Understanding Transgender Identities and Terminology

Posted on Nov 15, 2024 in Psychology and Sociology

Understanding Transgender Identities

Defining Transgender

Transgender (IPA: [trænsˈdʒɛndər]) is a broad term encompassing individuals, behaviors, and groups whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth. Gender identity is one’s internal sense of being male, female, both, neither, or somewhere else along the gender spectrum. Assigned gender, on the other hand, is typically based on physical characteristics at birth.

Transgender identity does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Transgender individuals may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, or any other sexual orientation.

“Of, relating to, or designating a person whose identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender, but combines or moves between these” (Oxford English Dictionary, Draft Entry 2004)
“People who were assigned a gender, usually at birth and based on their genitals, but who feel that this is a false or incomplete description of themselves.”
“Non-identification with, or non-presentation as, the gender one was assigned at birth.”

A transgender individual may express characteristics typically associated with a particular gender, identify elsewhere on the gender continuum, or exist outside of it as “other,” “agender,” “intergender,” or “third gender.”

Transgender Sub-Categories

Transgender identity includes many overlapping sub-categories:

Transsexual: Individuals who desire to transition, medically and/or socially, to a different physical sex than the one assigned at birth.
Cross-dresser: Individuals who wear clothing typically associated with a different gender, without necessarily identifying as that gender.
Transvestite: This term is now considered outdated and potentially offensive. It was previously used to describe individuals who cross-dress, but often carries negative connotations.
Androgynous: Individuals who blend or blur traditional gender presentations.
Genderqueer: Individuals who reject binary gender classifications and identify outside the traditional male/female categories.
Drag kings/queens: Performers who dress in exaggerated gender presentations, often for entertainment purposes.

Intersex individuals, those born with physical sex characteristics that don’t fit typical male/female definitions, may also identify as transgender if their assigned gender doesn’t align with their gender identity.

Transgender vs. Transsexual

Not all transgender people are transsexual. Transsexual individuals specifically desire medical intervention, such as hormone therapy or surgery, to align their physical bodies with their gender identity. Transgender is a broader term encompassing various gender identities and expressions.

Terminology

Transman: Female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals.
Transwoman: Male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals.
Cisgender: Individuals whose gender identity aligns with their assigned sex at birth.

The terms “FTM” and “MTF” are sometimes considered reinforcing a binary view of gender, and some individuals prefer alternative language.

Gender Dysphoria and Mental Health

The terms “gender dysphoria” and “gender identity disorder” are used in medical contexts to describe the distress experienced by individuals whose gender identity doesn’t align with their assigned sex. There is debate about whether these should be classified as mental illnesses, as many transgender individuals view their gender identity as a natural variation, not a disorder.

Transsexual Identity and Transitioning

Transsexual individuals often experience a strong sense of being a different gender than the one assigned at birth. Transitioning may involve hormone replacement therapy, surgery, and social changes such as name and gender marker changes.

Cross-Dressing and Drag

Cross-dressing refers to wearing clothing typically associated with a different gender. Drag is a performance art form involving exaggerated gender presentations, often for entertainment. Most cross-dressers are heterosexual, and drag is not exclusive to the LGBTQ+ community.

Genderqueer and Androgyny

Genderqueer individuals reject binary gender classifications. Androgyny refers to blending or blurring traditional gender presentations, either physically or psychologically.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Gender identity and sexual orientation are distinct concepts. Transgender individuals have diverse sexual orientations, just like cisgender individuals. However, there can be a relationship between gender identity and sexual attraction. Some studies suggest that transgender individuals may be more likely to be attracted to people of the same gender identity than their cisgender counterparts.

Transgender Individuals in Non-Western Cultures

Many cultures have traditions of gender variance and third genders, including:

Berdache (Two-Spirit) in some Native American cultures.
Kathoey in Thai culture.
Hijra in South Asian cultures.
Muxe in Zapotec culture.

Challenges and Prejudice

Transgender individuals often face prejudice and discrimination due to societal gender norms. Access to medical care and legal recognition can also be challenging. It’s important to recognize and respect the diversity of gender identities and expressions.

Citations

Cromwell, Jason (1999):28 Transmen & FTMs: Identities, Bodies, Genders & Sexualities (Urbana and Chicago:University of Illinois Press).
Landén, M., Wålinder, J. et al. (1996). Incidence and sex ratio of transsexualism in Sweden. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 93(4), 261-263.
Docter, Richard F., Prince, Virginia (1997). Transvestism: A survey of 1032 cross-dressers. Archives of Sexual Behavior 26(6), 589-605.
Wilchins, Riki Anne (2002) ‘It’s Your Gender, Stupid’, pp.23-32 in Joan Nestle, Clare Howell and Riki Wilchins (eds.) Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary. Los Angeles:Alyson Publications, 2002.
Nestle, Joan (2002) ‘Genders on My Mind’, pp.3-10 in Joan Nestle, Clare Howell and Riki Wilchins (eds.) Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary. Los Angeles:Alyson Publications, 2002:9.
Hale, Jacob C. (1998) ‘Consuming the Living, Dis(Re)Membering the Dead in the Butch/FTM Borderlands’, Gay and Lesbian Quarterly 4:311, 336 (1998).

External Links

European transgender network
MTRA – for transgender men identified female at birth (also known as FTM Australia)
Hudson’s FTM Resource Guide
Gender Identity Support Group – Melbourne, Australia
NCTE National Center for Transgender Equality
Seahorse – Melbourne, Australia
Susanna Valenti: a Transgender Pioneer
Transgender Law Center
Trans Melbourne Gender Project
TransGender Victoria – Melbourne, Australia
The Urban TransMan

Understanding Transgender Identities and Terminology