Claiming transgender identity: Contextualising linguistic tensions over the term transgender in Hong Kong.

This article analyzes the politics of naming and recognition surrounding the label transgender in postcolonial Hong Kong, focusing on linguistic debates and identity tensions within the local transgender community. It identifies two main groups of transgender women: the "gender-normative transgender group," who emphasize medical transition and fixed gender identities, and the "gender-inclusive transgender group," who embrace fluidity and self-identification without necessarily pursuing medical intervention. Drawing on twelve interviews, the study reveals how these groups negotiate authenticity, inclusion, and exclusion amid societal transphobia and cisnormativity, highlighting the complex interplay of language, identity, and cultural context in shaping transgender experiences in Hong Kong. The research underscores that the term transgender is contested and multifaceted, reflecting broader struggles over representation and belonging within a culturally hybrid and legally constrained environment.