things for me is finding a romantic partner. Not for lack of trying. I'm not overly picky and I don't have unrealistic expectations, but other people can get picky when it comes to me. Within the straight community, straight men tend to not want me because I identify as male, while straight women tend to not want my female anatomy.

But it's just as exclusive in the LGBT community. Gay men tend to not want my female anatomy, while lesbians tend to steer away from the male identity.

I have friends who, try as they might, just can't wrap their heads around it. For example:

Well-Dressed Gay Friend: Your chest is too flat. I want to play with your boobs.

Me: You don't even like boobs. You're into guys.

Well-Dressed Gay Friend: Gay men love boobs! We think they're God's joke on women.

Me: I'm not taking my binder off for you.

Well-Dressed Gay Friend: Then whose boobs will I play with?

Me: Your own.

Well-Dressed Gay Friend: You've still got a girl body. Let me enjoy it.

Me: Are you planning on having sex with me?

Well-Dressed Gay Man: Ewwwww! Vagina!

Me: Then enjoy somebody else's.

I love Well-Dressed Gay Friend. He's going to be at pride prom tonight, and he's saving a dance for me. He met me when I was a girl, so the transition thing is new for him.

Another example:

Flamboyant Man: Are you still a lesbian if you're transitioning?

Me: No...I'm not even exclusive to women...

Flamboyant Man: But how you dress and your haircut, you look like a lesbian.

Me: I'm going for the man look.

Making assumptions about my gender and sexual orientation is a no, folks.

Granted, being trans is much more acceptable within the LGBT community, because people within the community are usually quite aware of how it is to be less than socially acceptable. However, acceptance and understanding are two entirely different things.

Hopefully, this will be acknowledged within my lifetime. Until it happens, I'm going to kick back and watch Doctor Who. I think I have a long wait ahead of me...