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    [[File:Transgender pride flag.png|thumb|Trans flag]]
    [[File:Transflag.png|thumb||The transgender flag.]]
    '''Transgender''', often shortened to '''trans''', is an [[Umbrella Term|umbrella term]] that describes an individual whose [[Gender Identity|gender identity]] differs from their [[Assigned Gender|assigned gender at birth]] (AGAB). Infants are assigned a [[sex]] that is recorded on their birth certificate, which is usually based only on the appearance of external genitalia. The birth assignment—generally defaulting to assigned male at birth (AMAB) or assigned female at birth (AFAB)—assumes that the individual's gender identity will correspond to their assigned sex. A person's gender identity—their sense of gender—usually develops when they are very young. The realization that their gender is different from what they were assigned can occur as early as three years old or in childhood prior to the onset of puberty. It may also happen later in life.


    {{Tocright}}
    Transgender people can be binary or [[Non-Binary|non-binary]]. Some transgender individuals may experience at least one form of [[Dysphoria|gender dysphoria]] during their life, usually manifesting as an intense distress with their assigned gender. However, not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria. Conversely, some transgender individuals may experience what is known as gender euphoria, a term used to describe a "positive and exciting feeling of one's gendered self".Transgender people might transition socially and/or physically from their assigned gender to their actual gender identity.


    [[File:Transgender symbol.png|thumb|The transgender symbol. Unicode: U+26A7 ⚧]]


    '''Transgender''' (often shortened to '''trans''') is a term referring to an individual whose [[Gender Identity|gender identity]] does not entirely, always, or at all correspond with their [[Assigned Gender|assigned gender at birth]] (AGAB).
    The term transgender was first mentioned in 1965 as a synonym for '''transsexual''' in ''Sexual Hygiene and Pathology'' to make a distinction between [[sexuality]] and [[Gender Identity|gender identity]]. It became an umbrella term during 1971. Transgender is a combination of the prefix ''trans''—meaning "across, beyond, through, to change"—and the noun ''[[gender]],'' creating an adjective that highlights the journey and/or change with one's gender identity. The use of "transgender" rather than previous terminology increased in the early 1990s to emphasize gender rather than sex and to reject describing all trans people based on medical and psychological criteria.


    Transgender is not a gender identity on its own, rather it is a [[Gender Modality|gender modality]]; it expresses that there is a difference between one's AGAB and one's gender identity.
    The terms '''[[transmasculine]]''' (often shortened to '''transmasc'''), '''[[transfeminine]]'''(often shortened to '''transfem''' or '''transfemme'''), and '''transneutral''' were in use as early as 2000. These terms do not correspond with any particular identity except for transgender.


    The opposite of transgender is [[cisgender]].
    === History ===
    Gender is perceived and expressed differently depending on culture, so experiences with gender similar to being transgender exist under many different names. Even though the use of the term transgender is recent, there have always been individuals expressing their gender differently from their sex.


    ==The Trans Umbrella==
    Mary Jones is one of the first recorded transfeminine people in the United States. She was a sex worker who was charged with grand larceny in 1836. When she was subjected to a strip search, it was discovered she was assigned male at birth. She arrived at court wearing [[feminine]] attire and a wig, boldly explaining before a courtroom—which vilified her for her skin color and [[Gender Presentation|gender presentation]]—that she always presented that way and would not change.
    Transgender (also referred to as the '''transgender umbrella''', or the '''trans umbrella''') is most commonly understood as an umbrella term that can refer to a wide range of experiences. The term trans on its own does not solely refer to men who were assigned female at birth and women who were assigned male at birth; however, these experiences are representative of a very significant proportion of the trans community.


    To reflect this, the trans umbrella includes both [[Binary Genders|binary]] trans individuals (binary trans men and binary trans women) and non-binary trans individuals, even though not all non-binary individuals identify as transgender.
    We'wha was a Lhamana individual who lived from 1849 to 1896. In Zuni culture, Lhamana individuals were assigned male at birth but often presented femininely and took on the same responsibilities as women. We'wha studied crafts associated with women, such as pottery for ceremonial purposes and skills associated with men, such as weaving. Their skills as a craftsperson were renowned and they became a Cultural Ambassador for the Zuni people.


