- published: 05 Apr 2016
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Shemale (also she-male) is a term used primarily (but not exclusively) in sex work to describe trans women with male genitalia and augmented female breasts from breast augmentation and/or use of hormones. According to Professors Laura Castañeda and Shannon Campbell at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism, "Using the term she-male for a transsexual woman would be considered highly offensive, for it implies that she is working 'in the (sex) trade.'"
The term she-male has been used since the mid-19th century, when it was a humorous colloquialism for female, especially an aggressive woman.
Some biologists have used she-male to refer to male non-human animals displaying female traits or behaviors, such as female pheromones being given off by male reptiles. Biologist Joan Roughgarden has criticised the use of the term in the reptile literature, which she says is "degrading and has been borrowed from the porn industry." She writes that gynomorphic male and andromorphic female are preferred, adding, "I hope future work on these animals is carried out with more professionalism."