This thread is meant to be a way for you to educate yourself on trans people and trans issues. If you have any questions, no matter what it is, please ask.
What does it mean to be transgender?
Transgender people are people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth. "Trans" is often used as shorthand for transgender.
When we're born, a doctor usually says that we're male or female based on what our bodies look like. Most people who were labeled male at birth turn out to actually identify as men, and most people who were labeled female at birth grow up to be women. These people would be cisgender. But some people's gender identity – their innate knowledge of who they are – is different from what was initially expected when they were born. Most of these people describe themselves as transgender.
A transgender woman lives as a woman today, but was thought to be male when she was born. A transgender man lives as a man today, but was thought to be female when he was born. Some transgender people identify as neither a man nor a woman, or as a combination of male and female, and may use terms like non-binary or genderqueer to describe their gender identity.
Gender identity is a person's internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman 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
Gender expression is how a person presents their gender on the outside, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyle, voice or body characteristics
What is the difference between being transgender and being gender non-conforming?
Gender non-conforming people may or may not be transgender. For example, some women who were raised and identify as women present themselves in ways that might be considered masculine, like by having short hair or wearing stereotypically masculine clothes. The term "tomboy" refers to girls who are gender non-conforming, which often means they play rough sports, hang out with boys, and dress in more masculine clothing.
Similarly, transgender people may be gender non-conforming, or they might conform to gender stereotypes for the gender they live and identify as
Sexual Orientation and Trans people
Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. Sexual orientation refers to an individual's enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to another person, whereas gender identity refers to one's internal sense of being male, female, or something else. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or asexual, just as cisgender people can be
Why don't transgender people get counseling to accept the gender they were assigned at birth?
Counseling aimed at changing someone's gender identity, sometimes known as conversion therapy, doesn't work and can be extremely harmful. The belief that someone's gender identity can be changed through therapy runs counter to the overwhelming consensus in the medical community. Telling someone that a core part of who they are is wrong or delusional and forcing them to change it is dangerous, sometimes leading to lasting depression, substance abuse, self-hatred and even suicide.
Why are people transgender?
"A twin study published in the International Journal of Transgenderism found that 33% of identical twin pairs were both trans, compared to only 2.6% of non-identical twins who were raised in the same family at the same time, but were not genetically identical."
(Source: http://www.hawaii.edu/PCSS/biblio/articles/2010to2014/2013-transsexuality.html)
"Several studies have found a correlation between gender identity and brain structure.[7] A first-of-its-kind study by Zhou et al. (1995) found that in a region of the brain called the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc), a region which is known for sex and anxiety responses (and which is affected by prenatal androgens),[8] male-to-female trans women had a female-normal BSTc size (like cisgender women) and female-to-male trans men had a male-normal size. While the transsexuals studied had taken hormones, this was accounted for by including non-transsexual male and female controls who, for a variety of medical reasons, had experienced hormone reversal. The controls still had sizes typical for their gender. No relationship to sexual orientation was found"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_transsexuality#Brain_structure)
"David Peter Reimer was a Canadian man born physically male but reassigned as a girl and raised female following medical advice and intervention after his penis was accidentally destroyed during a botched circumcision in infancy.
Psychologist John Money oversaw the case and reported the reassignment as successful and as evidence that gender identity is primarily learned. Academic sexologist Milton Diamond later reported that Reimer's realization he was not a girl crystallized between the ages of 9 and 11, and he transitioned to living as a male at age 15. Well known in medical circles for years anonymously as the "John/Joan" case, Reimer later went public with his story to help discourage similar medical practices. He later committed suicide after suffering years of severe depression, financial instability, and a troubled marriage"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer)
How are transgender people treated?
"Double the rate of unemployment: Survey respondents experienced unemployment at twice the rate of the general population at the time of the survey,with rates for people of color up to four times the national unemployment rate."
"Over one-quarter (26%) reported that they had lost a job due to being transgender or gender non-conforming and 50% were harassed"
"One-fifth (19%) reported experiencing homelessness at some point in their lives because they were transgender or gender non-conforming; the majority of those trying to access a homeless shelter were harassed by shelter staff or residents (55%), 29% were turned away altogether, and 22% were sexually assaulted by residents or staff."
"Fifty-three percent (53%) of respondents reported being verbally harassed or disrespected in a place of public accommodation, including hotels, restaurants, buses, airports and government agencies"
The above statistics are from the United States only.
