Transgender 101

It is a widely held social belief that gender is a binary concept and that there are only two sexes: male and female. Although most individuals strongly identify as either male or female throughout their lives, some don't identify as either, some identify as both or more than two genders, and others move from one gender to another in the way they identify, present, or express themselves.

Transgender 101 examines the transgender population in general, covering the estimated number of transgender people in the United States, who makes up thetransgender community, and specific issues associated with transgender people. Review this section to improve your understanding, thereby improving your services.

Language

The most important information to know about language in this publication is that no single term or definition for any given concept is the only term or definition.Instead of rigidly following the terms and definitions found here, listen to what the people you are serving say, and mirror what they say.

Keeping this in mind, the following are working definitions for this guide and are not intended to be universally accepted or applied. Do not "correct" victims you are serving if their self-definitions differ from what is found below.

Binary gender

The socially constructed concept that there are only two genders: male and female.

Cisgender (or non-transgender)

Non-transgender individuals who are comfortable in the gender they were assigned at birth.

FTM, or female-to-male

An individual who was assigned female at birth but who may now identify as male or who may have taken medical, legal, or social steps to present in more masculine ways.

Gender expression

How a person expresses gender through clothing, grooming, speech, hair style, body language, social interactions, and other behaviors.

Gender identity

An individual's internal sense of being male, female, or another gender (not necessarily visible to others).

Gender non-conforming

A person who does not adhere to traditional binary gender identity, roles, or expression.

Gender vector

The direction a person's gender may be moving, for example, toward a more feminine or a more masculine identity or expression. The term "gender vector" acknowledges that gender is not necessarily binary (or does not have an end point) and that many peoples' identities evolve over time.

MTF, or male-to-female

An individual who was assigned male at birth but who may now identify as female or who may have taken medical, legal, or social steps to present in more feminine ways.

Pronouns

Words that can be used to refer to an individual in place of their name. Common masculine pronouns include he, him, his; common feminine pronouns are she, her, hers. Some transgender individuals use gender-neutral pronouns (e.g., ze, s/he, sie, hir), and the singular use of "they" is growing in popularity.

Questioning

An identity or a process of introspection whereby a person learns about their gender identity. This process can happen at any age or at multiple times throughout one's life.

SOFFA

An acronym for significant others, friends, family, and allies. Everyone is a SOFFA to many others. Everyone has a SOFFA circle—the people around them who are a part of their life.

Transgender, or trans

An umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of people whose gender identity or expression may not match the sex they were assigned at birth. "Trans" is used as frequently or more frequently than "transgender."

Transition

Process and time within which a person goes from predominantly being seen as one gender to predominantly being seen as another gender.

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Gender Neutral Pronouns. FORGE's quick reference guide to the more common traditional and gender-neutral pronouns.

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Five Keys to Service: Don't Categorize; Use Your Client's Terms

101 Trans Identity Words

Transgender 101: Pronouns

TRANSGENDER

The term "transgender" was coined in the 1970s by Virginia Prince. Prince recognized that some people do not want to take medical steps (hormones or surgery) to live in a gender not assigned at birth and that some peoples' identities are not captured by the words "transsexual" or "transvestite" (a word no longer in common use). She created the word "transgender" to encompass those who don't have words to adequately describe their experiences and identities. She acknowledged that living as male or female is not linked to medical actions and that people's identities and choices about how to embody gender are complex.

At the time, "transgender" described people who fell between genders and who did not want surgical intervention to "change sex." Today, it is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of people whose gender identity or expression may not match the sex they were assigned at birth. FORGE uses "transgender" and "gender non-conforming" to cover hundreds of gender identities, histories, experiences, and expressions, including—

People who have transitioned from one gender to another (many who transition move from identifying as "transgender" to identifying as either male or female).
People who intend to transition from one gender to another but have not yet taken any or many steps to do so.
People who choose to use hormones and surgery and those who use neither.
People who use hormones for a short while, or may opt for one or more surgeries (e.g., breast augmentation or mastectomy, facial feminization, gender reassignment surgery).
People who identify as a gender other than male or female.
Cross-dressers and others who identify as one gender but sometimes dress in clothing usually worn by another gender.
People who perform as another gender (professionally or not), such as drag performers (both female and male drag).
People who do not visibly conform to gender stereotypes (whether they want to conform or not).

Although this guide primarily uses the term "transgender," FORGE presumes that many individuals more closely align with other terms (see FORGE's 101 Trans Identity Words).

SOURCE: http://ojp.gov/ovc/pubs/forge/about_language.html#transgender