    === Binary Trans Men and Women===
    [[Hijra]] individuals are recognized as a [[third gender]] in Hindu society and were recorded in the holy texts of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which date back to as early as 4th and 5th century. Hijra individuals are assigned either male or [[intersex]] at birth and dress traditionally feminine. They leave home young to join a Hijra community to learn how to perform blessings for births and weddings.Before British colonization, Hijra individuals held powerful political positions in Sultanate and Mughal courts with responsibilities such as collecting taxes.
    '''Binary trans''' individuals are those who identify fully, solely and statically as one of the two western [[binary]] genders ([[men]] and [[women]]). This includes both binary trans women and binary trans men, often referred to simply as trans women and trans men. It is also possible for one to be a [[Non-Binary Woman|non-binary (trans) woman]]/[[Non-Binary Man|man]].


    *'''Trans women''' are women who were generally not assigned female at birth, most commonly referring to women who were assigned male at birth (AMAB). Trans women may also identify as [[transfeminine]], but not all transfeminine individuals are trans women.
    ⚫
    === Flag ===
    *'''Trans men''' are men who were generally not assigned male at birth, most commonly referring to men who were assigned female at birth. Trans men may also identify as [[transmasculine]], but not all transmasculine individuals are trans men.
    Monica Helms designed the transgender pride flag in August 1999, and debuted it in 2000 at a Phoenix, Arizona, USA Pride parade. It consists of five horizontal stripes: two stripes are blue with each at the top and bottom, two pink stripes directly follow the blue, and there is one white stripe in the center. The stripes are ordered this way so that the flag can be flown correctly in any direction, metaphoric for trans individuals finding correctness in themselves. The colors encompass the spectrum of trans experiences, as the blue represents masculinity, the pink represents femininity, and the white represents those who are transitioning, [[Neutral|gender neutral]], [[Gender Non-Conforming|gender non-conforming]], or [[Non-Binary|non-binary]].
    * Binary trans women and men may also have been [[AXAB|assigned X at birth]]/[[UAB|unassigned at birth]] (though not all AXAB or UAB individuals are/identify as trans, or as men/women).
    * [[AFAB Transfem]] and [[AMAB Transmasc]] individuals also exist.


    === Distinction ===
    ===Non-Binary Individuals===
    Any individual whose gender identity is not fully, solely and/or always aligned with their [[AGAB]] may identify as trans. This means that [[Non-Binary|non-binary]] gender identities are inherently included by the term transgender, and that any non-binary individuals can identify as transgender, if they wish to. Many, but not all non-binary individuals, however, do not identify themselves as trans and do not use the label transgender to describe their experiences/identities.


    Non-binary individuals may also identify as [[transneutral]], transfeminine, transmasculine or a number of other terms depending on an individual's gender identity.
    ==== Non-binary ====


    ===Are GNC Individuals Inherently Trans? ===
    : Main article: [[Non-Binary|Non-binary]]
    [[Gender Non-Conforming|Gender non-conforming]] cisgender individuals, crossdressers and [[Drag Performers|drag performers]] are not inherently transgender and/or non-binary or associated with the trans community, though many are. This is because presentation does not always indicate one's internal sense of gender identity, and one may dress in a way that is seen as atypical for someone of one's [[gender]] without necessarily having a gender identity that is different to their AGAB.


    Transgender people are, however, sometimes GNC. The gender presentation of GNC transgender individual would not conform to the individual's actual or current gender, rather than their assigned gender. For example, a GNC transfeminine individual would present in a way not seen as traditionally feminine.
    Non-binary identities are included under the transgender umbrella as they are people whose gender differs from what they were assigned at birth. However, the two identities are distinct, and individuals do not need to identify as one term to be another. A binary transgender person differs from their birth assignment by identifying as a man or a woman rather than female or male. A non-binary individual might never identify with either binary term, or they might partially identify with either or both terms, which may or may not include their birth assignment. A trans non-binary individual is an individual who does not identify with their birth assignment (trans) and has a gender identity that is neither exclusively within the gender binary (non-binary). As stated before, one does not need to identify as one of the term to be the other one.