"It is part of social and legal convention in the United States to discriminate against, ridicule, and abuse transgender and gender non-conforming people within foundational institutions such as the family, schools, the workplace and health care settings, every day. Instead of recognizing that the moral failure lies in society's unwillingness to embrace different gender identities and expressions, society blames transgender and gender non-conforming people for bringing the discrimination and violence on themselves.
Nearly every system and institution in the United States, both large and small, from local to national, is
implicated by this data."
(Source: http://endtransdiscrimination.org/PDFs/NTDS_Exec_Summary.pdf)
"Nearly half (47%) of respondents were sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime and one in ten
(10%) were sexually assaulted in the past year."
(Source: https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Executive-Summary-Dec17.pdf)
Can we trust children to make decisions about being transgender?
These two statistics show that gender identity develops at a young age, although some children don't realize exactly why they feel different due to a lack of awareness that transgender people exist. People tend to be concerned that the parents are forcing their children to transition at a young age because they didn't really want a son or daughter while these show that isn't generally the case. Despite how young these children are, they are able to understand how their gender identity differs and we need to take them seriously when they tell us so.
(Source: https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf)
What is deadnaming and why is it bad?
Deadnaming is the act of calling a person who is transgender by their birth name after they've changed their name legally or asked you to use a different name.
When you refer to a person who is transgender by their non-affirmed name, it can feel invalidating. It can cause them to feel like you don't respect their identity, you don't support their transition, or that you don't wish to put forth the effort to make this necessary change.
Is being transgender a new thing?
"During the American Civil War, over 200 women donned men's clothing and fought as soldiers; some were transgender and lived the rest of their lives as men, such as Albert Cashier."
"The idea of someone changing sex was unknown to most people until news about Christine Jorgensen burst onto the scene in 1952. She was the first widely publicized person to have undergone sex reassignment surgery"
(Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/04/o...2-is-dead-was-first-to-have-a-sex-change.html)
"Lili Elbe was a Danish transgender woman and one of the first recipients of sex reassignment surgery. Elbe was born a male and was a successful painter in that guise. She also presented as Lili (sometimes spelled Lily). She transitioned in 1930 and made a legal name change to Lili Ilse Elvenes"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili_Elbe)
If you have time and want to learn more, I'd recommend watching this documentary : https://www.facebook.com/katiecouric/videos/10154790608436005/
As well as this great video by John Oliver
What does it mean to be transgender?
Transgender people are people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth. "Trans" is often used as shorthand for transgender.
When we're born, a doctor usually says that we're male or female based on what our bodies look like. Most people who were labeled male at birth turn out to actually identify as men, and most people who were labeled female at birth grow up to be women. These people would be cisgender. But some people's gender identity – their innate knowledge of who they are – is different from what was initially expected when they were born. Most of these people describe themselves as transgender.
A transgender woman lives as a woman today, but was thought to be male when she was born. A transgender man lives as a man today, but was thought to be female when he was born. Some transgender people identify as neither a man nor a woman, or as a combination of male and female, and may use terms like non-binary or genderqueer to describe their gender identity.
Gender identity is a person's internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman 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
Gender expression is how a person presents their gender on the outside, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyle, voice or body characteristics
What is the difference between being transgender and being gender non-conforming?
Gender non-conforming people may or may not be transgender. For example, some women who were raised and identify as women present themselves in ways that might be considered masculine, like by having short hair or wearing stereotypically masculine clothes. The term "tomboy" refers to girls who are gender non-conforming, which often means they play rough sports, hang out with boys, and dress in more masculine clothing.
Similarly, transgender people may be gender non-conforming, or they might conform to gender stereotypes for the gender they live and identify as
Sexual Orientation and Trans people
Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. Sexual orientation refers to an individual's enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to another person, whereas gender identity refers to one's internal sense of being male, female, or something else. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or asexual, just as cisgender people can be
Why don't transgender people get counseling to accept the gender they were assigned at birth?
Counseling aimed at changing someone's gender identity, sometimes known as conversion therapy, doesn't work and can be extremely harmful. The belief that someone's gender identity can be changed through therapy runs counter to the overwhelming consensus in the medical community. Telling someone that a core part of who they are is wrong or delusional and forcing them to change it is dangerous, sometimes leading to lasting depression, substance abuse, self-hatred and even suicide.
Why are people transgender?
"A twin study published in the International Journal of Transgenderism found that 33% of identical twin pairs were both trans, compared to only 2.6% of non-identical twins who were raised in the same family at the same time, but were not genetically identical."
