TransIDs: Deep Dive into Transidentity

Introduction

When we hear the prefix “transids-”, many of us immediately think of gender: someone assigned male at birth identifying as female, or vice versa. But the concept of TransID (short for “trans-identity” or “transidentity”) pushes that boundary further. In this article we will explore what TransIDs are, how the idea emerged, why it’s controversial, and what it means in today’s identity-landscape.

What are TransIDs?

At its core, TransID is an umbrella term used by some online communities for identities beyond the conventional cis/trans gender dichotomy. According to one source:

“Transidentity, often shortened to TransID, is a term referring to an individual whose identity uses identities different from those assigned to them by society based on their physical appearance or bodily experiences.”

Some key points:

• It includes, but is not limited to, the identity of being transgender.
• The “trans-” prefix in this context signals “across”, “beyond”, or “not aligned with the body or assignment given”. For example:
  • Someone identifying as a different race than the one they were born into (so-called “transracial” or “trace”).
  • Someone identifying as a different species (sometimes called “transspecies”).
  • Someone identifying as having or not having disabilities differently than their body presents (“transabled”).

In short: TransID describes a set of identities in which there is a perceived mismatch between how someone feels inside and how their body, social category, or other external attributes are seen or assigned.

A Brief History of the Term

Tracing the origins:

• The “trans-” prefix has long been used in identity discourse (e.g., transgender, transvestite). For example, the prefix “trans‐” means “across” or “to change”.
• The term “TransID” itself appears to have been coined relatively recently (according to one site, around June 4th, 2022).
• The emergence of this term appears tied to internet communities (Tumblr, forums) and radical queer (“radqueer”) discourse, where identity categories are more fluid and expansive.

So, while “transgender” has been discussed for decades in medical, social and legal fields, “TransID” is more niche and still evolving in usage and meaning.

Why People Use the Term

Why would someone adopt or identify with a TransID label? Some of the motivations include:

• Body incongruence: A sense that one’s internal sense of self doesn’t match their physical body or social assignment (whether in terms of gender, race, ability, species, age, etc.).
• Exploring identity beyond gender: Some feel that gender-based frameworks don’t fully capture how they experience themselves. For example, age-identity, species-identity or ability-identity may be central for them.
• Community and recognition: Online communities around TransID can provide spaces of validation for those whose experiences fall outside “mainstream” identity categories.
• Activism and intersectionality: Some in the TransID sphere connect their identity narratives to broader fights—racial justice, disability rights, species-justice, etc. According to an article:

“In my time in the transID community, I have seen more disability activism, anti-racism activism, and youth liberation … than I have ever seen anywhere else.”

Examples of TransID Categories

Here are some of the categories often mentioned under the TransID umbrella:

It’s important to note: many of these categories are highly controversial, both within and outside queer communities, and many mainstream academic or medical frameworks do not recognize them.

Controversy and Criticisms

Because TransID includes identity categories beyond those conventionally accepted by society, it also carries several controversies. Some of the key criticisms:

• Appropriation concerns: Some argue that identifying as a race, ability status, species, etc., when one’s external self is different, can be seen as appropriative or offensive to people who live as members of those social groups. For example, a person identifying as transracial might be accused of minimizing experiences of systemic racism.
• Medical/psychological frameworks: Many identity categories under TransID do not align with established medical or psychological diagnoses. Some in mental-health fields are concerned about pathologizing or misclassifying unusual identity experiences.
• Dilution of “trans” meaning: Some activists within the transgender rights movement argue that expanding “trans” to include race, species or ability can dilute the political and legal specificity of transgender activism (which is already contested).
• Lack of empirical research: Because the field is new and largely grassroots/online, there is limited peer-reviewed research on many TransID experiences—leading to debates about legitimacy, terminology, and best practice.
• Misuse or fetishisation: Some critics state that certain cases of TransID may be motivated by fantasy, fetish, or other non-identity motivations, rather than an authentic lived sense of self. For instance, one urban-dictionary entry criticized “transid” as “people who think they can change everything about themselves under the excuse that it’s akin to being transgender.”

That said, proponents of TransID argue that identity is personal, diverse, and evolving—and that dismissing experiences simply because they are unfamiliar can itself be harmful.

