Glossary

Most important words:

Gender - The mental gender
Sex - The legal gender

Bottom Surgery -  Surgery to make the genitals conform to the gender identity, if it is at odds with the sex assigned at birth.

Cisgender -  Those whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth

Gate keepers/Gate keeping - The discriminatory practice of requiring trans individuals to jump through hoops in order to obtain things which cisgender individuals can have more easily.  One example is someone 

Gender Identity -  Whatever gender a person identifies with.

Gender Fluid - Having no fixed gender, and being content that way.

Gender Marker -  Designation of male or female on the driver's license

Harry Benjamin Standards  (HBS) - Much maligned code of conduct for those in the helping professions when dealing with trans individuals.  Though helpful at the time, most feel that the HBS have outlived their usefulness, and are now being used as a gatekeeping device.


Letter - The little slip of paper that says a person can get their hormones.  Harry Benjamin Standards say a person must be in therapy for one year before getting this slip. 

Top Surgery -  Surgery to either deemphasize the chest or to enhance it, depending on which direction we are going.

Tranny - Transister radio, transformer, transmission.  Big insult.  Bad word.  Very bad.  DO NOT USE.

Trans - Short, non-commital word for anything related to trans people.  Good choice for talking about gender identity in general.


Transgender - Originally, someone whose gender identity does not match the sex assigned them at birth, but who is comfortable with their body.  Much like Gender fluid.  Current generations use Transgender either synonymously with or in place of transsexual.

Transsexual - Originally, someone whose gender identity does not match the sex assigned them at birth, and who is uncomfortable with their body.  Current generations dislike this term, and liken it to either transvestites or treat it as an insult.  This may have to do with iconic lines from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Transvestite - Person who enjoys dressing as the sex opposite the one they were assigned at birth, but whose gender identity matches their original sexual designation.  Can be of any sexual orientation.