Guide
Trans dating terms, explained in plain English
By My Transgender Secret, October 2026
Trans dating profiles use a handful of terms you may not know. In short: MTF and FTM describe the direction of someone's transition, en femme means dressed as a woman, full time means living as your gender every day, stealth means not telling people you are trans, and an admirer is someone attracted to trans people. The full list is below.
Language in this community changes, and people use words differently. When in doubt, use the words someone uses about themselves, and ask politely if you are not sure.
Who's who: trans woman, MTF, FTM and more
- Trans woman, transwoman
- A woman who was assigned male at birth. On profiles you will see it written both ways.
- Trans man, transman
- A man who was assigned female at birth.
- MTF, M2F
- Male to female: a trans woman. Some people find the term dated, but it is common on dating profiles.
- FTM, F2M
- Female to male: a trans man. If you are looking for FTM dating, say so on your profile; trans men are welcome here.
- Non-binary
- Someone whose gender is not simply man or woman.
- Intersex
- Someone born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female. Intersex is not the same as trans, though some people are both.
- Crossdresser, CD
- Someone who dresses in clothes usually associated with another gender, often some of the time rather than every day. Many crossdressers do not identify as trans.
- TV
- Short for transvestite, an older word for a crossdresser. Some people still use it about themselves; it is best not to use it about someone who has not.
- Queer
- A broad word some LGBTQ+ people use about themselves. Use it about someone only if they do.
How someone lives: full time, en femme, stealth
- Full time
- Living as your gender all day, every day, at home, at work and in public.
- En femme
- Dressed and presenting as a woman. A crossdresser might say she wants to go out en femme.
- En homme
- Dressed and presenting as a man. Used by people who switch between the two.
- Stealth
- Living as your gender without telling people you are trans. Someone who is stealth may want a very discreet partner.
- Out
- Open about being trans, or about being attracted to trans people, with some or all of the people in your life.
- Transition
- The steps someone takes to live as their gender, which can be social, legal, medical or all three. It is personal; never ask about the details unless she brings them up.
Admirer, transfan or chaser?
- Admirer, transfan
- Someone attracted to trans people, usually a man attracted to trans women. Transfan is the profile interest you will see.
- TS-friendly
- Open to dating trans people. On a profile it signals that a trans woman's message will be welcome.
- Chaser
- A word some trans people use for men who are interested only in their being trans, often in a purely sexual way. It is not a compliment. The difference between an admirer and a chaser is whether you see the whole person.
Words to use with care
TS and tgirl are short forms some trans women use about themselves, especially online. Others dislike them. If she uses them, you can; if not, say trans woman.
Transsexual is an older, medical-sounding word. A few people still identify with it; if she does not use it, say trans.
Some words used in adult adverts and search terms are slurs to many trans people. If you would not say it to her face on a first date, do not put it in a message.
Want to put these into practice? Read how to meet trans women, or set up a profile that uses the words that fit you.
Decode any profile in seconds
What does en femme mean?
Dressed and presenting as a woman. It is often used by crossdressers and by trans women early in transition.
What does stealth mean for a trans person?
Living as their gender without telling most people they are trans.
What is a trans admirer?
Someone attracted to trans people, usually a man attracted to trans women. Good admirers are interested in the whole person, not just the fact she is trans.
What does MTF mean?
Male to female: a trans woman. FTM, female to male, means a trans man. Some people find both terms dated, but you will see them on dating profiles.
What is a chaser in trans dating?
A word some trans people use for someone interested only in their being trans, often in a purely sexual way. It is not a compliment.