There is scientific consensus that biological sex is determined by numerous elements, which can include chromosomal composition, internal reproductive organs, external genitalia, hormone prevalence, and brain structure. Sex determinations made at birth are most often based on the observation of external genitalia alone.
Gender identity, also known as core gender, is the intrinsic sense of being male, female, or an alternative gender. Transgender is an adjective used to designate a person whose identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender. Put another way, transgender is an adjective used to describe a person who has a gender identity that differs, in varying degrees, from the sex observed and assigned at birth.
Transgender individuals often suffer emotional distress in the process of recognizing and responding to the complex social and personal scenarios that result because their gender identity does not align with birth-assigned sex. A clinical medical condition, known as gender dysphoria, can result from such distress. Symptoms include anxiety and depression, suicidality, and other serious mental health issues.
Transgender individuals, especially those suffering from gender dysphoria, often proceed through a process known as transition, defined as follows:
"Transition is a period of time when individuals change from the gender role associated with their sex assigned at birth to a different gender role. For many people, this involves learning how to live socially in another gender role; for others this means finding a gender role and expression that is most comfortable for them. Transition may or may not include feminization or masculinization of the body through hormones or other medical procedures. The nature and duration of transition is variable and individualized. "
In other words, transition is the process where a person works to bring their lived experience and outer appearance into alignment with their gender identity. Transition can include medical treatments, such as hormone therapy and surgery, but is often limited to social transition. Not all transgender people choose to undergo surgery as a part of the transition process. This is due to numerous potential factors, including whether surgery is medically necessary, and personal and financial factors such as lack of insurance coverage.
Social transition includes changes in clothing, name, pronouns, hairstyle, and identity documents to reflect one's gender identity. Id. "A complete transition is one in which a person attains a sense of lasting personal comfort with their gendered self, thus maximizing overall health, well-being, and personal safety."
Discrimination
Mismatches between identification documents and outward gender presentation can create risks to the health and safety of transgender people. Transgender people who present mismatched identification are verbally harassed, physically assaulted, denied service or benefits, or asked to leave the premises. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2015 Hate Crime Statistics, 1.7 percent of all hate crimes reported by law enforcement agencies in the United States in 2015 were motivated by gender-identity bias.
Statistics regarding the ongoing discrimination transgender individuals face highlight why involuntary disclosure of transgender status creates these risks. For instance, nearly twenty-five percent of surveyed college students, when perceived as a transgender person, were verbally, physically, or sexually assaulted in 2015. This figure tracks the percentage of workers reporting mistreatment in the workplace due to gender identity. More than seventy-five percent of transgender workers take steps to avoid such mistreatment at work by hiding or delaying their gender transition, or by quitting their job.
Across all environments, almost fifty percent of transgender people surveyed for the 2015 report responded that they had been verbally harassed due to their gender identity. Nearly one in ten reported being physically assaulted because of their gender identity. Id. Notably, the reported lifetime suicide attempt rate for transgender people is nearly nine times the rate of the United States population on average.
From the Federal Court ruling that states transgender people have a right to an accurate birth certificate reflecting their gender identity. Nice to see they get it...