    ==== Intersex ====
    ==Language==
    ===Trans as an adjective===
    When writing about trans individuals, the word "trans" is be used as an adjective. One does not write "transman" or "trans-man", but rather writes "trans man", where trans is used as adjective to describe a category of men.


    ===Trans+ and Trans*===
    : Main article: [[Intersex]]
    Sometimes "trans" is written as '''trans+''' or '''[[trans*]]'''. The asterisk or plus sign indicate inclusion of all transgender, non-binary, and associated identities (such as drag queens/kings and crossdressers), without having to write out "transgender, non-binary, and associated identities" in full every time. Many drag queens/kings and crossdressers are trans or non-binary, and use drag as a way to explore their gender identity. However, performing drag does not inherently make one trans or associated with the trans community.


    ===Transgender vs. Transsexual===
    Intersex is an umbrella term for various people who are born with or develop sex characteristics that differ from binary notions of a "male" or "female" body. These differences are called variations, and may involve one's hormones, chromosomes, external and internal reproductive organs, or secondary sex characteristics.
    '''Transsexual''' is an older term originating in the medical and psychological communities. It was previously used interchangeably with transgender, and is still used by some transgender individuals. In the modern day, transsexual or [[transsex]] can also be used as a term to refer to individuals who have changed or seek to change their bodies through medical routes, such as hormonal replacement therapy and/or physical surgeries. However, most individuals prefer the word transgender, as it is less medicalized and is more inclusive of individuals who have not, cannot, or do not want to medically transition.


    ==Terminology==
    Intersex people are not inherently transgender, as they may identify with their assigned gender just as non-intersex people might. However, a person who is intersex may identify as transgender alongside intersex if they identify differently from what they have been assigned. One cannot "transition" to being intersex as intersex traits come from a variation that already exists within the individual.
    ===Dysphoria===
    Many (but not all) transgender individuals experience gender [[dysphoria]]<ref>https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/expert-q-and-a</ref><ref>https://www.transhub.org.au/dysphoria</ref> - a feeling of discomfort or self hatred stemming from a disconnect between their internal sense of gender and their outward appearance, their bodies, and/or how others perceive them. Gender dysphoria, often called just dysphoria, can range in intensity; it can be severe, moderate, mild, or not there at all. Sources of dysphoria can be and often are different between individuals, and these sources can change over the course of one's life and/or transition.


    === Controversy ===
    ===Passing===
    '''Passing''' is a term used by trans individuals to describe their appearance, and whether they can be mistaken for a [[cisgender]] individual. For example a trans man would "pass" when others assume they are a cisgender man.
    ''If there has been a specific variety of this identity-phobic discourse that has led to discrediting it, please detail that here. If there have been similar -phobic discourses around popular flags, it can also be documented in this section.''


    ==== Puberty blockers ====
    ===Transition===
    '''Transitioning''' refers to the act of beginning to live as one's actual gender, rather than the gender they were assigned at birth. Transitioning can be social and medical. Social transitioning typically involves going by one's chosen name, [[pronouns]], and often changing one's clothes, hair, and other parts of one's appearance to [[Gender Presentation|present]] as one's gender. Medical transitioning is the act of changing one's body to be closer to one's desired body. It can include [[Hormone Replacement Therapy|hormone replacement therapy]] (HRT), and surgeries. Both of these things can help with dysphoria.
    Studies were developed by Finland and Sweden to look into the long-term effects of Lupron, a hormonal therapy known broadly as "puberty blockers". Lupron was discovered in the 1980s and was used by pediatric endocrinologists, among others in its class of GnRH agnoists. It was used to stop toddler, preschool, and kindergarten-age girls from entering puberty by shutting down estrogen flow in the brain to halt the body's progress toward puberty. Once the injections cease, the process of puberty resumes. The drug and its class of drugs, have dozens of off-label uses. Lupron specifically was given to cancer patients as an injectable chemotherapy drug, but became used in an off-label setting for hormonal therapy in pre-pubescent children to delay the start of their assigned gender puberty.


