One of the best resources I've found for FAQs and definitions of terms for people who are new to the transgender issue is from Our Trans Children from the PFLAG-TNet website.  I am going to paraphrase some of their information so I want to give credit to them for that.  For the most part, these terms and FAQs are ones I've compiled over the past year to put in different zines and pamphlets to disburse around campus.  I'm hoping to keep building on this as often as possible so that this will be a worthwhile resource, and you won't have to go searching all over the net for a definition here and an answer to a question there.  If you have any terms or questions or want to add anything to the definitions or answers here, send me a message, and I'll be glad to update.  Again, I'm just putting up the information I've found, and I know there are definitions to terms that can be offensive to some so if you find anything wrong with these, let me know, please.  The trans culture is constantly changing and so are our definitions.  I also do not intend to confine or limit anyone by these definitions.  Labels can be stifling to ourselves, but they can also help us find ourselves.  If I didn't embrace the label "transgender," I would never have found this great community or the strength to be myself and free myself from labels.  It's a strange paradox, but it works.  So, I hope these help you out, and as my knowledge grows, so will this page.

Biological Sex: Male/Female – Sex is determined by our chromosomes (XX for females, XY for males); our hormones (estrogen and progesterone for females, testosterone for males); and our internal and external genitalia (vulva, clitoris, vagina for females, penis and testicles for males). Even though all of these aspects of sex should be taken into consideration before a doctor “assigns” a newborn a male or female label, almost all doctors simply look at the genitalia. 

Gender:  Boy/Girl, Man/Woman – Gender is the category to which a person is assigned at birth, usually matched to the sex of the person.  Gender is independent of biological sex, but most people mistakenly think they are synonymous terms.  Gender is a social construct involving separate roles for men and women, and it varies across cultures.  Many cultures have more than two genders, and almost all cultures attach different values, expectations, and roles to each gender.  Gender is a sort of performance, with men and women having different lines, costumes, attitudes, and roles to perform, with the audience being every single person who sees us throughout the day.

Gender Expression:  Gender expression is the way we present our gender to others each and every moment of the day.  This includes a person’s choice of clothing, hairstyle, their body language and mannerisms, a person’s voice (whether it is a high, shallow pitch or a low, deep pitch), the particular gender roles a person performs, etc.  If you can think of the most masculine person you know and the most feminine person you know, you are probably determining that by their gender expression. You can use what you know about that person to examine your perception of masculinity and femininity.  What is it about that person’s clothing, hair, body language, voice, and behaviors that make them masculine or feminine?  All of these are determined by our culture, the media, and fashion trends.  The way gender is presented changes over time.

Gender Role: Gender roles are the sets of expectations that one will look, dress, and behave in a manner that is identifiable as a man or woman.  ie. Currently, in the United States, the “normal” gender role for a man includes having short hair or at least a masculine haircut, wearing clothes designated for men, being assertive, a leader, having a firm handshake, being decisive, etc.  For women, the gender role includes being passive, having long or short stylish hair, wearing popular women’s fashion, being nurturing and compassionate, etc.  Obviously, these roles are changing and are very stereotypical and can be argued against from a feminist perspective, but whether we like it or not, this is the current norm for our society.

Gender Identity:  This is one’s sense of self as a boy or a girl, man or woman, non-gendered, bi-gendered, transgendered, intersexed, or any other alternatively-gendered person. A person’s gender identity is commonly communicated to others through their gender expression.  One’s gender should be determined by the person’s gender identity and/or gender role.  Gender identity does not always line up with the same gender that was assigned to a person at birth - meaning, a person’s sense of being a man or woman has nothing to do with whether they are male or female, but it is a feeling that exists within themselves that they must come to terms with and express in a way of their own choosing.  Gender identity is a term hard to understand by people who have no problems lining their gender up with their sex.  When you are simply a man or simply a woman, it isn’t often that you contemplate your gender identity as a man or a woman so this is sometimes the hardest concept involved in transgenderism to explain to non-gender-variant people.

Gender Dysphoria:  This is the overall psychological term used to describe the feelings of pain, anguish, confusion, and anxiety that arise from a mismatch between a person’s biological sex and gender identity. Gender dysphoria is caused by a combination of parental and societal pressures to conform to gender norms that are in compliance with a gender identity that matches that of a person’s birth sex. (Note: Transgenderism itself is not caused by parental or societal pressures, but the negative feelings due to being transgendered, the dysphoria, are caused by parental and societal pressures because there is a pressure to be one or the other, male or female, not something in between.  In societies where transgendered people are revered, gender dysphoria does not exist.)  Almost all trans/genderqueer people suffer from gender dysphoria in varying degrees, and a majority struggle for most of their lives to conform to a gender role that is not representative of their actual gender identity, putting their own needs aside and attempting to please the rest of the world in spite of intense suffering that non-trans people can never understand and trans people can never put into words.  Gender dysphoria includes feelings of guilt and shame due to the person’s inability to be “normal” even though they feel they have no choice in the matter.  The guilt and shame can sometimes lead to years of silence until the trans person finds it impossible to continue living what feels like a lie and decides they have no choice but to “come out.”  Countless other trans people never tell, and they live their entire lives feeling like a character in a play, and they don’t know their lines and can never take off their costumes.  Many trans people who never tell cannot take the intensity of gender dysphoria for their entire lives so they commit suicide rather than face the judgment of family and society.  There is no way to ever know how many people are transgendered because so many never admit it to themselves or others. So….

