WHAT IS “TRANSGENDER”?

The term transgender (sometimes abbreviated to trans) refers to a person with a gender identity that is different from their birth sex or who expresses their gender in ways that contravene societal expectations of the range of possibilities for men and women. This umbrella term may include crossdressers, drag kings/queens, transsexuals, people who are androgynous, Two-Spirit people, and people who are bi-gendered or multi-gendered, as well as people who do not identify with any labels. Transgender community includes transgender people and their loved ones - partners, family members, friends, etc. (sometimes called SOFFAs - significant others, family members, friends and allies).

FTM refers to a transgender man who was born female. (female-to-male)

MTF refers to a transgender woman who was born male. (male-to-female)

(Often, but not always, FTM and MTF are associated with trans people who physically transition to the sex that matches their gender identity)

HOW DO PEOPLE “TRANSITION”?

Not all transgender people desire a physical transition, but for those who do, there are many options and different routes to take. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be used to develop secondary sex characteristics matching those of yr gender identity. For example, FTMs can taketestosterone, which will masculinize them in many ways, including fat redistribution, increased muscle mass, and voice drops. Various surgeries and procedures are also available for transpeople, including electrolysis to remove facial and some body hair from MTFs, top surgery (which involves the removal of breasts for FTMs and breast enlargement for MTFs), and bottom surgery, the surgical alteration of genitalia.

Before physical transition, most transgender people go through a social transition, in which they begin to live “full-time,” presenting as their gender identity.

LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION?

Gender and Sex, etc. Terminology

Transgender Terminoloy

Trans 101 on T-Vox

Transgender FAQ

Genderpalooza: A sex and gender primer

Semantics, Gender, and “Cis”

Gender-Normative Privilege

Vancouver Coastal Health’s Transgender Health Program has a lot of greatresources (to grab the PDFs scroll down to the “consumer information” section)

Also, take a gander at my Resources page.

And I can always recommend more websites, books, and other blogs. Just send me a message.

// Comments