    Not all trans individuals choose to fully transition, or to transition at all. Some may socially transition, but [[Transine|not medically transition]]; some may undergo certain aspects of transitioning but not others - for example undergoing HRT, but not surgery. Alternatively, some may change their name and pronouns, but still dress similarly to their assigned gender at birth due to being gender non-conforming, and may still pursue medical transition.
    In 2017, more than 10,000 young women in the US who took the drug as children either to stop puberty or grow taller, whether related to gender identity or not, reported adverse events later in life. They were diagnosed with brittle bones, bone disorders, chronic pain, degenerative disks and spines, and other conditions that typically being in late adulthood. The FDA began a specific review of nervous system and psychiatric events in association with the class of drugs in which Lupron falls into, GnRH agnoists. The study focused entirely on pediatric patients. While there are several similar drugs to Lupron, it is a leader in the market, despite thousands of women's claims of its harmful long-term side effects. The spokesman for the company claimed that anything beyond the drug's label, including delaying sex characteristics, are considered unapproved use. The long term side effects of drugs in that class were put under scrutiny, due to the confirmation that the drug does cause bone disorders and disease-caused fractures. The impact of the class of drugs on children's bones is an unanswered question.


    ⚫
    ===Dead Name===
    Research was conducted by Sweden and Finland was done not only to research the effects of the drug in transgender people, but also the effects of the drug as a whole. They found that the effects of the drug outweighed the potential benefits and banned the dispersal, an act that is also prevalent in many European countries.
    A transgender individual's "'''dead name'''" (often shortened into "deadname") is the name that they were given by their caretakers when they were born/at a young age. Most, but not all, transgender individuals choose to change their name as a part of their transition. The act of using a transgender individual's previous (dead) name intentionally, when one knows their real name, is called "deadnaming".


    ==Flag and Symbols==
    Sweden's Health and Technology Assessment (SBU) conducted an evidence review in 2019, which found a lack of evidence for medical treatments, and a lack of explanation for the sharp increase in the numbers of adolescents presenting with gender dysphoria in recent years. They found the risk/benefits analysis of hormonal intervention to be uncertain.
    [[File:Black Trans Flag.png|thumb|The black/POC transgender flag]]
    [[File:Ottawa Trans Flag.jpg|thumb|Michelle Lindsay's trans flag.]]
    [[File:Israeli Transgender and Genderqueer Pride Flag.png|thumb|Israeli trans and genderqueer flag.]]
    [[File:Captain John 1999 Trans flag.png|thumb|Johnathan Andrew's trans flag.]]
    [[File:Trans flag alt.png|thumb|Cryptocrew's transgender flag.]]
    [[File:Alternate trans.png|thumb|Alternate transgender flag by [[User:Roselnea|Roselnea]].]][[File:Alternate trans flag.jpg|alt=A 5 striped flag with equal sized horizontal stripes of dark red, pink, white, light blue, and dark blue|thumb|Alternate transgender flag by 33ducks]]
    The transgender flag was designed by trans woman Monica Helms in 1999 and was first shown in a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2000<ref>https://archive.is/20120906123604/http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/#selection-115.134-115.146</ref><ref>https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/2014/11/12/smithsonians-queer-collection</ref>. The flag has two blue stripes, the traditional color for baby boys, two pink stripes, the traditional color for baby girls, and a white stripe, representing [[Non-Binary|non-binary]], transitioning, and [[intersex]] individuals.


    The most common transgender symbol is a mix of the female (Venus) symbol, male (Mars) symbol, and the [[androgyne]] (Venus and Mars mixed) symbol. This symbol was designed in the early 1990s by Holly Boswell, Wendy Parker, and Nancy R. Nangeroni.<ref>http://www.gendertalk.com/tg-symbol/</ref>
    In December 2020, Bell v. Tavistock was presented in the High Court of Justice for England and Wales, where they found it "highly unlikely" that children under the age of 12 could give full informed consent to receiving puberty blockers. They were also "doubtful" that children ages 14 and 15 could give full consent. The 2020 UK judicial review highlighted ethical dilemmas surrounding the medical "affirmation" of minors. The High Court judgement also allowed the NHS to suspend the initiation of hormonal interventions to minors under 16. Children between the ages of 16 and 18 were only allowed to do so clinical trial settings approved by an institutional review board.


