He-she

Reference

Definition

An offensive, informal term for a transgender woman—a woman who was assigned male at birth. It has also been used as a derogatory label for a butch or masculine woman, and sometimes for a trans man viewed as a masculine woman.

Quick Facts

TermHe-she

Meaning of he-she

He-she refers to a transgender woman, meaning a woman who was assigned male at birth. The expression is informal and offensive rather than a respectful way to describe someone’s gender.

Other derogatory uses

The phrase has also been used as an insult directed at a butch or masculine woman. In some usage, it has been applied to a trans man when he was regarded as a masculine woman. These uses are derogatory.

Sources

  1. Wiktionary: He-she definition