Transgender: Transgender is often used as an umbrella term to describe people who do not fit into society’s assigned gender roles.  Here are a few definitions from different resources for the term:

-         when a person’s gender experience does not “match” the sex they were assigned at birth

-         those who transgress societal gender norms

-         those who defy rigid gender constructions and express or present a breaking and/or blurring of cultural/stereotypical gender roles

Many medical researchers believe that transgenderism is rooted in complex biological factors that are fixed at birth.  Trans people include pre-operative, post-operative, and non-operative transsexuals, crossdressers, intersexed persons, female-to-male (FTM) transmen, male-to-female (MTF) transwomen, gender queers, and many, many other identities far too numerous to list here.  The term “transgender” describes several distinct but related groups of people who use a variety of other terms to self-identify, and some people do not wish to be included under this umbrella term. For example, many transsexuals consider themselves an entity of their own and do not want to be grouped up with transgendered people.  Also, many intersexed people do not see intersexuality as a gender identity conflict that should be included under the term “transgender”.  The important thing to remember when it comes to labeling is that the person in question should be allowed to self-identify, and whether you understand what the identification means or you disagree with it, it is a personal right of that person to decide how they will identify.  Identity is not a choice, but it is a long process of soul-searching and coming to terms with oneself before someone can put into words a “label” that suits their identity. Many people go through many different identities before they find the “right” one for them.  This statement also attempts to claim that one can sum up an entire self in one identity, which is entirely improbable. 

What does 'Transgendered' Mean?
Transgender people are those whose gender identity or gender expressions differ from conventional expectations for their physical sex. Gender Identity is one's internal sense of being male or female, which is commonly communicated to others by one's Gender Expression (clothes, hair style, mannerisms, etc.) Although transgender people have been part of every culture and society in recorded human history, they have only recently become the focus of medical science. Many medical researchers now believe that transgenderism is rooted in complex biological factors that are fixed at birth, and thus it is not a choice but a personal dilemma.

Who are Trans People?
Trans people include pre-operative, post-operative and non-operative transsexuals, who generally feel that they were born into the wrong physical sex; crossdressers (formerly called transvestites), who wear the clothing of the opposite sex in order to fully express an inner, cross-gender identity; intersexed persons, (formerly called hermaphrodites); and many other identities too numerous to list here.

It's important to note that the term 'transgender' describes several distinct but related groups of people who use a variety of other terms to self-identify. For example, many transsexuals see themselves as a separate group, and do not want to be included under the umbrella term 'transgender.’ Many post-operative transsexuals no longer consider themselves to be transsexual. Some non-operative transsexuals identify themselves as transgenderists. Despite this variation in terminology, most trans people will agree that their self-identification is an important personal right, which we strongly support.

Who are crossdressers?
Crossdressers are the largest group of transgender persons. Although most crossdressers are heterosexual men, there are also gay and bisexual men, as well as lesbians, bisexual and straight women, who crossdress. Most male crossdressers are married and many have children. The vast majority live in secrecy about their transgender status. Unlike transsexuals, they do not wish to change their physical sex.

Who are intersexed people?
Intersex people are born with chromosomal anomalies or ambiguous genitalia. Those with unusual genitalia are often subjected to surgical "normalization" procedures from infancy to adolescence, which usually results in loss of sexual response in adulthood. The Intersexed Society of North America (ISNA) has labeled this practice Infant Genital Mutilation. Some intersexed infants have even been sexually reassigned – without their consent – and later in life develop gender identity issues strikingly similar to those of transsexual people.

What causes transsexualism?
No one really knows, but there are many theories. It may be caused by the bathing of a fetus by opposite birth sex hormones while in utero, or perhaps by some spontaneous genetic mutation, which is also one of the theories of the origin of homosexuality. Transsexual persons include female-to-male (FTM) transmen as well as the more familiar male-to female (MTF) transwomen. Due to the intensity of their gender dysphoria, they come to feel they can no longer continue living in the gender associated with their physical (birth) sex.

What is gender dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is the overall psychological term used to describe the feelings of pain, anguish, and anxiety that arise from the mismatch between a trans person's physical sex and gender identity, and from parental and societal pressure to conform to gender norms. Almost all transgender people suffer from gender dysphoria in varying degrees. Some transsexual persons discover at an early age that they are unable to live in the gender of their birth sex, but the majority struggle to conform, in spite of intense suffering, until their adult years. To seek relief, transsexual persons enter gender transition.

What is gender transition?
Gender transition is the period during which transsexual persons begin changing their appearances and bodies to match their internal gender identity. Because gender is so visible, transsexuals in transition MUST "out" themselves to their employers, their families, and their friends – literally everyone in their lives. While in transition, they are very vulnerable to discrimination and in dire need of support from family and friends. Hormonal therapy can take several months to many years to effect the physical changes in secondary sexual characteristics that will produce a passable appearance, and some may never pass completely.

