What Does 'Transgender' Mean?
Transgender is a term used to describe a broad range of people who experience and/or express their gender somewhat differently from what most people expect. It is an overarching term that includes those expressing gender characteristics that don't correspond with characteristics traditionally ascribed to the person's sex or presumed sex, including transsexuals (the medical term describing people whose gender and sex do not line up and who often seek medical treatment to bring their bodies and gender identities into alignment) and cross-dressers (those who identify with their biological gender but sometimes dress in the clothing of the opposite gender).
Some people use the term transgender to identify themselves because they have strong feelings about both genders and aren’t comfortable identifying as exclusively male or female. Some transgender people define themselves as female-to-male or male-to-female transsexuals, and may take hormones prescribed by a doctor and/or undergo medical procedures, including sex reassignment surgery. Others prefer to simply be called male or female — the gender that they present to others, whether they have undergone medical changes or not.
“I am comfortable knowing that I am transgender, and while I’ve not begun to transition, some day I might decide that is the right path for me,” says Tomas Moore, female-to-male transgender.
Wherever one is on the transgender spectrum, coming out can be frightening, challenging and sometimes dangerous. But it can also be rewarding, affirming and cathartic. The important thing is to be honest with yourself, and — when you are ready — to be honest with others about who you are.