Terms to Know: Trans-Specific Terminology

Before We Get Started...

It's important to understand the differences between terminology that relates to sexual orientation and terminology that relates to gender identity. Many trans people will already be familiarized with these terms, while others may be confused or unaware of their existence. While it is not necessarily your job to educate others about the intricacies of the lexicon, you should have an understanding of the vocabulary to ensure not only the transmission of correct information, but also an accurate way to assess what a trans person is referring to in conversation.

This page primarily covers some trans specific terminology. Please see GLAAD's resources for a more comprehensive listing of all LGBTQ+ terms and trans terms. It should also be noted that terms and definitions can be subjective and interpreted differently by people within the community.

Sexual Orientation ≠ Gender Identity

The first important distinction to understand is the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. To put it simply, sexual orientation is who you like/love/are attracted to, whereas gender identity is who you are. Despite many beliefs, recent research shows that there is no direct link between a variance of gender identity and sexual orientation, but if anything, they are “weakly correlated constructs” (Jacobson & Joel, p. 2407).

For instance, a person assigned male at birth (AMAB) whose actual gender identity is female may be attracted to girls. While presenting to the world as male, they would be classified as heterosexual. Upon transition, she would begin living as female but might still be attracted to women. Therefore, she would now identify as lesbian – a woman attracted to other women. The sexual orientation has remained the same; while the gender identity, now fully expressed to the world at large, has outwardly changed. Similarly, a person assigned female at birth (AFAB) whose actual gender identity is male may be attracted to boys. While presenting to the world as female, they would be classified as heterosexual. Upon transition, he would begin living as male but might still be attracted to men. Therefore, he would now identify as gay – a man attracted to other men.

This can be confused with gender expression, a term that describes how one presents, or expresses, their gender identity to the world. Some men or women who do not identify as trans may wish to express their gender in ways that defy the traditional male/female binary. Consider that the Beatles adopted long hair styles that were considered feminine by many during the 1960s. These men identified as heterosexual men but interrupted the gender binary by simply changing their hair. Later, David Bowie explored varied ways of applying makeup for the stage, which pushed boundaries even further, but he continued to identify as male. In the 21st century, we now see some men who break the boundaries even more by wearing makeup, earrings, or skirts. Others may mix and match traditionally feminine and masculine items in order to express their gender.

This is important to understand as many assume that all transgender individuals are simply confused gay, lesbian, or bisexual people. While they may identify with one of those sexual orientations, it is not uncommon for trans people to identify as straight/heterosexual. Confusing sexual orientation and gender identity while in a discussion with a transgender person will may discourage them, or prevent them from feeling comfortable talking to you about their needs or issues in the future.

Defining Transgender

So, what exactly does transgender mean? How does it differ from other trans words that you may have seen? Transgender, commonly abbreviated trans, is an umbrella term that refers to an individual whose gender identity in some way or form doesn’t line up with their assigned sex at birth (ASAB). It is also common to see other umbrella terms such as gender expansive (also written gender-expansive), gender diverse, or gender non-conforming, commonly abbreviated GNC. Cisgender, commonly abbreviated cis, is the direct antonym to transgender, referring to someone whose gender identity and ASAB align. Some individuals identify as non-binary (NB, also pronounced "Enby") or genderqueer (both used to identify as somewhere outside of the gender binary), while others identify as agender (used to identify as having no gender).

Transgender differs from other “trans” words (e.g., transsexual, transvestite, etc.) as it is used primarily as an umbrella term. This means that it encompasses a range of identities to include all within its umbrella. While transgender can consist of almost limitless identities, I find explanation easier by examining a few of the more common identities. This is in no way an attempt to be exclusionary, but rather help to understand its usage as an umbrella term. A friend of mine recently noted that the word “transgender” is like the word “automobile:" You may understand the reference, but because there are so many kinds of cars, vans, busses, etc. that it is only from a collective, overarching term that you can begin to become more specific.

Some, but not all, transgender individuals decide to undergo a medical transition of some kind in order to better align their assigned sex at birth (or ASAB) with their gender identity. The term transsexual (more prevalent in the past and in the medical community) was used to refer to those who opt to medically transition. However, usage of the word within the community has dropped as some find it to be "offensive and stigmatizing [due to] its history and roots in the professional fields of medicine and psychology, which used this term to incorrectly label all transgender people as mentally ill or sexually deviant” (Abrams, 2019, para. 22).

Many people simply stick with transgender, or even just the abbreviation, trans, as a way of identification because it is ultimately more affirming of both those who pursue medical transition and those who do not.

**The abbreviation trans has occasionally been written with an asterisk after it, trans*, deriving from a wildcard specifier search function in computer programming, as it was an attempt to include individuals who weren’t medically transitioning. The community has since moved away from using the asterisk as the word transgender already encompasses all identities, and because the asterisk adds a hyper-focus on the medical aspects of someone’s physiology or transition. (TSER, 2020)

Transfeminine and Transmasculine

The question then emerges, do people who transition (whether it socially, medically, and/or legally) have something they prefer to be called? The answer, like most things in the trans community, is contextual and differs depending on the individual.

Many identifying on the feminine spectrum, utilize trans woman or trans girl, while those on the masculine spectrum may prefer trans man or trans boy. The terms MtF (Male to Female) and FtM (Female to Male) were once been popular descriptors of trans identity, with the first letter signifying the individual’s assigned sex at birth, while the second represents the sex they have transitioned/are transitioning to. However, often the community tends to avoid the MtF and FtM descriptors altogether due to their fixation on the biologic or medical status of a trans person, or because the trans person never truly identified with the first letter at all.

Those who medically transition have a cornucopia of possible steps employed in their transition. Every individual’s transition is unique to them and there are many who do not engage in a medical transition due to personal preference, financial deficits, or health concerns. A medical transition does not equate to validity.

Altering Gender Expression

Transfeminine or transfemme (assigned male at birth who identify with femininity more than masculinity) and Transmasculine or transmasc (assigned female at birth who identify with masculinity more than femininity) individuals may or may not engage in some form of medical transition. Many alter their gender expression to feel more comfortable or to relieve their gender dysphoria, which is typically considered medically necessary (Cole & Han, 2011).

Often trans men or transmasculine people will alter their gender expression via binding to minimize the appearance of chest/breast tissue. Binding can be accomplished in numerous ways. Some may elect to use ACE wrap bandages, tape, or other material. Others might purchase or make their own binders. Binding is oftentimes a short-term solution until surgery can be completed, if so desired. Conversely, trans women or transfeminine individuals may use padded bras or waist trainers to create a more feminine shape to their body.