What is the Real Life Test?
For transsexual persons seeking Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS), the Real Life Test (also called the Real-Life Experience) is a one‑year minimum period during which they must be able to demonstrate to their psychotherapists their ability to live and work full‑time successfully in their congruent gender. The Real Life Test is a prerequisite for sex reassignment surgery under the Standards of Care.

What are the Standards of Care?
The Standards of Care are a set of guidelines formulated and recently revised by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA) under which many transsexual persons obtain hormonal and surgical sex reassignment. While the Standards of Care minimize the chance of someone making a mistake, they have been criticized as a “gatekeeper” system. In general, a complete gender transition includes a period of psychotherapy to confirm one’s true gender, the beginning of lifelong hormonal therapy, the Real Life Test, and finally, if desired, sex reassignment surgery.

What is Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS)?
SRS is the permanent surgical refashioning of sexual anatomy to resemble that of the appropriate sex. For MTF transsexuals, SRS involves the conversion of penile and scrotal tissue into female genitalia. For FTM transsexuals, it may be limited to just top surgery (breast removal) and sometimes hysterectomy. While many transmen become satisfied with their new male anatomy, most opt out of genital surgeries for a variety of reasons, including the expense and dissatisfaction with the results. Many MTF trans people also undergo additional cosmetic procedures, including electrolysis to remove facial and body hair, breast augmentation, Adam's Apple reduction, hair transplantation, liposuction and many types of facial surgeries.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY

What is the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation?
Gender identity is a person's internal sense of being a man or a woman, a boy or a girl. Sexual orientation is someone's sexual attraction to others who may be of the opposite sex, the same sex, or either sex. Like other people, transgender people can be straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual. Generally speaking, their gender identity – not their physical sex status – determines their sexual orientation.

What is Gender Identity Disorder (GID)?
GID is a psychological classification found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. Although GID is the only diagnosis under which trans people may receive treatment, and therefore necessary, it also is controversial. GID has been used inappropriately and harmfully by some psychotherapists to treat gender variant youth. Moreover, many if not most trans people also believe they do not have a mental disorder.

Is Gender Identity Disorder related to sexual orientation?
Not necessarily. Many gender variant children and teens who exhibit gender non‑conforming behaviors are diagnosed with GID, and later in life identify as gay, lesbian or straight. Other gay men and lesbians conform to most traditional gender behaviors, with the exception of their same gender sexual relationships.  Yet there does seem to be some overlap between gender expression and sexual orientation. For example, some lesbians express their gender in a masculine fashion, by wearing men's clothes and their hair short. This is the area where sexual orientation and gender identity issues overlap and become blurred.

Do trans people exhibit gender variant behaviors in childhood?
Just as all children experience social pressures to conform, most youth who later become transgender adults learn to bury their true gender preferences about dress, play and names. Many families may never recognize that their child is having severe difficulties, while others report children as young as age 3 clearly preferring the other gender.

Do gender variant children benefit from psychotherapy?
Gender variant children suffering from gender dysphoria may benefit from supportive therapy, by learning to accept themselves and to cope better with social pressures. However, since the GID diagnosis has been used to manipulate these children to become more gender conforming, in efforts to prevent the development of homosexuality or transsexualism, parents are urged to screen prospective psychotherapists carefully regarding their therapeutic goals and techniques. Major medical professional organizations have declared that homosexuality is not an illness, and that so-called conversion or reparative therapies generally do more harm than good. This same concern now applies to gender variant children, adolescents and adults.

What common experiences do trans people share with other sexual minorities?
They are all subject to the same social pressures to conform, which can include harassment and even violence. Later in life, many transgender people, like openly gay men, lesbians and bisexuals, must also deal with discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Many trans people also often confuse their internal feelings of being another gender with feelings of being gay or lesbian. It can take a long time for them to recognize and acknowledge their true identity. And, like gay men and lesbians who do not come out, many trans people must cope with a profound loneliness as members of a relatively small sexual minority.

What common experiences do the families of transgender people share with those of other sexual minorities?
The parents, families and friends of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans persons all may experience the same stages of denial and grief, along with safety concerns and much confusion when a family member comes out. Since the transgender experience is less common and more complex, with more profound changes, these parents have an even more difficult time reaching the stages of acceptance and celebration that we have come to know in PFLAG. They, too, are in need of much support and understanding.

Remember: Definitions/Labels are not mutually exclusive. People may identify with more than one, more than 10, or none of these labels.  Some people do not feel like they fit into any label or category, but they are still part of the transgender community.  There are as many ways to be transgender as there are trans people across the globe!  An identity cannot be easily put into words.  These definitions should not be used to pigeon-hole, type-cast, or define people, as human beings cannot be defined by any single term or by a book full of terms.  This information is meant to introduce you to a world you may or may not know and cast light on the diversity of trans people.  This is just a starting point so that we can have some basis to communicate with each other.