Corey Richmond from Pornhub

Dear Followers.

Today in 3 hours time, Australia finds out the results of a National Postal Survey "Plebiscite" which cost tax payers 122 billion AU $.

Even if Australia voted 100% yes, this survey is non-binding meaning our politicians still have to vote to legalize marriage equality, and can still vote NO even if the area they represent voted 100% yes.

We have had our identities questioned, our children criticized, our sexuality compared to pedophilia and bestiality, we've been hit, yelled at shouted abuse at, campaigned against in the streets, we've seen a rise in Nazi sympathizers using this climate to spread hate, and even had someone do sky writing to show their distaste towards marriage equality. This is from general public AND our politicians.

Today at 10am/in 3 hours time, check in on your queer Aussie friends and make sure they know that they are LOVED, their identity is IMPORTANT, they are VALID, and most importantly they are NOT ALONE.

Ah, you have gotten transmen and transwomen confused!

Transmen: born female, transition to live as male. (Each person transitions differently, but commonly they take testosterone, have chest reduction surgery, and less commonly some choose to pay tens of thousands for multiple risky surgeries to construct a penis.)

Transwomen: born male, transition to live as female. (Each person transitions differently, but commonly they take estrogen, have breast implant surgery, and if desired have their genitals altered to create a vagina.) 

For many different reasons, some transgender people will, and will not, do any combination of the above mentioned medical processes. 

Often money, risk of surgical practices, lack of medical access and even rejection from medical professionals (yes it happens!) can be a reason to not do one of these. Additionally, some people just do not feel certain things are right for them compared to other things. There is no “one way” or, “right way” to transition.

For example, I am a transman. If you pass me down the street, I am a man, head to toe. If you speak to me over the phone, I am a man. I have a hairy body and flat chest, a deep voice and facial hair even a slightly receding hair line, and I have a vagina. But the last part doesn’t make me any less of a man!

To put it simply: shemale is a  derogatory, outdated and not relevant term. To re-name the category to be Transgender provides an acceptable, INCLUSIVE and respectable way for people to browse some sexy content! You can go to www.pornhub.com/support and write a few lines on WHY you think they should re-name the category, or just request they change it. Here is a copy of my email, and below it in BOLD, a basic template you may wish to use and chop/change around. Hi there, My name is *******, I am a regular pornhub user, as are many, and I am also a transman. I have previously enquired as to why there was no "transman" category, as there was a transwoman category. The response I received was that there was not enough demand or content for such a category - totally acceptable. But after uploading a recent video to my amateur account (different email address), i noticed there is now a category called "shemale". I would like to kindly ask why it has been called "shemale" instead of transgender or transwomen? Shemale is a hugely derogatory and outdated term, (and so is "transsexual" just FYI) and contributes to the biased ideology that transwomen are really just men.   Transgender people face huge daily battles to be accepted, from people refusing to address them using chosen name and pronouns, to lack of safety in public (60% more likely to be murdered JUST because they're transgender), to acceptance from family,friends,co-workers, in addition to blatant discrimination and harassment in public from total strangers. Our first step to acceptance and safety, and ultimately, living a normal or regular life being HAPPY in our skin, is to be accepted. We don't demand people understand us and our journey's or why we are the way we are - we simply ask people say to themselves "okay, that person is transgender, and their gender identity does not affect me or my life, so I can accept their identity" and move on. With that in mind, I kindly ask that you re-consider the naming of this category to be "transgender", which is therefore also inclusive of transgender women and transgender men, and promote respect and acceptance to the people in which the category name represents.

Its up!