While scrolling through X a few days ago, I stumbled upon a conversation about ‘transfishing’.
It’s a relatively recent online phenomenon where cisgender women who are (mostly adult or NSFW) content creators pretend to be trans for engagement and money.
It was borne out of a viral clip of two seemingly cisgender women dancing in their underwear, with sex toys apparently stuffed down their pants to suggest a bulge, while their profiles featured trans flags alongside links to OnlyFans.
I’ll be honest, my first reaction was one of befuddlement, as I know first-hand the amount of abuse trans women get online – and while I’m aware trans adult content creators exist, I know they also get a lot of hate. I couldn’t imagine a video of them dancing around in their underwear with a visible bulge would generate many kind comments.
What is transfishing?
Transfishing is when cisgender people (those whose gender identity aligns with their sex at birth) pretend to be trans for personal gain.
I couldn’t understand – if it was the case – why these two women were pretending to be trans for clout? Surely, it would just open them up to hate?
But it became apparent that people who ‘transfish’ are trying to capitalise off the controversy these kinds of posts generate.
It’s why seeing videos like this is (these two are not the only ones accused of transfishing) incredibly infuriating for trans people – because you have people making money off being trans who never have to experience all we go through.
To them it’s just another way to get engagement and rake in cash, while for us it’s our lived experience. I don’t take off being trans when I turn off the camera, but they do and go about their everyday lives without ever realising all the hatred and abuse we get on a daily basis.
It’s therefore incredibly disrespectful and frustrating to see them profit off our bodies and lives, without lifting a finger to actually help us and advocate for our rights.
That said, I’m actually not surprised transfishing has become a thing. I know from bitter experience that trans women have always been fetishised by (mostly) cisgender men for our bodies.
And you don’t need to take my word for it – just ask any trans woman who has been on a dating app.
The reality is that many men fantasise about having sex with a woman with ‘breasts and a dick’ and therefore see us as sex objects.
Often, these men would never be seen with us in public – and might even express transphobic views in their everyday lives and online.
As it turns out, engagement from those interested in trans porn or erotic content is a lot more popular than people may realise – a 2022 report from PornHub showed that searches for trans porn had increased by 75%.
It’s therefore incredibly disrespectful and frustrating to see them profit off our bodies and lives, without lifting a finger to actually help us and advocate for our rights
One look at my DMs could have confirmed that – I have received countless messages from men online who are propositioning me, or asking me whether I can connect them with other trans women.
I rarely ever respond unless it’s to tell people that trans women are not sex objects to be enjoyed by them, to which I mostly get abusive responses back.
What this goes to show quite clearly is how trans women are fetishised and sexualised by men in very similar ways as other women are, on top of having to deal with everyday transphobia, sexism and misogyny.
I’m thankful to be in a relationship with another trans person who understands me completely – and doesn’t have any hang-ups or a crisis about me being trans. We just get it, and I couldn’t be happier.
People’s views about certain groups are often shaped by the content they consume online, whether that’s news footage or pornography.
In a society that is constantly painting trans people as a threat or objects of disgust and ridicule, for those who are attracted to trans people, it can generate a lot of shame.
Hear from a trans OnlyFans model
‘I want men to know that it’s OK to be curious. I want them to be able to free themselves of the guilt and shame that they have hanging over them for even considering whether they might be questioning their sexuality or wanting to explore something different from the “norm”.
‘Speaking to people who have openly admitted to the fact that my not having had bottom surgery but still having a feminine allure is attractive to them never gets old for me. It’s reassuring for me to hear people compliment my body and it makes me feel wholly accepted.
‘I’ve even reached out to a few of my trolls and I discovered that they do it not because they hate me or my body, but because they hate themselves for liking me.’
Read more here
So while we’re living in a time where trans rights are under constant attack by politicians and anti-trans movements, trans people have never been more sought after and enjoyed.
And transfishing feels like the direct result.
I know that I deserve more than to be seen as a sex object for a man that’s going through an internal identity crisis for simply finding me attractive.
But one thing is clear: a lot of hate and prejudice can be eradicated if people let go of their shame, and weren’t made to feel like they are doing something wrong for liking trans people.
Trans bodies deserve to be celebrated, and no one should have to be ashamed for how their body looks or functions – but using us to sell online content when you’re not trans for your own gain is not the way to do that.
Trans people are going to exist in society, and we are going to exist in our bodies, and be proud of them. We engage in intimate relationships and are desired and enjoyed like other people.
This needs to be done on our own terms – not by people taking advantage of us and our bodies.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Share your views in the comments below.
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