Welcome to the Transgender Resource Guide!
This space is dedicated to exploring gender non-normative identities, acknowledging both past and present trans individuals, and showcasing ways in which you can support transgender people today. Transgender identity is used as an umbrella term throughout this pathfinder to refer to gender expression and experience across a wide spectrum. Check out the different tabs here to find out more about specific gender identities, or the below columns for more general information!
Readers of this resourceguide do not need to have prior knowledge, however, an open mind to the creativity and flexibility of human expression is advised! This guide is primarily centered around western and American cultural notions of gender.
What does it mean to be Transgender?
Gay Liberation Front women demonstrate at City Hall, New York1969 - 1972.Image courtesy ofThe New York Public Library. Pictured here are famous gal liberationactivistsSylvia Rivera andMarsha P. Johnson.
Acording to Gender: what everyone needs to know (refer to the Book Resources section below), the term transgender refers to someone who identifies with a gender that is outside the expectations associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender is separate from identifying as gay, lesbian, or queer and should not be confused with sexuality or sexual orientation.
Many transgender individuals experience gender dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through transitioning,often adopting a different name and set of pronouns in the process. Many people choose to undergo medical transitioning withhormone therapy and gender affirming surgeries, but this is not the case for all individuals.
NCTE: Understanding Transgender People: The Basics
According to The National Center for Transgender Equality, transgender is a broad term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be when they were born. “Trans” is often used as shorthand for transgender. Click the link to find out more!
HRC: Understanding the Transgender CommunityIn this resource, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) answers some of the most common questions about transgender identities, as well as addresses the types of adversity transgender people face day-to-day.
(Video) Trans 101 - The Basics
iAmClinic: Can You Be Transgender Without (Medically) Transitioning?This LGBTQIA+ Therapy Clinic provides some insight into the discourse surrounding medical transitioning. Many claim that the ultimate goal of a gender transition is a full sex change, however, the reality may often be more complex. Ultimately, every person’s journey and experience will be unique to them.
"Transgender Basics” is a 20-minute educational film reviewing the concepts of gender and what gender means to transgender people. Two staff members of Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center discuss concepts of gender—sex, identity and gender roles—and members of The Center's transgender community share their personal experiences of being trans and genderqueer.
What does it mean to be Non-Binary?
Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.
- Claude Cahun (1894-1954)
NCTE: Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive(Video) Gender 101 - Free Trans Competency TrainingThis resource from the National Center for Transgender Equality explains basic information about non-binary identity. Here is the definition they offer:
Most people – including most transgender people – are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or “male” or “female.” For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female. Some people don't identify with any gender. Some people's gender changes over time.People whose gender is not male or female use many different terms to describe themselves, with nonbinary being one of the most common (sometimes spelled with a hyphen, as “non-binary”). Other terms include genderqueer, agender, bigender, genderfluid, and more. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing – but all speak to an experience of gender that is not simply male or female.
GLAAD Media: In Focus: Nonbinary PeopleGLAAD's Media Reference Guide, now in its 11th edition, offers education and guidance on telling LGBTQ people's stories. This Guide is intended to be used by journalists reporting for mainstream media outlets and media creators who want to tell the stories of LGBTQ people fairly and accurately, but its contents can be accessed and read by anyone new to the topic. This entry gives an introduction to Non-binary identity, its history, increasing visibility, and others.
YR Media: In Their Own Words: Beyond The BinaryIn Their Own Words is an interactive exploration of non-binary gender identity created by non-binary teens and young adults.
What does it mean to be Intersex?
Cheryl Chase,Intersex Activist, Petaluma, CA 1997.Imagecourtesy of Mariette Pathy Allen.
The advocacy group InterACT is a great resource for learning more about intersex identity. Here is just a small listof resources offered by InterACT:
Planned Parenthood: What's Intersex?This resource by Planned Parenthood gives a definition of Intersexuality as an umbrella term, offers different examples of how Intersex variation in humans can occur, and touches upon some of the pertinent issues that intersex people face.
This guide was created by GLAAD in collaboration with the above mentioned advocacy group InterACT. Here they explain intersexuality, and major pressing concerns.
Gender Diversity inNon-Western Societies
(source: Bridgeman Images, retrieved from BBC)
Gender can be even more expansive than the contemporary Western understandings. To understand the ways in which our understanding of cisgender normativity is shaped by colonialism, you can check out the Historiography and Primary Sources section of TransHistory. Below you can read about different cultures which have a "third gender" identity.
Indian Health Service: Two-Spirit
IHS is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. In this resource they provide a thorough explanation of the Two-Spirit identity, including an overview of the historical role of the identity compared to it's meaning today. IHS also links external resources, such as presentations, documentaries, and magazines.