    There are many variations of the transgender flag, and many more have been created throughout the years. A few common variations are as follows
    Sweden effectively banned the use of the drug on children under the age of 18, and those who wanted to use the drug after turning 18 were only allowed to do so in a research setting. The policy states that careful assessment of the patient's maturity level must be conducted to determine if the patient is capable of providing meaningful informed consent. There is also an added clause that both patients and guardians must be informed of the potential risks and permeances of the drug.


    The black transgender/POC flag was created by trans activist and writer Raquel Willis<ref>http://www.raquelwillis.com/</ref> as a symbolic show of the level of violence towards those that are both people of colour and transgender, as a way to spread awareness and to allow trans individuals of colour to be prideful. It was first used in the United States of America in 2015 in Black Trans Liberation Tuesday. However, some feel that this flag erases non-binary identities by replacing the white stripe.
    Several European countries found the evidence base to be insufficient in justifying routine early medical interventions for gender-dysphoric minors. Final revised its treatment guidelines in 2020, prioritizing psychological interventions over medical interventions, particularly for minors.


    Another example of a variation of the transgender flag was "The Trans Flag", created by graphic designer Michelle Lindsay in Ottawa, Canada<ref>http://gendermosaic.com/about-our-flag/</ref>. This flag incorporates sunset fuscia to represent female, ocean blue to represent male, and has the unicode transgender symbol overlaid in white to represent the trans community as a whole. The colours are bold to represent confidence and pride with the sunset and ocean colours representing the unlimited horizons of the trans movement. This flag was first used in 2010 in Ottawa for the Trans Day of Remembrance and is raised yearly. This flag has also been seen in a number of pride protests.
    In North America, the debate around the drug Lupron and its class of drugs is highly politicized. Several US states used laws to ban the use of hormonal interventions in dysphoric minors, while other states introduced a wide range of gender-"affirming" medical and surgical interventions for "gender incongruence", regardless of the patient's age or mental health status. The Canadian bill "Bill C-6" seeks to criminalize psychological treatments of gender dysphoric minors. While this effort criminalizes conversion therapies, it also removes the non-invasive medical options.


    There is also the Israeli transgender and [[genderqueer]] pride flag, consisting of a bright, neon green, base that has been defaced with the transgender symbol. This flag has been used, along with its lesser known base of a black base with a neon green symbol, in pride protests across Israel<ref>http://gogay.co.il/item.php?id=7402</ref>. The original creator is unknown.
    Only one type of Lupron is no longer distributed in America due to a national shortage caused by a routine manufacturing compliance review. Six other types are still on the market.


    In 1999, Johnathan Andrew, aka "Captain John" created a flag for the trans community which he published on his FtM (Female to Male transgender) website called "Adventures in Boyland" in Oakland, California. The pink represents female identities, the blue represents male identities, and the white stripes represent the transition between those identities. Emblazoned on the top left corner of the flag is a combination of the Venus (♀) and Mars (♂) symbols (⚥). The purple within this symbol represents the merging of the male and female identities to incorporate those that are neither female nor male transgender or are a mix of both, now perceived to be a representation of the [[Non-Binary|non-binary]] community.
    === Perceptions and discrimination ===
    Many transgender people medically transition through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and/or surgeries to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. However, not all people wish to, choose to, or have access to resources to be able to medically transition. Medical transitioning is often emphasized by [[cisgender]] people, and is a core belief of [[transmedicalism]], but a trans person's identity is self-determined and not dependent upon procedures or appearance. In a 2018 survey, 52% of transgender people sought HRT or other medical care to help transition to their correct gender.


