Transgender: An inclusive umbrella term for anyone whose sex was incorrectly assigned at birth — for any reason, to any degree, for any length of time.
This includes but is not limited to
trans women,
trans men,
intersex,
non-binary,
genderqueer and
genderfluid,
agender,
crossdressers,
drag kings and queens, and people whose cultures have traditional recognition of genders beyond the binary (such as
Two-Spirit,
Hijra,
Fa'afafine,
Māhū, and others).
In short: anyone experiencing, exploring, or expressing gender beyond conventional cisgender roles.
This term describes a broad range of lived experiences and does not imply any specific appearance, behavior, medical history, or transition path.
Agender: A person who does not identify with any gender, or identifies as having no gender.
Androgyne: A person whose gender expression or identity falls between or outside traditional masculine and feminine categories.
Cisgender: A person whose sex assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity. Cisgender people are not transgender.
Crossdresser: A person who wears clothing typically associated with another gender, without necessarily seeking permanent physical transition. Crossdressing is about expression, not sexual motivation.
Drag King: A performer who presents masculinity, often in exaggerated form, as part of their art. Drag kings may be of any gender or sexual orientation and perform at pride events, clubs, cabarets, and other venues.
Drag Queen: A performer who presents femininity, often in exaggerated form, as part of their art. Drag queens may be of any gender or sexual orientation and perform at pride events, clubs, cabarets, and other venues.
Gender Expression: How a person presents or expresses gender outwardly, such as through clothing, hairstyle, voice, or behavior. Gender expression may or may not align with a person's gender identity and does not determine someone's sex, gender, or sexuality.
Genderfluid: A person whose gender shifts over time, moving between or among different gender expressions or identities.
Genderqueer: A person whose gender identity falls outside the traditional binary of man/woman. Often used as an umbrella term for various non-binary identities.
Intersex: A person born with sex characteristics — including chromosomes, hormones, or anatomy — that do not fit typical definitions of male or female. Many intersex people were subjected to non-consensual surgical "correction" at birth based on arbitrary medical standards. Intersex people may or may not personally identify as transgender, and may or may not seek medical treatment related to their sex characteristics.
Intersex traits are natural variations of human biology and are not medical disorders in themselves.
Non-Binary: A person whose gender is not exclusively male or female. Non-binary people may experience their gender as a combination, as fluid, as something else entirely, or as an absence of gender. Sometimes also called genderqueer or enby.
Significant Other: For the purpose of this site, anyone close to a transgender person — partner, spouse, parent, child, sibling, family member, or friend.
Trans Man: A man who was incorrectly assigned female at birth. Trans men are men.
"Transmasc" may also be used by some non-binary people whose gender leans masculine, though not all transmasculine people identify as men.
Trans Woman: A woman who was incorrectly assigned male at birth. Trans women are women.
"Transfemme" may also be used by some non-binary people whose gender leans feminine, though not all transfeminine people identify as women.
Transsexual: How some people describe their discomfort resulting from being a different sex than the one assigned at birth, often emphasizing medical transition. Some consider this term outdated; others actively reclaim it. Use only if the person uses it for themselves.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Medical treatment that uses hormones (such as estrogen or testosterone) to help align a person's physical characteristics with their sex and gender.
For transgender adults, HRT is an established, evidence-based treatment shown to improve quality of life and mental health. HRT is individualized, monitored by qualified healthcare providers, and not all transgender people pursue or desire it.
Puberty Blockers: Medications that suppress or pause the release of sex hormones. They have a long history of use in pediatric care for conditions such as precocious puberty, and are also used in adult care, including pre-surgical hormone suppression.
For transgender and gender-diverse people, blockers may be used to reduce dysphoria by pausing unwanted pubertal or hormonal changes. Blockers are not sex hormones and do not cause permanent physical changes on their own. Their effects are considered fully reversible.
Pre-Op: A person who desires gender-affirming surgery but has not yet had it, for whatever reason.
Post-Op: A person who has had gender-affirming surgical procedures. What surgeries "count" varies by individual — there is no single standard.
Non-Op: A person who does not desire gender-affirming surgery. This is a valid choice and does not make anyone "less trans."
Medical Privacy Notice: Medical and surgical status — including use of HRT, blockers, or surgeries — is private information. Do not ask about someone's medical care or surgical status unless they explicitly volunteer it.