(Video) SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) 101This study explores the Acault in Burmese society, a person who has been assigned a male gender at birth, but has been possessed and imparted femininity by a spirit deity. Western concepts of transgender identity and homosexuality are not distinct categories by the Burmese. Note: This is a study conducted in 1992, so it uses terminology that could today be deemed as outdated (such as transvestism).
Scroll: Hijra, kothi, aravani: a quick guide to transgender terminology
While recognition of genders outside male and female has only recently been discussed in Western societies, in Hindu society, people of non-binary gender expression have played important roles for over 2000 years, and are legally recognized by the government. This article explains the meaning of the Hijra and its role in society, as well as how it differs from other gender identities in India.
Rainbopedia: Wakashu, Japan’s Third Gender
This entry in Rainbopedia's online LGBTQ+ encyclopedia explores Wakashu, a gender identity in during the Edo period in Japan. With the start of assimilation to the Christian West during the 1860s the wakashu disappeared, replaced by a less open, more rigid system of sexual behavior.
This article explains Māhū, a gender identity that is neither male nor female, which in ancient Hawaiian tradition possessed tremendous cultural and spiritual value. Since the missionaries set foot on the islands of Hawai‘i and introduced more rigid gender roles, the word has taken on an often derogatory meaning.
Digital Transgender Archive: Global Terms
This resource from the Digital Transgender Archive touches upon many more gender identities that exist outside of the West. The resource is separated by geographical region for ease of browsing.
(Video) Endocrinologist explains how to discuss gender identity | Transgender 101
FAQs
What is the transgender 101 about? ›
Written by a social worker, popular educator, and member of the transgender community, this well-rounded resource combines an accessible portrait of transgenderism with a rich history of transgender life and its unique experiences of discrimination.
What is a cis woman? ›Most people who are assigned female at birth identify as girls or women, and most people who are assigned male at birth identify as boys or men. These people are cisgender (or cis).
What is the inclusive way to ask gender? ›Be as inclusive as possible.
The most inclusive way to ask about sex, gender, or sexuality is to leave a blank option where participants can list their identities in their own words.
1. Express your feelings - share your feelings in a notebook or blog, or express how you feel through an art, craft or music project. 2. Talk to someone who understands - talk to a supportive friend, find an online trans community you feel connection with, or speak to QLife (qlife.org.au to webchat or 1800 184 527).
Is the girl in first day transgender? ›Evie Macdonald starred in the special as Hannah Bradford, and became the first transgender actor to star in the lead role of an Australian scripted television drama. Macdonald was twelve years old at the time of filming and had not previously acted.
Who was the first transgender bad girl? ›Sidney Starr is an original in the first season of Baddies ATL. Although she wasn't an original bad girl in the original Oxygen series, Bad Girls Club, she was allegedly a replacement bad girl for Season 9: Mexico. She is also the first transgender bad girl to appear on the series.
What is the meaning of Afab? ›A term describing a person's gender identity that does not necessarily match their assigned sex at birth. Other terms commonly used are female to male (or FTM), male to female (or MTF), assigned male at birth (or AMAB), assigned female at birth (or AFAB), genderqueer, and gender expansive.
How many types of gender are there? ›Sex is typically categorized as male, female or intersex. Gender is often defined as a social construct of norms, behaviors and roles that varies between societies and over time. Gender is often categorized as male, female or nonbinary.
What does the acronym Lgbtqia+ stand for? ›LGBTIQA+ 'LGBTIQA+' is an evolving acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual.
How do you greet a non-binary inclusive? ›Greetings that include gender neutral language such as “friends, folks, y'all, you all, and everyone” ensure that you include all employees when saying hello or opening a meeting.
Is gender-neutral the same as gender-inclusive? ›
The definition of neutral is a position of disengagement, not engaging or not aligned with or supporting any side or position. Whereas the definition of inclusive is to include a great deal, or encompassing everything concern, comprehensive.
What are the nonbinary honorifics? ›The gender-neutral Mx. is used as a title for those who do not identify as being of a particular gender, or for people who simply don't want to be identified by gender. 'Mx. ' is a gender-neutral honorific for those who don't wish to be identified by gender.
What triggers your gender dysphoria? ›No one knows exactly what causes gender dysphoria. Some experts believe that hormones in the womb, genes, and cultural and environmental factors may be involved.
What happens if you don't treat gender dysphoria? ›Although gender dysphoria is not a mental illness, when not addressed, it may lead to worsening mood issues, depression and anxiety, and may further complicate the issues the individuals may be having. Insurance may cover some illnesses associated with gender dysphoria and gender dysphoria care.
What is the best treatment for gender dysphoria? ›- psychological support, such as counselling.
- cross-sex hormone therapy.