    Another flag was coined by [[User:Cryptocrew|Cryptocrew]] at [[User:Hayden000|Hayden000]]'s request on January 16th of 2021, and was first published one day later. The caterpillar and butterfly with the original transgender colors represent the transition to one's true self, whether socially, physically, or both. The colour meanings are as follows:
    For some, the desire to transition stems from gender dysphoria, referring to the experience of intense distress with the lack of alignment between assigned gender at birth and gender identity. Dysphoria is not experienced by every trans person, and it is not necessary to be trans. However, because medical transitioning involves medical professionals, it often requires a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Dysphoria often begins in childhood, but some people first experience it after puberty.


    * Dark blue is for transgender men
    In the 21st century, being transgender has been incorrectly viewed as a trend or a fad that will pass. However, transgender people have always existed. This belief sometimes has been attributed to Western colonialism. Western colonialism began around the 15th century at a time when European countries sought to increase their power through conquering and exploiting other nations and indigenous peoples. One of the many tactics of colonialism is enforcing a place's culture and language onto another place. Western colonialism was so widespread that by 1914, most nations in the world had been colonized by European forces at some point. Western colonialism impacted other cultures' abilities to define genders in culturally specific ways through enforced assimilation versus annihilation, which caused the erasure of transgender people in history. Transgender people have had many different names and histories in various cultures around the world, some of which have involved sacred and/or important positions in their societies.
    * Blue-purple is for transmasculine individuals
    * White is for [[multigender]] individuals and individuals with fluid genders
    * Yellow is for [[xenic]] and [[outherine]] individuals
    * Dark green is for agender/genderless individuals
    * Purple is for androgynous/neutral individuals
    * Pink is for transfeminine individuals
    * Dark red is for transgender women


    An alternative trans flag was created based on Monica Helms' flag by Reddit user 33ducks around February 2021, with more shades of blue and pink representing a wider variety of ways to be trans. This flag also does not keep the blue/boy on the outside and pink/girl on the inside stripe pattern.


    ==Resources==
    Gender essentialist beliefs and the [[Binary Genders|gender binary]] impact the way transgender individuals are stigmatized as defiant or deviant. The stigma denies equal opportunity to prosperity as it impacts every aspect of life, such as economic and housing aspects, familial or social support systems, and mental health.
    <references />
    [[Category:Gender]]
    [[Category:Gender Modality]]
    [[Category:Umbrella Terms]]

    Latest revision as of 00:39, 23 April 2024

    The transgender flag.
    The transgender symbol. Unicode: U+26A7 ⚧

    Transgender (often shortened to trans) is a term referring to an individual whose gender identity does not entirely, always, or at all correspond with their assigned gender at birth (AGAB).

    Transgender is not a gender identity on its own, rather it is a gender modality; it expresses that there is a difference between one's AGAB and one's gender identity.

    The opposite of transgender is cisgender.

    The Trans Umbrella

    Transgender (also referred to as the transgender umbrella, or the trans umbrella) is most commonly understood as an umbrella term that can refer to a wide range of experiences. The term trans on its own does not solely refer to men who were assigned female at birth and women who were assigned male at birth; however, these experiences are representative of a very significant proportion of the trans community.

    To reflect this, the trans umbrella includes both binary trans individuals (binary trans men and binary trans women) and non-binary trans individuals, even though not all non-binary individuals identify as transgender.

    Binary Trans Men and Women

    Binary trans individuals are those who identify fully, solely and statically as one of the two western binary genders (men and women). This includes both binary trans women and binary trans men, often referred to simply as trans women and trans men. It is also possible for one to be a non-binary (trans) woman/man.

    • Trans women are women who were generally not assigned female at birth, most commonly referring to women who were assigned male at birth (AMAB). Trans women may also identify as transfeminine, but not all transfeminine individuals are trans women.
    • Trans men are men who were generally not assigned male at birth, most commonly referring to men who were assigned female at birth. Trans men may also identify as transmasculine, but not all transmasculine individuals are trans men.
    • Binary trans women and men may also have been assigned X at birth/unassigned at birth (though not all AXAB or UAB individuals are/identify as trans, or as men/women).
    • AFAB Transfem and AMAB Transmasc individuals also exist.

