The History of HSTS and Why It’s No Longer Acceptable

If you’ve seen HSTS tossed around online and wondered what the fuss is about, you’re fortunately late to the party. HSTS stands for “homosexual transsexual.” The label came out of a mid- to late 20th century sex-research era that tried to split trans women into boxes based on who they were attracted to. However, the term is inherently problematic and frowned upon by many in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Here’s a look at what HSTS means and why advocates refuse to use the word. 

What does HSTS mean?

Researchers who developed and promoted the flawed ideology argued that some trans women were “homosexual transsexuals” (HSTS), defined as gay men who became women. Others were labeled “autogynephilic” (AGP), meaning they were said to transition because of a sexual fetish for being female. However, the term reduces gender identity to sexual orientation, which experts say is a false equivalence. In modern sexology and medical guidance, gender identity — who you are — and sexual orientation — who you are attracted to — are considered separate.

According to PubMed, HSTS is rooted in Ray Blanchard’s typology and the autogynephilia theory. Many researchers and trans health experts have criticized these frameworks for weak methods and biased assumptions. Peer-reviewed critiques note that while certain sexual fantasies exist, Blanchard’s broad causal claims and two-type taxonomy are flawed.

Medical experts and queer advocates reject HSTS and related labels because they sexualize, pathologize, and dismiss trans people’s lived experiences. Biologist Julia Serano, a longtime researcher on transgender issues, says Blanchard’s model harms trans women everywhere.

“The theory sexualizes trans women’s identities and motives — essentially, it’s the transgender equivalent of slut-shaming,” Serano wrote. “More to the point, it provides a (pseudo)scientific justification for these groups to mischaracterize trans women as ‘perverts’ or ‘predators’ who pose a potential threat to cisgender women and children in public restrooms and elsewhere.”

How HSTS and other terms get weaponized

HSTS didn’t stay locked in textbooks. It surfaced in pop-science books, online debate threads, and policy arguments that cast doubt on trans people’s motives for transitioning. Labels that claim a trans woman transitioned “only for sex” or “is really a gay man” fuel harmful narratives.

Meanwhile, Blanchard coined the term autogynephilia, or AGP, to describe sexual arousal from imagining oneself as female. Academic literature mentions the idea, but critics widely reject the broader theory that it explains why many trans women transition. The theory remains controversial. People also recognize slurs like “shemale” and “tranny” as derogatory because they sexualize and dehumanize trans women.

According to Royal Society Publishing, some scholars use neutral descriptors such as androphilic (attracted to men) and gynephilic (attracted to women). These terms focus on patterns of attraction without making assumptions about gender identity. Many clinicians prefer them over outdated or loaded labels like “homosexual transsexual.”

If you’re still confused, don’t use HSTS as a descriptor for anyone. The term comes from a contested theory that reduces people to their sexual orientation and relies on research that many experts have slammed. 

Do you think outdated academic theories still influence how people view trans folks today? Comment below!

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