(Source: http://www.hawaii.edu/PCSS/biblio/articles/2010to2014/2013-transsexuality.html)
"Several studies have found a correlation between gender identity and brain structure.[7] A first-of-its-kind study by Zhou et al. (1995) found that in a region of the brain called the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc), a region which is known for sex and anxiety responses (and which is affected by prenatal androgens),[8] male-to-female trans women had a female-normal BSTc size (like cisgender women) and female-to-male trans men had a male-normal size. While the transsexuals studied had taken hormones, this was accounted for by including non-transsexual male and female controls who, for a variety of medical reasons, had experienced hormone reversal. The controls still had sizes typical for their gender. No relationship to sexual orientation was found"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_transsexuality#Brain_structure)
"David Peter Reimer was a Canadian man born physically male but reassigned as a girl and raised female following medical advice and intervention after his penis was accidentally destroyed during a botched circumcision in infancy.
Psychologist John Money oversaw the case and reported the reassignment as successful and as evidence that gender identity is primarily learned. Academic sexologist Milton Diamond later reported that Reimer's realization he was not a girl crystallized between the ages of 9 and 11, and he transitioned to living as a male at age 15. Well known in medical circles for years anonymously as the "John/Joan" case, Reimer later went public with his story to help discourage similar medical practices. He later committed suicide after suffering years of severe depression, financial instability, and a troubled marriage"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer)
How are transgender people treated?
"Double the rate of unemployment: Survey respondents experienced unemployment at twice the rate of the general population at the time of the survey,with rates for people of color up to four times the national unemployment rate."
"Over one-quarter (26%) reported that they had lost a job due to being transgender or gender non-conforming and 50% were harassed"
"One-fifth (19%) reported experiencing homelessness at some point in their lives because they were transgender or gender non-conforming; the majority of those trying to access a homeless shelter were harassed by shelter staff or residents (55%), 29% were turned away altogether, and 22% were sexually assaulted by residents or staff."
"Fifty-three percent (53%) of respondents reported being verbally harassed or disrespected in a place of public accommodation, including hotels, restaurants, buses, airports and government agencies"
The above statistics are from the United States only.
"It is part of social and legal convention in the United States to discriminate against, ridicule, and abuse transgender and gender non-conforming people within foundational institutions such as the family, schools, the workplace and health care settings, every day. Instead of recognizing that the moral failure lies in society's unwillingness to embrace different gender identities and expressions, society blames transgender and gender non-conforming people for bringing the discrimination and violence on themselves.
Nearly every system and institution in the United States, both large and small, from local to national, is
implicated by this data."
(Source: http://endtransdiscrimination.org/PDFs/NTDS_Exec_Summary.pdf)
"Nearly half (47%) of respondents were sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime and one in ten
(10%) were sexually assaulted in the past year."
(Source: https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Executive-Summary-Dec17.pdf)
Can we trust children to make decisions about being transgender?
These two statistics show that gender identity develops at a young age, although some children don't realize exactly why they feel different due to a lack of awareness that transgender people exist. People tend to be concerned that the parents are forcing their children to transition at a young age because they didn't really want a son or daughter while these show that isn't generally the case. Despite how young these children are, they are able to understand how their gender identity differs and we need to take them seriously when they tell us so.
(Source: https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf)
What is deadnaming and why is it bad?
Deadnaming is the act of calling a person who is transgender by their birth name after they've changed their name legally or asked you to use a different name.
When you refer to a person who is transgender by their non-affirmed name, it can feel invalidating. It can cause them to feel like you don't respect their identity, you don't support their transition, or that you don't wish to put forth the effort to make this necessary change.
Is being transgender a new thing?
"During the American Civil War, over 200 women donned men's clothing and fought as soldiers; some were transgender and lived the rest of their lives as men, such as Albert Cashier."
"The idea of someone changing sex was unknown to most people until news about Christine Jorgensen burst onto the scene in 1952. She was the first widely publicized person to have undergone sex reassignment surgery"
(Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/04/o...2-is-dead-was-first-to-have-a-sex-change.html)
"Lili Elbe was a Danish transgender woman and one of the first recipients of sex reassignment surgery. Elbe was born a male and was a successful painter in that guise. She also presented as Lili (sometimes spelled Lily). She transitioned in 1930 and made a legal name change to Lili Ilse Elvenes"
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili_Elbe)
If you have time and want to learn more, I'd recommend watching this documentary : https://www.facebook.com/katiecouric/videos/10154790608436005/
As well as this great video by John Oliver
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