    Non-Binary Individuals

    Any individual whose gender identity is not fully, solely and/or always aligned with their AGAB may identify as trans. This means that non-binary gender identities are inherently included by the term transgender, and that any non-binary individuals can identify as transgender, if they wish to. Many, but not all non-binary individuals, however, do not identify themselves as trans and do not use the label transgender to describe their experiences/identities.

    Non-binary individuals may also identify as transneutral, transfeminine, transmasculine or a number of other terms depending on an individual's gender identity.

    Are GNC Individuals Inherently Trans?

    Gender non-conforming cisgender individuals, crossdressers and drag performers are not inherently transgender and/or non-binary or associated with the trans community, though many are. This is because presentation does not always indicate one's internal sense of gender identity, and one may dress in a way that is seen as atypical for someone of one's gender without necessarily having a gender identity that is different to their AGAB.

    Transgender people are, however, sometimes GNC. The gender presentation of GNC transgender individual would not conform to the individual's actual or current gender, rather than their assigned gender. For example, a GNC transfeminine individual would present in a way not seen as traditionally feminine.

    Language

    Trans as an adjective

    When writing about trans individuals, the word "trans" is be used as an adjective. One does not write "transman" or "trans-man", but rather writes "trans man", where trans is used as adjective to describe a category of men.

    Trans+ and Trans*

    Sometimes "trans" is written as trans+ or trans*. The asterisk or plus sign indicate inclusion of all transgender, non-binary, and associated identities (such as drag queens/kings and crossdressers), without having to write out "transgender, non-binary, and associated identities" in full every time. Many drag queens/kings and crossdressers are trans or non-binary, and use drag as a way to explore their gender identity. However, performing drag does not inherently make one trans or associated with the trans community.

    Transgender vs. Transsexual

    Transsexual is an older term originating in the medical and psychological communities. It was previously used interchangeably with transgender, and is still used by some transgender individuals. In the modern day, transsexual or transsex can also be used as a term to refer to individuals who have changed or seek to change their bodies through medical routes, such as hormonal replacement therapy and/or physical surgeries. However, most individuals prefer the word transgender, as it is less medicalized and is more inclusive of individuals who have not, cannot, or do not want to medically transition.

    Terminology

    Dysphoria

    Many (but not all) transgender individuals experience gender dysphoria[1][2] - a feeling of discomfort or self hatred stemming from a disconnect between their internal sense of gender and their outward appearance, their bodies, and/or how others perceive them. Gender dysphoria, often called just dysphoria, can range in intensity; it can be severe, moderate, mild, or not there at all. Sources of dysphoria can be and often are different between individuals, and these sources can change over the course of one's life and/or transition.

    Passing

    Passing is a term used by trans individuals to describe their appearance, and whether they can be mistaken for a cisgender individual. For example a trans man would "pass" when others assume they are a cisgender man.

    Transition

    Transitioning refers to the act of beginning to live as one's actual gender, rather than the gender they were assigned at birth. Transitioning can be social and medical. Social transitioning typically involves going by one's chosen name, pronouns, and often changing one's clothes, hair, and other parts of one's appearance to present as one's gender. Medical transitioning is the act of changing one's body to be closer to one's desired body. It can include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and surgeries. Both of these things can help with dysphoria.

    Not all trans individuals choose to fully transition, or to transition at all. Some may socially transition, but not medically transition; some may undergo certain aspects of transitioning but not others - for example undergoing HRT, but not surgery. Alternatively, some may change their name and pronouns, but still dress similarly to their assigned gender at birth due to being gender non-conforming, and may still pursue medical transition.

    Dead Name

    A transgender individual's "dead name" (often shortened into "deadname") is the name that they were given by their caretakers when they were born/at a young age. Most, but not all, transgender individuals choose to change their name as a part of their transition. The act of using a transgender individual's previous (dead) name intentionally, when one knows their real name, is called "deadnaming".

