Transgender, or trans, is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned to them at birth. Although the word “transgender” and our modern definition of it only came into use in the late 20th century, people who would fit under this definition have existed in every culture throughout recorded history.

Cisgender, or cis, generally refers to people who do not identify as transgender. Cisgender describes people whose gender identity or expression aligns with traits typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth. Some people may not identify as cisgender, but that does not mean they are necessarily transgender.

If you would like to explore more LGBTQ+ terminology, please continue reading this guide or visit our glossary.

Non-binary is an identity embraced by some people who do not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between or as falling completely outside of these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender fluid.

If you would like to explore more LGBTQ+ terminology, please continue reading this guide or visit our glossary.

Gender non-conforming is an umbrella term referring to people who do not identify and/or present in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category. Some gender non-conforming people identify as non-binary, genderqueer, trans masculine, trans feminine, agender, bigender or other identities that reflect their personal experience. Some, but not all, gender non-conforming people identify as transgender. Some may identify their gender as gender non-conforming, while others may use this term to describe their gender presentation.

If you would like to explore more LGBTQ+ terminology, please continue reading this guide or visit our glossary.

Gender identity refers to one’s innermost concept of self as a man, a woman, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression refers to the external appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

Gender identity and gender expression may or may not be aligned with typical societal expectations of gender. It is both possible and valid to be a feminine trans masculine person, a masculine trans feminine person or any combination of identity and expression with which someone feels most comfortable.

There are many identities used by people in the transgender and non-binary community which describe their personal experience of gender. There are also many different gender identity and expression terms that exist across the world, with people and communities within and outside the United States using their own terms to capture gender-expansiveness.

For example, Hindus in South Asia use the term "third-gender," which include several different groups, including the Hijras. Many Indigenous and Native groups in North America use the term two-spirit. Other communities across the world, and even across time, have used other identity terms as well.

We encourage you to research other genders that exist in cultures and nations around the world. If someone shares their gender identity with you, we also encourage you to respect them and to embrace the diversity inherent in the transgender and non-binary community.

A person’s sex refers to the identity given to them at birth, most often based on their external anatomy. This is typically male or female when it is assigned to them by doctors, parents and medical professionals. Thus, it is sometimes described as "sex assigned at birth," or a person is described as "assigned male at birth"(AMAB) or "assigned female at birth" (AFAB).

Gender is a broad term typically associated with a person’s own sense of their behaviors, characteristics, and thoughts, often in relation to their sex or to other members of their society. A person’s gender may or may not conform to the male and female binary, and may or may not align with their sex assigned at birth. Gender is a personal identity, but it often interacts with a society’s traditional standards of behavior for those perceived as men or women. To support all gender identities, it is important to promote diversity in a society’s cultural, behavioral and legal spheres.

Simply put, sex and gender are not the same, and a person’s self-identified gender is valid regardless of their sex assigned at birth.

Intersex people are born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy. There is a wide variety of difference among intersex variations, including differences in genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, hormone response, and/or secondary sex traits.

According to experts, upper estimates are that nearly 2% of the general population is born with intersex traits.

Being intersex does not automatically mean someone identifies as trans, or part of the trans community. In addition, people who are intersex may not describe that as their gender, instead identifying as male (e.g. "intersex male"), female, non-binary, or a different gender.
However, intersex people face similar bias and fear of difference that faces the entire LGBTQ+ community. As such, intersex people are valuable members of our communities who deserve recognition and respect.

You may learn more about intersex people by reading the HRC’s guide to Understanding the Intersex Community.

Gender dysphoria is a medical term that refers to the psychological, clinically significant distress caused when a person's assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify. According to Mayo Clinic, “Gender dysphoria may also cause significant distress that affects how [someone] functions in social situations, at work or school, and in other areas of life...It can affect many aspects of life, including daily activities...[and may impair] the ability to function at school or at work, [leading to] school dropout or unemployment. Relationship difficulties are common. Anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, substance misuse and other problems can occur."

However, though many transgender and non-binary people experience gender dysphoria, it is not a necessary requirement to identify as transgender or non-binary. Some transgender people never experience gender dysphoria, or only feel it at certain points in their life.

If you are experiencing gender dysphoria, we encourage you to seek gender identity-based counselling or to join a local or online transgender and non-binary support group. You may also work with a medical or mental health professional who specializes in gender identity to determine a course of treatment which may or may not include medical or social transition.

If someone you love is experiencing gender dysphoria, we encourage you to treat them with kindness and empathy, to assist them in seeking help and to respect their gender identity.

