Transgender Awareness Week

Transgender awareness week is celebrated every year in the week leading up to TDoR (Transgender Day of Remembrance.) It's purpose is to increase visibility of transgender people and the issues they face. TDoR is a day to honor victims on anti-trans violence during each year it is celebrated. Transgender awareness week is more important now than ever, as more and more anti-trans legislation has been popping up throughout the country. It's important to increase trans visibility and understanding to decrease stigma, and therefore, decrease fear.

What Does it Mean to be Transgender

Transgender is an umbrella term for anyone who does not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. Although not everyone under that umbrella chooses to use that term. For example, some nonbinary people identify with that term, while others choose not to.

Where Did The Term Transgender Originate?

The term "transgender" was first used in 1965 by a doctor who was writing a medical text, saying the term "transexual" was innacurate to describe trans people. The term became popular 1970, through transgender writer Virginia Prince. 

Despite There not being a term to describe trans people in english until 1970, many other cultures had terms for them long before that. For instance Native Americans have Two-Spirit people, which are people who don't fit strictly in the category of male or female. Additionally many tribes recognized 5 genders. Aside from that, ancient cultures such as mesopotamia had priestesses who were trans women. They were accepted as sacred.

Transgender Terms

AFAB- Assigned female at birth.

AMAB- Assigned male at birth.

FtM- An AFAB person who transitions to male

MtF- An AMAB person who transitions to female

Gender Dysphoria- The discomfort a person may feel because of a mismatch between their assigned sex and their gender identity.

Non-Binary- A term to identify those who identify outside of the male and female binary.

Also check out this GLAAD article about trans week. It has some awesome resources!