Sexual Preference vs. Gender Identity
I designed the intersexed / transsexed survey as an anonymous communications channel for people to ask questions or speak about their own experiences. One survey response contained the following statement.
I was wondering are all transsexuals Lesbians when and if the go through SRS.
The comment above is an example of the typical misconception that gender identity is the same as, or at least similar to, sexual preference. In reality, there is no connection between sexual preference and gender identity. I define the two terms as follows:
 | Sexual Preference -- The physical attraction of one person to another. |
| Gender Identity -- The gender of which a person perceives themselves to be. |
Since society apparently perceives gender and sex as the same, the implications will certainly become confusing when speaking of sexual preference in relation to people born intersexed / transsexed. You should understand the following points first:
| About half of all gender changes are from female to male. | ||||||||
| People born intersexed / transsexed have the same spread of sexual
preference as does society.
|
The concern about one's sexual orientation is a constant concern to transsexual, both pre-op and during the early post-op years. A transsexual who had just begun hormone therapy wrote me recently. In response to my question of what she was doing, she commented, "Also sorting out my sexual orientation." The question of their sexual orientation seems to be a particular problem for male-to-female transsexuals, especially as both the media and some X-rated Internet sites cater to men who wish to see pictures of, or have contact with, pre-op male-to-female transsexuals. I suspect that interest is a combination of the exotic, the someone who is different, perhaps even a bit of the culturally forbidden. Such situations certainly do not make for an easy transition, or easy to determine your sexual preference.
Returning to the question from a survey response, the simple answer is no.
I have known female to male transsexuals who were attracted to women. I also met a married female to male transsexual who's spouse (husband if you prefer) was supportive and assisting in the transition.
I have known male to female transsexuals who were attracted to women. I know others who were attracted to and married, after Sexual Reassignment Surgery, to men. Some were attracted to both men and women. I have even met a few male to female transsexuals who were non-sexual, being attracted to neither women or men.