Nuances: Dysphoria, Euphoria & Identity

Understanding TransID also involves understanding how feelings of dysphoria (distress) or euphoria (joy) may manifest. Some noteworthy features:

• Dysphoria is often described in transgender narratives (i.e., gender dysphoria). In TransID contexts, similar feelings may occur: e.g., racial dysphoria (feeling wrong race), species dysphoria, ability dysphoria.
• Some individuals cite “atypical euphoria”: a sense of relief, authenticity, or joy when one affirms a non-standard identity. For example:

“I’ve always felt non-human … I know I’ll feel euphoric.”

• Transition in the TransID context does not necessarily mean medical transition (as in transgender health care). The “transition” could mean: changing how one presents, adopting different pronouns or labels, altering behaviours, or embracing identity in less tangible ways. As one article states:

“Transition is certainly a goal of many transID individuals, though it isn’t always possible, nor is it always desired.”

In other words: The internal-external mismatch is important, but how one resolves or lives with it is diverse and personal.

Implications for Society, Identity & Community

The rise and discussion of TransIDs has various implications:

1. Broader conceptions of identity

TransID challenges the idea that identity is fixed along conventional axes (gender, race, species, ability). It asks: if one can identify as a different gender than assigned, why not race, ability, age, species? This can prompt deeper questions about what identity means, how much is biological vs social vs internal.

2. Community formation & support

Just as transgender people have formed communities for support, visibility and advocacy, so too the TransID communities online represent people whose experiences feel outside mainstream categories. These communities can provide validation, language, and coping strategies.

3. Policy, recognition and rights

Because many TransID categories are not recognized in legal, medical or institutional frameworks, there is no standard pathway to support. This raises questions: if someone identifies as “transabled,” does the health system recognise it? Do schools recognise “transage”? These remain mostly unmapped.

4. Ethical and social tensions

The presence of TransID challenges how society understands oppression, privilege and identity. For instance: How do we respect someone’s self-identification while also acknowledging lived social realities of race, disability, species status (humans vs non-human)? These are complex debates with social, ethical, and philosophical dimensions.

5. Mental health and care

For professionals working in psychology, social work or healthcare, TransID concepts may present novel cases: folks experiencing incongruence along non-gender axes. Should these concerns be treated like gender dysphoria. Should they be pathologised Should they be simply respected? The field is still figuring this out.

How to Approach the Topic Respectfully

If you’re engaging with someone who identifies as a TransID (or you yourself are exploring such identity), here are some guidelines:

• Listen and validate: Even if the category is unfamiliar to you, the person’s experience is real to them. Ask open questions rather than dismissing.
• Avoid assuming motive: Rather than assume someone’s identity is a “choice” or “fantasy,” ask respectfully about their experience.
• Distinguish identity vs appropriation: It’s okay to ask about how the person understands their identity in relation to community, history, oppression (especially in categories like race or disability).
• Recognise limits of current structures: Because many institutions don’t recognise TransID, individuals may face unique legal, medical, or social challenges. Advocacy may be needed.
• Support mental health: Identity incongruence (whether gender, species, age, ability, race) may cause distress. If someone is in distress, they might benefit from a professional who is open-minded and trauma-informed.

Where Does the Research Stand?

Because the concept of TransID is relatively new and largely emergent from grassroots or online communities, there is limited peer-reviewed academic research. Some of the gaps include:

• Lack of large-scale quantitative studies on how common various TransID experiences are.
• Limited clinical guidance on how to support people with non-gender-axis identity incongruences.
• Few legal or policy frameworks addressing categories beyond gender (e.g., race or ability) in identity law.
• Philosophical and ethical literature is emerging but remains niche.

As one article summarised:

“Most transIDs have nothing to do with gender, the “trans” prefix simply meaning their body doesn’t match their internal identity.”

Summary: Why TransID Matters

In the shifting landscape of identity politics, social justice and personal self-understanding, TransID serves as a provocation and an opening. It invites us to consider the boundaries of identity: What counts as “legitimate”? Who decides? How does internal experience relate to bodily reality and social assignment?

For individuals, the term can provide a language and community. For society, it raises difficult questions about how we categorise, recognise, and support identity. While it is controversial and not widely accepted in mainstream frameworks, its existence highlights the diversity of human experience.

Final Thoughts

Whether you agree or disagree with particular TransID categories, the broader idea demands respectful attention: there are people whose felt identity does not align with societal assignment in many domains beyond gender. For some, finding a label like TransID is liberating. For others, it may be confusing or even objectionable. Dialogue, openness and humility are key.

In a world where identity is increasingly recognised as complex, layered and fluid, the concept of TransIDs underscores one simple truth: human variation is vast, and our frameworks may need to keep up.