English to French Social Sciences Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. transsexual culture

In transsexual culture, the term "stealth" is used by a person who has completed their gender transition from male to female or female to male, and who chooses to live their life in their new gender in such a way that nobody knows about their past.

It is an issue of privacy and safety. Because they are readily accepted in their new and correct gender, they keep information about their medical past private to avoid discrimination, transphobia or differential treatment.

There can be varying degrees of stealth. For example, a male-to-female person could be "out" as transsexual to her doctor and to her sexual partner, but she may choose to be "stealth" at her new workplace, where nobody needs to know the personal details of her medical or genetic past. Perhaps she only shares private information about her medical history on a "need to know" basis only.

The expression stealth is probably used by other groups of people who wish to avoid stigma and undue discrimination. For example, a person who is HIV-positive may choose to be "stealth" to certain groups of people who don't need to know the person's medical status.

The term is somewhat similar to "discreet", but is usually stronger, for example in the case of a person who is in "deep stealth" where nobody knows at all.