Transgender

Disclaimer: People can experience identities in different ways. As such, people can identify with a label without exactly matching the definition because identities are fluid.

Transgender (often shortened to "trans") is a term used by people who identify as a gender that doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth. Transgender only refers to a person's gender, so transgender people can be any sexuality or romantic orientation. Transgender people can use any pronouns they like or no pronouns, since pronouns don't equate gender. Transgender is also an umbrella term for non-cisgender identities (see more in the Related Identities section).

Some transgender people experience gender dysphoria, meaning they experience emotional distress from the inconsistency between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. Some transgender people choose to transition, but the ways they transition can vary. Some transgender people medically transition with surgeries and/or hormone therapy, some change their name and/or gender marker on legal documents, some change their name and/or pronouns, some change their physical appearance, and some do a combination of some or all of these options.

People who are not transgender are cisgender.

The transgender pride flag was created by Monica Helms, a transgender woman and trans activist, in August 1999. It was first shown at a Phoenix Pride parade in 2000. Helms decided to create a flag for the transgender community after speaking with Michael Page, the creator of the bisexual flag.

Each color of the transgender flag has its own meaning. Direct quotes from Monica Helms are provided first:

• Blue: "the traditional color for baby boys", masculinity
• Pink: "the traditional color for baby girls", femininity
• White: "for those who are intersex, transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender"

The design was created in such a way that the flag is always correct no matter which way it is flown. This signifies transgender people finding correctness in their lives.

• Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that provides a hotline for transgender people in crisis, as well as many resources about and for transgender people.
• The Advocates for Trans Equality's "Frequently Asked Questions about Transgender People" provides a lot of information about various transgender experiences, including transitioning.
• Fenway Health's Trans and Gender Diverse Resource Library provides access to many health-related resources, including links to studies and guides about transgender health.

Sources:

• The Human Rights Campaign's "Understanding the Transgender Community"
• The American Psychiatric Association's "What is Gender Dysphoria?"
• Point of Pride's "The History of the Transgender Flag"
• Wikipedia's "Transgender flag" page

Images:

• "Transgender flag" by Monica Helms, SVG by Dlloyd, public domain