Always use pronouns based on a person's stated identity. Anyone intentionally deadnaming or misgendering someone
will result in a ban, regardless of any perceived provocation.
For Trans Women: Trans women are women. Use she/her/hers unless she specifies otherwise.
For Trans Men: Trans men are men. Use he/him/his unless he specifies otherwise.
For Non-Binary People: Use the pronouns they specify. Common options include they/them/theirs, but some use neopronouns or other combinations. When in doubt, ask respectfully.
Sex Assigned at Birth (SAAB): The classification (typically male or female) given to an infant at birth, usually based on external anatomy. This assignment may or may not reflect a person's actual sex or gender.
General Practice: If you don't know someone's pronouns, singular "they" is appropriate until you can ask, or they share it. When in doubt, use the terms and pronoun that a person chooses for themselves, or ask them for clarification.
Transphobia: Any action, language, behavior, or policy that invalidates, dehumanizes, stereotypes, marginalizes, or discriminates against transgender people or those perceived to be transgender.
Transphobia includes both overt hostility and more subtle forms of harm. It is not limited to slurs or threats. It also includes denying a person's stated sex or gender, questioning the legitimacy of transgender identities, enforcing rigid or coercive sex or gender norms, or promoting misinformation that places transgender people at risk.
On this site, transphobia is not tolerated in any form and
will result in a ban.
Hate Speech: Any form of expression that attacks, demeans, or discriminates against an individual or group based on inherent or protected characteristics, including gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability.
Hate speech targeting transgender people — whether explicit or implied — is considered a form of transphobia. This includes language intended to ridicule, intimidate, dehumanize, or portray transgender people as dangerous, immoral, deceptive, or illegitimate.
Hate speech
will result in a ban.
Deadnaming: Referring to a transgender person by a former name they no longer use. A deadname is typically associated with an imposed role or identity and may carry significant emotional harm.
Continuing to use a deadname after being informed of the correct name is considered transphobic harassment. Intentional deadnaming
will result in a ban.
Misgendering: Referring to a person using pronouns, titles, or gendered language that do not align with their stated identity.
Misgendering is not a difference of opinion, belief, or perspective. It is a form of transphobic harassment. Intentional misgendering
will result in a ban.
Harmful Tropes and Misinformation: The promotion, repetition, or endorsement of false or misleading narratives about transgender people is considered transphobic behavior. This includes, but is not limited to:
"Gender Ideology"This term is a political framing used to dehumanize transgender and non-binary people by implying that gender is a belief system rather than a lived reality.
https://glaad.org/fact-sheet-for-reporters-term-to-avoid-gender-ideology/ 🔗Intentional Mischaracterizations of Transgender Health CareGender-affirming care is evidence-based and supported by major medical organizations. Claims of "mutilation" or "castration" are intentional misinformation.
https://glaad.org/intentional-mischaracterizations-of-transgender-health-care/ 🔗Restrooms, Locker Rooms, and Single-Sex SpacesThere is no evidence that transgender people pose safety risks. Transgender people are far more likely to be harassed or assaulted in these spaces.
https://glaad.org/fact-sheet-misleading-narratives-about-transgender-people-and-restrooms-locker-rooms-and-other-single-sex-spaces/ 🔗Transgender Participation in SportsThis issue was adopted as a political wedge. Transgender athletes are rare, follow participation guidelines, and are not presumed to have unfair advantage.
https://glaad.org/fact-sheet-for-reporters-transgender-participation-in-sports/ 🔗False Claims of "Grooming"A baseless disinformation tactic used to associate LGBTQ+ people with harm to children.
https://glaad.org/groomer-definition-meaning-anti-lgbt-online-hate/ 🔗"Trans Terrorism" ClaimsThere is no evidence of rising transgender violent extremism. Transgender people are disproportionately victims of violence.
https://glaad.org/debunking-trans-terrorism/ 🔗So-Called "Transvestigations"Hate-driven conspiracy theories that falsely label public figures as transgender, rooted in the assumption that being trans is shameful.
https://glaad.org/smsi/anti-lgbtq-online-hate-speech-disinformation-guide/#transvestigation 🔗Clarification: Repeating these narratives — even framed as "just asking" — will be treated as misinformation or harassment and moderated accordingly.
Slurs and Problematic Terms
and
s h e m a l e are slurs and
must never be used on this site.
Terms such as
ladyboy and
kathoey may only be used in their specific cultural contexts by people from those cultures, not as general labels.
