I think being too sensitive about certain words is absolutely the wrong way to go about things.
I'm not very educated on the issue, so I took some minutes to look up some basic info and articles on the history of the term "tranny" and discussion surrounding it. Doesn't make me an expert at all of course, or my opinion very qualified, but it gave me the basic ideas I think.
Imo, and anyone who disagrees feel free to correct me, I guess the term "tranny" is comparable to "gay" in the way it's generally perceived and used by different people in totally different ways? Obviously I wasn't there myself, but accordings to what I have read, seems as if "tranny" (when used to refer to transvestites and arguably some or most transgenders(?), not transsexual people) used to be a pretty innocuous word that was used freely by all trans people. Then it increasingly caught on with non-trans people, and was given a very negative connotation when coming from people whose intention was to discriminate and judge. But why did that have to change the way trans people themselves use the term?
While prejudiced, hateful people often use "gay" to offend, that doesn't stop people who are gay from continuing to use the word in a non-negative, neutral or even positive way to refer to themselves, does it?
Again imo- chastise me if I'm missing something that just makes you think I'm being ignorant-, trans people should probably deal with "tranny" the same way. Why abandon the word, leave the playing field to haters, and resort to using a word that is almost identical anyway, not because that one is objectively any better or different, but just because it's still mostly untainted in public discourse and in the way it's being used? That to me equates to backing up into a possibly ever-receding corner of linguistic refuge. What if judgemental people eventually catch onto the term "trans" too and start using it to shame those who are trans? Resort to the next best contender again?
Why not, as a transvestite or transgender (not transsexual, because clearly that's something different and there should be a differentiation between them), reclaim the word instead? Don't give in to ignorants misusing the term, that means you're letting them win. Am I not getting something here?
Although the thread seems to be dead at this point (
), I'd appreciate replies to this.
It is NOT the same as "trans". 
