Terminology and Connotations

There is a concept to transitioning that is pervasive. The basis of the concept is that you live your life and no one has any idea of your pre-transition life.

So, what word do you use for this? Each one seems to come with its own baggage.

Stealth - This one is popular. A stealth aircraft is nearly invisible to radar by misdirecting the Radar waves or Absorbing them without reflecting them back. Spies are stealthy, blending into the scenery or anonymously into crowds. Many people see this as deceit. The spy connotation does not sit well.

Pass - This comes from a racial concept. A person of African descent through whatever means (mixed heritage, for instance) had light enough skin to 'pass' as white. I believe that those who took advantage of this were often seen as betraying their heritage by denying it.

Woodwork - I'm not sure where this one comes from. A desire to be invisible? I have this picture of some kind of human chameleon whose skin takes on the pattern of the wall behind her. I see this as actively working to be unremarkable.

Assimilate - The US is supposedly a great Melting Pot. Different cultures come here and they are supposed to combine into the unique identity that is the United States. Assimilation is that point in the melting pot where the uniqueness of your background is so dilute that your flavor in nearly indistinguishable from that of the whole (sorry about the apparent cannibalism reference).

Words can be imprecise. The concept that describes what I (and many others) want to do can't easily be tied into one single word. I'm thinking paragraphs, chapters, or maybe novellas will grasp the concept.

Maybe it is just a matter of seizing a word and redirecting its definition.

Maybe we need a new word to define the concept.

Maybe we don't need to refer to it at all. Defining it will remove the power of the act in itself.