Questions about a 'Transgender' Character

So in my series, after a sorcerer dies, they have the ability to be absorbed into a body that has been vacated of a soul. This can be repeated indefinitely. (You die of a gunshot? Just take over the body of someone who is brain dead) Their society as acted accordingly. Due to the fact that finding a body that can be used is difficult, many souls just inhabit the first body they find. I thought it would be interesting to feature a character whose soul has inhabited a body whose sex does not match with their gender identity. I have a few questions relating to this:

• I'm trying to feature a different 'Transgendered' story. I've seen MTF alot in media, but a FTM would be able to 'pass' much more easily in this setting, kind of nullifying the point.
• This character does have some (realistic) gender dysphoria because of their condition. It remains insevere mostly due to the fact

A. They inhabit this body for maybe 2 years at the most B. Most people can tolerate something as long as they know it WILL end. Please correct me if I'm wrong and I'd appreciate it if you could give me some times for writing this. Thank you.

It seems fine, although some people would be more suited for living in a body for 2 years than others. Just in general there will be a lot of body confusions. short people becoming tall, going into an unhealthy body, or a very healthy one, or someone who's much older or younger than they are, etc. etc.

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But should they be a male to female or female to male? I'd prefer to use one that hasn't been used a lot in media.

edited 11th Feb '13 10:03:29 AM by TheMuse

FTM transsexuals are sidelined quite a lot in media, in transgender-rights debates, and just about everywhere else. They show up, yes (Boys Dont Cry would be the absolute most famous example, media-wise), but they don't get nearly the same coverage.

What's precedent ever done for us?

However, it's rather rare MTFs get portrayed tastefully/accurately. In general it's a little more dangerous being MTF than it is being FTM. It also seems like FTMs get more support on websites like Tumblr. For every post about MTFs there's three for FTMs. FTMs also have options like binders and packers that MTFs don't have.

edited 11th Feb '13 12:34:16 PM by Collen

Gave them our reactions, our explosions, all that was ours For graphs of passion and charts of stars...

Although tumblr really isn't a good indicator of much, since it's not mainstream.

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Yeah, it's just rather depressing.

Gave them our reactions, our explosions, all that was ours For graphs of passion and charts of stars...

Any tips for writing this character with the amount of feminity that you can go "Oh, that's totally a woman" without making them appear to be an overly feminine stereotype or just Camp Gay?

• Also, going the MTF route micht be a little more practical because it takes place in a setting where a woman could crossdress and 'pass' quite easily, kinda nullfying the point.

Can you elaborate? Why would it be easier for a FTM to pass? And pass as what, do you mean it would be easier for them to assume the male identity, or easier to retain a female one?

Either way I don't think it would nullify the point if you wrote it well. It would still introduce a lot of complications.

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To clarify, I mean 'pass' as to be able to have others assume your sex matches your gender

• ex: Bella is a transwoman. A majority of people belive she is biologically female. Thus, she is able to 'pass'

• A. There's the fact that there are a great more deal of examples as women being able to crossdress and pass quite well as guys (for a while at least. Sweet Polly Oliver exists for a reason)
• This takes place in a low tech, rural-ish (almost medival) setting where (obviously) there aren't things like I Ds and physicals, so passing to your neighbors or the people at the market is much more important than having the government or your liscence recognize your gender.