Have you met catfishes online? How do you judge if a person is trustworthy or not?

As a trap that catfishes people on Omegle and VRChat for fun, there's something to be said about the logistical side of all this. Do to the nature of online relations, anonymity thrives. Anonymity allows people to be themselves just as much as someone they're not, and they can pick and choose how they want the rest of the online world to perceive them. As such, people choose to represent themselves with factors and symbols that paint them in a favorable way that appeal to people of similar interests. This is why you see so many furries with furry avatars and why you see so many anime fans with anime avatars. They're attaching something - a character or a form of media, an image to themselves and identify with it - and as an extension, they attract people of similar interests. Look at my profile picture for Christ's sake. It's Chihiro Fujisaki from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. I choose the character to represent me since their interests align with my own (I'm quite the computer nerd) and the fact I'm gosh darn effeminate, as they are. I'd like to say I'm fairly honest with them representing me. In that sense, a representation of someone (eg. not their actual, human form) is technically them catfishing, at least to a small or slight degree. They're putting themselves in a role or choosing something else (or someone else) to represent them and inviting other people to talk to that role. That's all fine and good, to an extent. Problems arise with catfishing when people play the wrong role. People make themselves seem too perfect or too awful, or they choose ways to represent themselves they have no way of connecting themselves to, and in result can't 'pass'. This is why it's generally easy to catch catfishes that throw on a mask for malicious purposes - they simply have no way of knowing the opposite sides of the spectrum that they aren't on unless they've personally lived though them. As a trap who grew up with only female siblings, I've been brought up to be acquainted with traditionally girly stuff, and I've come to love it. I love taking care of my hair (it's soooo soft today ♥) and dressing up. Because of that, I have a pretty solid connection with my feminine side, and I can probably pass, at least online, as a female. Those that lack that connection can't. I won't say catfishing is a good thing to do, but I won't say it's bad either. Even if someone throws on a mask and puts themselves in a role they have no knowledge of, they're going to learn something, albeit though trial and error. I think learning with 'no strings attached' is a pretty healthy way to learn, especially with the discovery factors that come about with patrolling the unknown. I dunno. That's just my two cents.

Many have tried, all have failed. It's sad really, I see a LOT of catfish on the internet and the vast majority of the time they are very easy to spot - some with pictures and stuff that gives a very obvious "Something's not right here..." feeling. But some catfish are extremely clever and can sliver their way around the potholes most fall into but I always get that gut feeling and eventually it's only a matter of time before they slip up. I don't really see the appeal of why people do it, I guess it's their favourite way to get their kicks maybe?

Megitsune, you're generalizing. Traps don't pass any better than 'true' trans people. The ones that pass are the ones that put time and effort into passing. People don't just automatically pass because they're a trap or vice versa. For reference, 'Passing' as a female (while being a trans-female) is when your feminine qualities overshadow your male qualities enough for people on the street to, on first glance, assume you're the gender you're labeling yourself as without question. Having 'feminine qualities' is necessary to passing as a female regardless of person or the medium they communicate though. This includes mannerisms, voice, appearance, etc. If you're some beer-bellied hairy trailer park dude and you claim to be female, sure, you have every right to define your own gender, but others may have issues with respecting and acknowledging your gender identity (and in some cases, accepting it) due to the lack of feminine qualities. So in summary, no, feminine qualities aren't required to be a female, but they certainly help a LOT with other people accepting that you're female.

Sounds like I need to reiterate on some things. If you define your gender as female, you're a female. Simple as that. No amount of 'soul' is going to change that, though a transition - the idea that you want to redefine the gender identity you identify as, weather by choice or not - does. I think were our arguments are conflicting is the definition of transitioning. Transitioning starts as simple as identifying that you feel more accustomed to another gender identity than your own. Hormone replacement, voice training, clothes, etc - while those parts certainly help with PASSING, they are not necessarily required to TRANSITION. And again, you're generalizing and you seem to have preconceived notions of traps. Sure, some traps may want to transition by choice where as trans people dealing with gender dysphoria don't have a choice, but that's a mute point. Regardless of choice, a transition is a transition and the label the transitioning person chooses - either trans or trap, male, female, or other - is up to them. Just because a trans-person is dealing with gender dysphoria does not bar them from 'passing as well someone else' (regardless of label, may it be trap). It's not 'easier' either - everyone is different and has to fight their own battles to pass, and they can go as far as they want in their own ways, focusing on the things they think are most important (eg, voice, appearance, etc). As I said before, traps don't pass any better than 'true' trans people. A person's ease or effectiveness of passing due to if their transition was by choice or by requirement is null.

can you like not speak for literally everyone and apply your own views k thx