- speech and language therapy (voice therapy) to help you sound more typical of your gender identity.
Naaz Joshi (born 31 December 1984 in New Delhi, India) is India's first transgender international beauty queen, a trans rights activist and a motivational speaker. Joshi won the Miss World Diversity beauty pageant three times in a row.
What is the name of world first transgender? ›Lili Elbe, birth name Einar Wegener, Einar also spelled Ejner, (born December 28, 1882, Vejle, Denmark—died September 13, 1931, Dresden, Germany), Danish painter who was assigned male at birth, experienced what is now called gender dysphoria, and underwent the world's first documented sex reassignment surgery.
Who is the first transgender in? ›The possibility of someone changing sex became widely known when Christine Jorgensen in 1952 became the first person widely publicized as undergoing sex reassignment surgery.
How old was the youngest transgender? ›Our last name is a very Jewish, long last name." Jennings was assigned male at birth and was diagnosed with gender dysphoria by age four, making her one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as transgender.
Who is the famous black transgender model? ›Tracey "Africa" Norman, aka Tracey Africa, is an American fashion model, and the first African-American trans woman model to achieve prominence in the fashion industry.
Who was the famous transgender in the 80s? ›
Caroline Cossey (born 31 August 1954) is a British model and actress who often worked under the name Tula, which she also used for two memoirs. She appeared in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. Following her appearance in the film, she was outed as transgender by British tabloid News of the World.
What is Pangender girl? ›Pangender is a term for people who feel that they cannot be labeled as female or male in gender. ... The term is meant by the queer community to be one that is inclusive and means "all genders". The last sentence would imply pangender includes traditional males and females, while the first does not.
What is JW in text? ›JW is a textspeak acronym standing for just wondering. In some cases, it is also used for Jehovah's Witness.
What is assigned female gender at birth? ›Assigned female at birth/Assigned male at birth (noun) – Refers to the sex that is assigned to an infant, most often based on the infant's anatomical and other biological characteristics. Commonly abbreviated as AFAB (assigned female at birth) or AMAB (assigned male at birth).
What are the 7 gender options? ›Through these conversations with real people Benestad has observed seven unique genders: Female, Male, Intersex, Trans, Non-Conforming, Personal, and Eunuch.
What are the 7 common gender? ›The 7 different genders include agender, cisgender, genderfluid, genderqueer, intersex, gender nonconforming, and transgender.
What are some gender neutral pronouns? ›Some pronouns are: I, we, he, she, all, it, they, their, etc. Gendered pronouns are those that indicate gender: he, she, him, her, hers, his, himself and herself. All others, like "it, "one," and "they," are gender-neutral. You probably already use some gender-neutral pronouns: they, their, and them.
What does the P stand for in Lgbtqiapk? ›The abbreviation LGBTQIAPK stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit, asexual, and ally.
What is lgbtqia 2s? ›LGTBQIA2S+ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify.
What is the full form of IA in Lgbtqia? ›We use the acronym LGBTQIA at Tech to stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, (questioning), intersex, asexual, and (agender).
How to respond to a non binary child? ›
- Show acceptance and love. Once your child comes out to you, make sure they know you accept and love them. ...
- Avoid calling it a phase. ...
- Use their preferred pronouns and/or name. ...
- Know when they need extra support.
- Examine the way you conceptualise gender.
- We don't have to be aliens or faeries!
- Remember that physical sex, sexuality, gender identity and gender expression are different things.
- We don't always look “androgynous” ...
- Our gender is not the only thing about us.
Check through your work and replace 'he/she' with 'them' and if addressing letters or emails, use a gender-neutral address such as “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Student/Colleague”. Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non-trans is also used by some people.
Which language has no gender? ›There are some languages that have no gender! Hungarian, Estonian, Finnish, and many other languages don't categorize any nouns as feminine or masculine and use the same word for he or she in regards to humans.
What is the most gender-neutral language? ›- Genderless languages (such as Estonian, Finnish and Hungarian), where there is no grammatical gender and no pronominal gender.
What are the 5 non-binary word effects? ›Non-Binary Word Effects (Messenger): Activate the Non-Binary chat theme to automatically populate your chat with the five new non-binary word effects – Beautiful 💜, Non-Binary 💛, Genderqueer , Ally 💕and Inclusion 💟.
What is the non-binary name for master? ›Mx (usually pronounced /məks/ MəKS, /mɪks/ MIKS, or /mʌks/ MUKS, and sometimes /mɪkstər/ MIKS-tər or /ɛmˈɛks/ em-EKS) is an English-language neologistic honorific that does not indicate gender.
What is the courtesy title for non-binary? ›Gender-inclusive courtesy titles
Some people who don't identify with binary gender prefer an alternate courtesy title. In English, the most common gender-neutral title is “Mx.” (most often pronounced “miks”).
