Outside the Gender Box Pt. 2

By Skylar, TeenSource Guest Blogger

Terms & Definitions

Welcome back to OUTside the Gender Box. Previously, we went over the basics of gender identity, and how it relates to sexual orientation, gender expression, and biological sex. Today, we’re going to go over some basic terms that you’ll run into when talking about transgender people.

Disclaimer: I am defining these from my own perspective. Other transgender people may define these terms differently. If a transgender person tells you how they define something, this article is not a way to tell them that they are wrong. It’s always a good idea to ask someone what their prefered gender pronoun (PGP) is, just in case.

  • Transgender: When the doctor or midwife brings you into the world, crying your first tears, they will most likely shout “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” (except for Intersex folks who are born with a sexual anatomy that doesn't fit neatly into the "male" or "female" categories.)  If you grow up, and disagree with what you were classified as at birth, you are probably transgender.

  • Cisgender: Cisgender is essentially the opposite of transgender. If you grew up being told you were a girl or a boy, and you agree, you are cisgender.

  • Trans(*): This is a shortened version of the word “transgender”. Often, you will find it written with an asterisk (*) at the end. This is a way to be more inclusive of nonbinary trans* people (see below.)

  • Trans(*) Man: Someone who identifies as a man, but was classified as a girl at birth. Key word is man. If someone identifies as a man, you call him a man. You use “he” pronouns, and you use male titles (sir, husband, brother, uncle, etc.)

  • Trans(*) Woman: Someone who identifies as a woman, but was classified as a boy at birth. Key word is woman. If someone identifies as a woman, you call her a woman. You use “she” pronouns, and you use female titles (ma’am, wife, sister, aunt, etc.)

  • Nonbinary: Nonbinary describes someone who identifies as something other than a woman or a man. They will often (but not always) use gender neutral pronouns. They may dress in men’s clothes, women’s clothes, or some other way. A word that is often used is genderqueer, which can either be an umbrella term like nonbinary, or how someone specifically identifies.

  • Transition: In this context, transition is the medical, legal, and/or social change from the gender assigned at birth, to the gender one actually identifies as. Someone who was born a girl, but identifies as a man, may transition from female to male. Someone who was born a boy, but identifies as a woman, may transition from male to female. This may include legal name and gender marker changes, dressing as the gender they identify as, taking hormone injections, and surgeries. Some nonbinary people may transition if they are uncomfortable with their biological sex. Not all transgender people do all of these things, and whether or not they transition is their choice.

In the next OUTside the Gender Box blog, we’ll go over some more definitions, to expand your knowledge about the trans(*) community.