{"id":3689,"date":"2023-01-28T00:50:50","date_gmt":"2023-01-28T00:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glaad.logalt.net\/?page_id=3689"},"modified":"2024-09-24T13:38:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T17:38:16","slug":"transfaq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/transgender\/transfaq\/","title":{"rendered":"Transgender FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Transgender FAQ<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTo learn more about how to be an ally to transgender people, check out GLAAD’s\u00a0Tips for Allies of Transgender People<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat does transgender mean?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Transgender<\/strong>\u00a0is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were\u00a0assigned at birth.\u00a0Gender identity\u00a0<\/strong>is a person’s internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman (or boy or girl.) For some people, their gender identity does not fit neatly into those two choices. For transgender people, the sex they were assigned at birth and their own internal gender identity do not match.<\/p>

People in the transgender community may describe themselves using one (or more) of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, and non-binary. Always use the term used\u00a0by the person.<\/p>

Trying to change a person’s gender identity is no more successful than trying to change a person’s sexual orientation — it doesn’t work. So most transgender people seek to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. This is called transition.\u00a0<\/p>

As part of the transition\u00a0process, many transgender people are prescribed hormones by their doctors to change their bodies. Some undergo surgeries as well. But not all transgender people can or will take those steps, and it’s important to know that being transgender is not dependent upon medical procedures.<\/p>

Transgender is an adjective and should never be used as a noun. For example, rather than saying “Max is a transgender,” say “Max is a transgender person” or “Max is a transgender man.” And transgender never needs an “-ed” at the end.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow is sexual orientation different from gender identity?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

We use the acronym LGBTQ to describe the lesbian, gay, bisexual,\u00a0transgender, queer community. The Q can also sometimes mean questioning.\u00a0<\/p>

Sexual orientation describes a person’s enduring physical, romantic, and\/or emotional attraction to another person (for example: straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual), while gender identity describes a person’s, internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman, or someone outside of the gender binary.<\/p>

Simply put: sexual orientation is about who you are attracted to and fall in love with; gender identity is about who you are.<\/p>

Like everyone else, transgender people have a sexual orientation. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay,\u00a0bisexual, or queer. For example, a person who transitions from male to female and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a straight woman. A person who transitions from female to male and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a gay man.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat does non-binary mean, and is it different from being transgender?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Everyone has a gender identity, an internal sense of self and perception of one\u2019s own gender. For some people their gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth (cisgender) and for some people their gender identity is different than the sex they were assigned at birth (transgender).\u00a0

There have always been transgender people who felt that their gender identity didn\u2019t fall neatly into the two binary categories of \u201cman\u201d or \u201cwoman.\u201d In the past, trans people who felt that way used the words genderqueer and genderfluid to describe that experience. While those words are still used today, it\u2019s now more common for people to call themselves non-binary if they feel their gender identity is something other than \u201cman\u201d or \u201cwoman.\u201d People who use the word non-binary to describe their\u00a0gender identity<\/strong>\u00a0typically also call themselves transgender.

In recent years,\u00a0 the word non-binary has seen a surge in popularity. As more people use the word non-binary to describe themselves, it has become\u00a0its own umbrella term<\/strong>. Non-binary now means many different things to different people.\u00a0

Many of those people either explictly say something like, \u201cI\u2019m not transgender, I\u2019m non-binary,\u201d implying those are two identities are unrelated, or they will simply never use the word transgender when describing themselves.

Language is evolving in real time. But it\u2019s important to understand that there is no one right or wrong way to be non-binary, just like there is no right or wrong way to be transgender.

The bottom line is: listen to how someone uses the word non-binary to describe themselves and try to understand how they are using it. Many of them will be telling you that they are a transgender person who is non-binary, while others will be using non-binary in a different way to describe their experience. Regardless, simply accept that they know best how to describe themselves.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat name and pronoun do I use?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

For some transgender people, being associated with their birth name is a tremendous source of anxiety, or it is simply a part of their life they wish to leave behind. Respect the name a transgender person is currently using. If you happen to know a transgender person’s birth name (the name given to them when they were born, but which they no longer use), don’t share it without that person’s explicit permission. Sharing a transgender person’s birth name and\/or photos of a transgender person before their transition is an invasion of privacy, unless they have given you permission to do so.\u00a0<\/p>

If you’re unsure which pronoun a person uses, listen first to the pronoun other people use when referring to that person. Someone who knows the person well will probably use the correct pronoun. If you must ask which pronoun the person uses, start with your own. For example, “Hi, I’m Alex and I use the pronouns he and him. What about you?” Then use that person’s pronoun and encourage others to do the same. If you accidentally use the wrong pronoun for someone, apologize quickly and sincerely, then move forward with intention. The bigger deal you make out of the situation, the more uncomfortable it is for everyone.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow do I treat a transgender person with respect?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
To learn more about how to be an ally to transgender people, please visit GLAAD’s\u00a0“Tips for Allies of Transgender People” page<\/a>.\n\nFor a guide to basic terminology,\u00a0including defamatory terms and slurs to avoid, please see\u00a0GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide<\/a>.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy is transgender equality important?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Transgender people face staggering levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence. In 2016, 27 transgender people were killed. Since January 1, 2017, eight transgender women of color have been murdered.<\/p>

According to the “2015 U.S. Trans Survey<\/a>,”\u00a0a report by the National Center for Transgender Equality:<\/p>