Gender dysphoria history: Of the 55 TM patients included in our study, 41 (75%) reported feeling GD for the first time by age 7, and 53 (96%) reported first experiencing GD by age 13 (Table 2). A total of 80% of patients reported that feelings of GD were among their earliest childhood memories.
At what age does a child know their gender? ›Gender identity typically develops in stages: Around age two: Children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls. Before their third birthday: Most children can easily label themselves as either a boy or a girl. By age four: Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.
What does gender dysphoria feel like physically? ›
You may feel: certain that your gender identity conflicts with your biological sex. comfortable only when in the gender role of your preferred gender identity (may include non-binary) a strong desire to hide or be rid of physical signs of your biological sex, such as breasts or facial hair.
Can gender dysphoria reversed? ›Gender dysphoria can be lessened by supportive environments and knowledge about treatment to reduce the difference between your inner gender identity and sex assigned at birth.
Can gender dysphoria be treated without surgery? ›Treatment options include: Counseling. Some people who experience gender dysphoria don't wish to pursue medical or surgical transition. For example, you may want to live and be recognized as your affirmed gender without using hormones or having gender affirmation surgery.
Can gender dysphoria be a disability? ›Fourth Circuit Rules That Gender Dysphoria Is a Disability Under the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act.
Do you need to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria to transition? ›The “diagnosis” of gender dysphoria has become a requirement for receiving medically necessary gender-affirming care for patients, even though the diagnosis doesn't apply to all trans people.
How to be happy with gender dysphoria? ›1. Express your feelings - share your feelings in a notebook or blog, or express how you feel through an art, craft or music project. 2. Talk to someone who understands - talk to a supportive friend, find an online trans community you feel connection with, or speak to QLife (qlife.org.au to webchat or 1800 184 527).
What is the Netflix documentary about transgender media? ›Sharing her journey from child to teen activist, Georgie Stone looks back at her life and historic fight for transgender rights in this documentary. Watch all you want.
What transgender movie is based on a true story? ›Boys Don't Cry is based on the heartbreaking true story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man living in rural Nebraska who, after being outed, was brutally sexually assaulted and murdered in 1993.
What is the purpose of the transgender offender manuals? ›To ensure the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) properly identifies, tracks, and provides services to the transgender population. needs as appropriate, and prepare them to return to the community. Sufficient resources will be allocated to deliver appropriate services to transgender inmates.
What is the Amazon Prime series about transgender? ›
Transparent (TV series)
What is the HBO series about transgender? ›- Transhood brings to life the diverse stories of four transgender and gender expansive youth from Kansas City, Missouri as they experience the challenges and triumphs of growing up. ...
- A gender transition is not a single act or step but may include some social, medical, or legal aspects.
'Planet Sex' On Hulu Explores Gender And Sexuality Because “We All Could Grow In This Area,” Says Director Jessica Chermayeff.
Is Disney making a transgender movie? ›Walt Disney Studios released five movies in theaters in 2021 that included at least one significant L.G.B.T.Q. character — more than any other film company, according to GLAAD. Also, Disney was the only major studio to release a movie with a transgender character.
What Netflix kid show is non-binary? ›New episodes of "Ridley Jones" launched on March 6. Complaints over an inserted non-binary character arose after it was discovered the eighth episode of the new season, titled "Herd Day," featured a bison named "Fred" who comes out as non-binary to their grandmother.
What Netflix show has transgender actors? ›- A Queen Is Born. ...
- Alice Júnior. ...
- Back to 15 (De Volta aos 15) ...
- Big Mouth. ...
- Disclosure. ...
- Laerte-se. ...
- Lingua Franca. ...
- Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling.
Robert Joseph Camposecco (born March 9, 1983) known professionally as Bobby Campo, is an American actor.
What is the movie about forced transgender? ›| The Assignment | |
|---|---|
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Countries | Canada France United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Under $3 million |
Laverne Cox (born May 29, 1972) is an American actress and LGBT advocate.
What is gender responsive treatment for female offenders? ›Gender-responsive programming begins with an assessment of each offender's individual risks and needs and considers gender-specific vari- ables particular to female prisoners, such as parent-child relationships, familial reunification, substance abuse, and mental and physical health needs.
What is the meaning of transgender inmate? ›
Housing: Transgender or intersex inmates may be housed per their gender identity, rather than sex assigned at birth. Classification and the operations bureau commander weigh factors such as the inmate's health or safety, programming, and management and security. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
What do gender confirmation procedures refer to ______? ›Sex affirmation surgery (commonly referred to as sex reassignment surgery or gender confirmation surgery) Surgeries to change the sex characteristics of one's body, including genitals and/or secondary sex characteristics.