Understanding the “T” in LGBTQIA+: Transgender

What does transgender mean?

Transgender means someone does not identify with the sex/gender they were assigned at birth. It is the opposite of cisgender, which means you identify with your assigned birth sex/gender.

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Sex: Biological sex is often labeled as two main categories based on one’s reproductive functions: female or male. This is assigned to you at birth.

Intersex: individuals who are born intersex are born with reproductive or sexual anatomy (body parts) that don’t fit into the male/female binary. They are often born with genitals that do not match with their inside reproductive organs. People may also have both male and female parts on the inside and outside. In some cases, individuals do not know they are intersex until puberty.

Gender: gender is a social/cultural construct, often confused with “sex.” This is how a person identifies.“Men” and “women” are typically viewed as the gender norm. However, gender is a broad spectrum and is not binary, meaning there are more than two ways/genders to identify as.

How long have people identified as transgender?

Transgender people have always existed, even before the language we have now to describe it. It has been frequently referred to as other names in different cultures, such as “two-spirit” in Native American.

What pronouns do transgender people use?

Transgender people use the pronouns that are typically associated with the gender they identify as, i.e. he/him for male and she/her for female. They can also use they/them or it/its pronouns, or neo-pronouns. Neo-pronouns go beyond “she,” “he,” and “they”): xe/xir/xirs, fae/faer/faers, ze/hir/hirs, or ze/zir/zirs.

What does it mean to transition?

Transitioning refers to the process of changing your assigned gender to the gender they identify as. Socially, that can mean telling the people important to you, changing your name, and/or dressing in a different way. Medically, that can mean taking hormones, having surgery to add/remove breasts, and/or change genitalia. Not every transgender person medically transitions for a variety of reasons, and that is okay. You don’t have to medically transition to be seen as the gender you identify with. Some transgender people do some medical procedures and not others, and that is okay, too.

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is a feeling that some transgender and non-binary people have. This means that they feel uncomfortable with their body because it doesn’t match how they want to look and be identified as. For some people it is a mild discomfort they can ignore, and for some people it can be debilitating. Some transgender people don’t experience it at all. Whether you experience gender dysphoria or not does not define if you are transgender.

How can I be supportive?

• Don’t assume people’s pronouns when you meet them. Introduce yourself with your own pronouns to make others feel comfortable enough to share or respectfully ask.
• When someone tells you their pronouns (whether it is a change or you are just meeting them), use them. Be respectful!
• If you mess up someone’s pronouns, quickly correct yourself and continue. You can apologize to the person in private, so you don’t draw attention to it.
• Practice using pronouns that are new to you.
• Advocate for more transgender and non-binary inclusive spaces.
• Ask if your school/work has gender-neutral bathrooms. Fight for people to be able to use the bathroom of the gender they identify as.
• Advocate for LGBTQIA+ and gender-neutral healthcare access and share resources from organizations that already provide this care.
• Participate in pride events.
• Don’t ‘out’ someone.
  • For some, coming out can be a big deal but not everyone is ready to share their gender/sexual identity with others. If someone comes out to you, ask who knows about it and who it is okay to talk about it in front of.
• If you know/meet someone who is transgender, don’t ask about their body parts, especially in public settings. These questions are uncomfortable and invasive and frequently used to harass transgender people. If they have discussed changes with you, you can ask them about it in private.
• Donate to helpful and inclusive organizations.
• Speak out against prejudice.
• Be kind to everyone regardless of how they identify!