Important words and concepts (sources can be found in the resources section):

• Sex. Sex is a biological concept and is associated with physical attributes such as chromosomes/genes and their expression in the form of anatomy, primary/secondary sex characteristics, hormonal distributions, etc.

  Though commonly thought of as a binary (male vs. female), sex is recognized by science and medicine as a spectrum (albeit one with a binomial distribution). Intersex people (those born with physical characteristics not typical of a binary “male” or “female”) exist and make up 1-2% of the population.

• Gender. Gender is a social construct that defines a set of norms, behaviors, and roles that are projected upon a person within a culture. These constructs are complex and deeply ingrained in a society and are the product of cultural history and beliefs. Gender is primarily based on a person’s sex, but not always.

Western society has historically enforced a strict binary of gender — man and woman — based on a similar binary view of sex — male and female. Other cultures throughout history have had a larger set of genders, or associated gender less strictly with sex.

• Transgender. ****According to the American Psychiatric Association, transgender “is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.”

  In the definition, note the distinction between identity and expression.

  Also note that transgender is an adjective. Transgender women/men exist, but not “transgenders” or “transgendered people.”

• Cisgender. The opposite of transgender: a cisgender person is one who gender aligns with their sex assigned at birth. Trans/cisgender exist as terms so that a persons gender can be related to their sex in a universal way.

• Gender Identity. Identity is an internal concept, and a person’s gender identity is their internal sense of their own gender.

  Like sexual orientation (a person’s sense of identity based on their attractions), a person’s gender identity is not a conscious choice.

  • Binary/non-binary gender identity

• Gender Expression. The method by which a person expresses their gender identity to others.

• Gender Dysphoria. The discomfort and stress caused by the difference between a person’s gender identity and their sex. People who are transgender experience gender dysphoria to different degrees and in different ways.

  For some this pain/stress is chronic and debilitating (for example, ~40% of transgender adults have attempted suicide).

  The (only) medically-recognized treatment for gender dysphoria is transition.

• Gender Transition. Gender transition is the process of aligning one’s gender identity with their expression.

  This process varies widely, depending on a person’s needs or desires. Some transgender people choose not to transition at all, either due to lack of need, or due to external factors.

  Transition generally can involves both social and medical changes, for example:

  • changing wardrobe or appearance;
  • coming out to some or all of spouse/partner, family, friends, community members, and coworkers;
  • changing legal status, including name or gender markers;
  • preventing adolescent puberty with puberty-delaying treatment;
  • hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a process of aligning a persons hormone distribution with that of the sex typically associated with their gender and generally results in undergoing a potentially-abbreviated version of puberty associated with that sex;
  • fertility preservation;
  • surgical procedures to align one’s primary/secondary sex characteristics with the sex typically associated with their gender.

• Transsexual. An outdated and historical term that came from medical communities. It is still sometimes used within those communities to distinguish those who have undergone some medical transition (e.g., hormones, surgeries, etc.) from those who have not. The term is considered offensive and problematic by many trans people (as it gatekeeps being trans on medical intervention), though some still prefer the term (as it may represent the medical changes they have undertaken), and some prefer to reclaim it. It is generally offensive for someone who is not a doctor to call someone transsexual, unless the person has claimed that as their identity.

  Other terms/definitions that are not applicable to transgender people:

  • Drag: drag performers are those who dress and perform as exaggerated characters who are usually of a different gender than the performer. Though a drag character may be referred to as a different gender than of the performer, it is not necessarily the case that the performer is transgender. In other words, the performer and the character are different identities, much like an actor playing a role. Drag has an important and rich history in the LGBT community.
  • Cross-dresser: cross-dressers are people who occasionally wear clothing intended for the opposite gender. People identifying as cross-dressers typically do not identify as transgender or wish to transition, as this identity is independent of their gender identity. Though it is the case that sometimes transgender people explore their gender identity and expression through cross-dressing.
  • Transvestite: an offensive word for cross-dresser, generally for men who dress as women.