Transsexual acceptance is not really "progressive" because in order to be progressive it has to be a move in the right direction.

Jury is still out transsexuals actually aren't suffering a mental disease.

Also, I think you are making a false comparison for one thing. Being transsexual has to do with a much more complex set of circumstances: psychology, surgery, and the interactivity culturally as a new gender entirely or one simply in conformity with another. Homosexuality is simply sexual preference. Homosexuality does have it's own culture, but it's not across the board.

Additionally, time and analysis on the topic has given people perspective on homosexuality. The science on the subject shows us that it isn't simple psychology, but it is most likely attributable at birth. It's more akin to a genetic trait than a person's lifetime experiences molding their sexuality. For this reason, the reality has set in that it's not right to ask homosexuals to change, but in fact society has to change its outlook because it's demand was an impossible one.

Transsexuals on the other hand doesn't seem to meet the same consideration. Where's the evidence that transsexuals are born with identification with the wrong gender? How do we know that's not socially constructed? Why have we so quickly assumed that accepting transsexuals is "progressive?" Because it naturally is the next prong under homosexuals? No it's not. In fact it's only similarity is being socially stigmatized.

I'm not advocating the mistreatment of transsexuals. I believe every human being deserves love and respect. However, I'm not convinced that transsexuals don't simply suffer from a mental issue like anorexia. Anorexics never are satisfied with their body image. Would you encourage them to not eat and say everyone should encourage them to not eat? "Forcing them to eat isn't progressive." Obviously not. It's not healthy. By enabling people to commit to life altering surgery, we are potentially facilitating a mental issue as opposed to facilitating a human being's needs.

I'm all about human progress, especially in the aspect of civil rights. But I think advocating for transsexual rights and labeling it "progressive" is a flawed assumption. Lookup studies of transsexuals as a mental disorder and there is a large amount. Specially a psychologist from John Hopkins Hospital.