    Flag and Symbols

    The black/POC transgender flag
    Michelle Lindsay's trans flag.
    Israeli trans and genderqueer flag.
    Johnathan Andrew's trans flag.
    Cryptocrew's transgender flag.
    Alternate transgender flag by Roselnea.
    A 5 striped flag with equal sized horizontal stripes of dark red, pink, white, light blue, and dark blue
    Alternate transgender flag by 33ducks

    The transgender flag was designed by trans woman Monica Helms in 1999 and was first shown in a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2000[3][4]. The flag has two blue stripes, the traditional color for baby boys, two pink stripes, the traditional color for baby girls, and a white stripe, representing non-binary, transitioning, and intersex individuals.

    The most common transgender symbol is a mix of the female (Venus) symbol, male (Mars) symbol, and the androgyne (Venus and Mars mixed) symbol. This symbol was designed in the early 1990s by Holly Boswell, Wendy Parker, and Nancy R. Nangeroni.[5]

    There are many variations of the transgender flag, and many more have been created throughout the years. A few common variations are as follows

    The black transgender/POC flag was created by trans activist and writer Raquel Willis[6] as a symbolic show of the level of violence towards those that are both people of colour and transgender, as a way to spread awareness and to allow trans individuals of colour to be prideful. It was first used in the United States of America in 2015 in Black Trans Liberation Tuesday. However, some feel that this flag erases non-binary identities by replacing the white stripe.

    Another example of a variation of the transgender flag was "The Trans Flag", created by graphic designer Michelle Lindsay in Ottawa, Canada[7]. This flag incorporates sunset fuscia to represent female, ocean blue to represent male, and has the unicode transgender symbol overlaid in white to represent the trans community as a whole. The colours are bold to represent confidence and pride with the sunset and ocean colours representing the unlimited horizons of the trans movement. This flag was first used in 2010 in Ottawa for the Trans Day of Remembrance and is raised yearly. This flag has also been seen in a number of pride protests.

    There is also the Israeli transgender and genderqueer pride flag, consisting of a bright, neon green, base that has been defaced with the transgender symbol. This flag has been used, along with its lesser known base of a black base with a neon green symbol, in pride protests across Israel[8]. The original creator is unknown.

    In 1999, Johnathan Andrew, aka "Captain John" created a flag for the trans community which he published on his FtM (Female to Male transgender) website called "Adventures in Boyland" in Oakland, California. The pink represents female identities, the blue represents male identities, and the white stripes represent the transition between those identities. Emblazoned on the top left corner of the flag is a combination of the Venus (♀) and Mars (♂) symbols (⚥). The purple within this symbol represents the merging of the male and female identities to incorporate those that are neither female nor male transgender or are a mix of both, now perceived to be a representation of the non-binary community.

    Another flag was coined by Cryptocrew at Hayden000's request on January 16th of 2021, and was first published one day later. The caterpillar and butterfly with the original transgender colors represent the transition to one's true self, whether socially, physically, or both. The colour meanings are as follows:

    • Dark blue is for transgender men
    • Blue-purple is for transmasculine individuals
    • White is for multigender individuals and individuals with fluid genders
    • Yellow is for xenic and outherine individuals
    • Dark green is for agender/genderless individuals
    • Purple is for androgynous/neutral individuals
    • Pink is for transfeminine individuals
    • Dark red is for transgender women

    An alternative trans flag was created based on Monica Helms' flag by Reddit user 33ducks around February 2021, with more shades of blue and pink representing a wider variety of ways to be trans. This flag also does not keep the blue/boy on the outside and pink/girl on the inside stripe pattern.

    Resources

    1. ↑ https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/expert-q-and-a
    2. ↑ https://www.transhub.org.au/dysphoria
    3. ↑ https://archive.is/20120906123604/http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/#selection-115.134-115.146
    4. ↑ https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/2014/11/12/smithsonians-queer-collection
    5. ↑ http://www.gendertalk.com/tg-symbol/
    6. ↑ http://www.raquelwillis.com/
    7. ↑ http://gendermosaic.com/about-our-flag/
    8. ↑ http://gogay.co.il/item.php?id=7402
    Retrieved from "https://lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/Transgender?oldid=235830"
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