Do you use the asterisk?

Personally i dont. To me, a trans person is a person who's gender is opposite to their biological sex. I think that people who identify out of the gender spectrum aren't transgender, and are non gendered/other gendered.

But then again, just my opinion.

I do, because the transgender umbrella is wider than people realize and a lot of experiences are common regardless of being binary-identified.

Thomas90- What would you consider,say, agender people who are transitioning? I'm just curious.

I use it fairly often because it's a shorter way of writing things.

The point of "trans*" is that it IS a big and encompassing label. You can still use "transgender" or "transsexual" or what have you if you would like to refer to a smaller segment.

Also, @Thomas, you're going to find that divide even within a smaller community, even if you only talk about "transgender" or "FTM". I think you'll find that in ANY group. For instance, think about all those who might identify as "lesbian" or, hell, "straight" - they can all be very different people and still identify with whatever label.

Yes I do.
I also think gender-variant people have the right to identify as transgender (not that they should ask my autorisation.)
Though, even some people who I would consider transgender FTM don't identify with it, so I don't force that label on people.

I tend not to but only because I am lazy and don't like having to find the astrick. I think it is somewhat more inclusive, but almost like we are trying to hard.

i use the asterisk out of habit, mostly because people want to throw fits if i don't. YOUR STATEMENT ONLY APPLIES TO TRANSSEXUALS IF YOU DON'T PUT THE STARRR!!!one!1 *rolls eyes* i swear, these rules.
i guess i consider gender-variants trans* in some ways. however, in my opinion, being transgendered specifically applies to those who are born in a body opposite of their gender. it's a birth defect. i know this girl who "feels trans half the time." thafuck? no, that isn't how it works. it's a biological mix-up, not a way to feel occasionally. then again, i don't know much about genderqueers or why some people might feel like that if their gender isn't the polar opposite of their bodies (not talking about femme ftms or anything, just people who go back and forth)

I use the asterisk for the sake of inclusion. While some identities (lesbian FTM e.g.) baffle me a little, it doesn't mean they should be excluded from the entirety! If I talk about anything that's about the entire trans* community, I use the asterisk, but if it's about anything specific, e.g. mostly related to being FTM, I use FTM/CAFAB/male-identif ied/what have you.

If I remember to I do if I don't I don't B| just like I rarely use properly spelled out english an' write to how I speak; it's not like we can speak with an asterisk so people might as well stop getting all bent cuz people don't type it :/

I do use the asterisk to make sure I'm being inclusive, and I think it is funny because whoever edited the last couple reviews I've done on here has edited it out thinking that it is a mistake (which I think is very amusing). I know the first time I saw the asterisk I was really confused and a lot of people don't know what it is or what it means, but I think it is a nice gesture all the same.

Nah not really but I generally talk in very specific terms not very general

I don't use it when referring to myself, but I'll use it if I'm making a blanket statement about non-binary identified people.

If I am talking about myself, then I am usually specific in saying that I am transmale or transmasculine, but otherwise I use it just to make sure that everyone is included in my fun.

I use it for the same reasons many others have already stated.

@Thomas, Chirple is right, you find that kind of division and occasional cognitive dissonance in any community, and particularly in minority communities. I'm congenitally disabled (cerebral palsy, amongst other things) and sometimes, depending on the topic, it can feel weird to me if someone with, say, ADD identifies as "disabled," just because the ways in which their disability affects their lives, and the extent to which it does, is drastically different from mine... but it's their right to self-identify that way and I respect that, partly because I'm that kind of person, but also because otherwise someone who's a paraplegic might decide that I don't get to call myself disabled because I can, on a good day, stand and walk a few feet.

It's the same thing with trans* discussions... any person is free to narrow their own definition of what it means to be trans*, but if a person has a narrow definition, they're at risk of being excluded from the same group by someone else's even narrower definition.

I think my use of the astrick can depend on who I am talking in reference too. I tend to use it more when I am including non binary identities.

No. Technically, just shortening the word to "trans", with or without the asterisk, is already making it open to further interpretation. I think it's inclusive enough, and while the asterisk is certainly a nice gesture to the gender-neutral/genderf luid/other people, I...think it's unnecessary from a linguistic standpoint.

It's not like trans without the asterisk automatically means BINARY trans.

i've only just noticed it, to be honest.
I don't know if i'm just behind in the times or not hanging at the right places!

Yes I do. Because there are more trans* folks out there than just trans men and trans women (myself included) and it sucks to be left out just cause you're not binary. real talk.

I use it! It's useful in making blanket statements more inclusive to all folks who feel they're a part of the trans* spectrum, and as a genderqueer trans* person it's the best way to describe myself. I know not all non-binary folks consider themselves transgender, but I definitely do, and I like to acknowledge that I exist within that identity spectrum.

I don't. I'm pretty neutral on it, I'll use it if someone wants me to, but I don't really care.

I take a very...nerdy approach to this. The asterisk is used as a wild card in programming and searching... it literally means "could be anything". I always think it's strange when people refer to themselves as "trans*" because I don't think it makes any sense. The asterisk is used to fill in something you don't know, or to say anything can go there. But I feel like if you're talking about yourself..you would know.