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide, there are several hotlines available which provide help specifically for LGBTQ+ people:

- Anyone can call The US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988; selecting 3 will connect callers to an LGBTQI-trained crisis counselor. The same hotline can also be reached by text, by texting PRIDE to the number 988.

- If you’re a young LGBTQ+ person and need to talk to someone, you can call (1-866-488-7386), text (text START to 678-678) or chat online with The Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis hotline for youth.

- If you are a transgender person of any age, call the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.

Gender transition is the process through which a transgender or non-binary person takes steps to live authentically in their true gender identity. It is a personal process that looks different for every transgender and non-binary person, and individual paths do not always follow the same order. Some people take medication, and some do not; some adults have surgeries, and others do not. For some people, it can include steps as simple as changing clothes, names and hairstyles to fit their gender identity. Regardless of the age at which a person transitions, how they do so is their choice to be made with their family and doctors.

Yes! Just like other aspects of a person’s life, someone’s gender identity and expression may evolve over time. Exploring your gender identity and expression can be a healthy way to better understand your own sense of gender and find new aspects of yourself that you may find enjoyable. If you experience gender dysphoria, exploration may also help you to feel more aligned with your identity or appearance. A person exploring their gender identity or expression may try using a new name or pronouns for themselves, adopt a differently gendered sense of fashion or engage in new forms of social interaction. Gender exploration also helps to normalize transitioning and may increase empathy for transgender and non-binary people.

If you feel as though your gender identity may be different from your sex assigned at birth, you may consider identifying as transgender or non-binary.

When someone questions their gender, they may have concerns or even fears about what this means for their self-identity. Some may believe they are too old to transition or to explore their gender identity. For youth, adults in their lives may believe they are too young to understand their gender identity as anything except cisgender. Some transgender and non-binary people may also be concerned about “passing” as a certain gender.

However, regardless of the age you begin exploring your gender identity, it is always okay to identify differently from your sex assigned at birth. Transgender and non-binary people come from all backgrounds, and there is no one right way or time to begin living authentically.

If you believe you may be transgender or non-binary, you may want to consider finding a safe space to explore your gender identity and expression. HRC's Coming Out Guide to Living Authentically as Transgender or Non-Binary can be helpful when beginning this process--or at any stage.

There is no one way to determine if someone is transgender or non-binary. Instead, you can know if someone is transgender or non-binary if they are open about their identity or otherwise choose to tell you.

What is more important is what you do once someone tells you. The best way to support transgender and non-binary people in your life is to believe them when they tell you who they are, and to affirm and respect their identity, including referring to them with their chosen name and preferred pronouns.

Children who do not conform to their culture’s expectations for boys or girls may be called gender-expansive. Being transgender is one way of being gender-expansive, but not all gender-expansive children are transgender. Parents should teach themselves and their children about different gender identities so that their children might better understand themselves and their peers. Many children’s authors have written books about transgender and gender-expansive youth, and HRC's Welcoming Schools program offers a lot of resources, book lists, and lesson plans for children, parents, and families.

If your child expresses a desire to identify differently from their sex assigned at birth, you should respect and support their desire to explore. For practical advice on supporting a gender-expansive child, you may consult the Human Rights Campaign’s guide on Supporting and Caring for Transgender Children.

For transgender and non-binary youth who are aware of their gender at a young age, going through puberty can cause intense distress and dysphoria, as it leads their body to develop into a gender that is not theirs —including in ways that are irreversible, or only reversible with surgery. For example, teenage transgender boys who do not have access to blockers will have to go through a puberty that includes growing breasts and later in life will require surgery.

For some children, one way to address this distress is through a type of medication called "puberty blockers" (or simply "blockers") prescribed by doctors early in puberty, in consultation with the child, their parents and therapists, in order to temporarily stop the body from going through the unwanted physical and developmental changes of puberty. These safe, fully reversible, and life-saving medications are used to give youth time to continue exploring their gender identity before potentially moving on to more permanent transition-related care when they are older.

Other children may decide against puberty blockers, and instead prefer to "socially transition," which is when someone takes non-medical and fully reversible steps to begin living and presenting publicly as their gender. This can include changes such as using a new name and pronouns, adopting a new hairstyle, wearing different clothing, and/or disclosing gender identity to others in their lives.

To learn more about social transitioning, puberty blockers, and other forms of gender-affirming care, check out HRC's resource guide, to "Get the Facts on Gender-Affirming Care."

Transgender and non-binary people often experience a range of coming out experiences. Every individual makes decisions about self-discovery and disclosing their identity to others in different ways and in their own time. Throughout this process, you should always be in the driver’s seat about whether, how, where, when and with whom you choose to be open.

Once you are open to yourself, you may consider telling others about your gender identity. If you feel safe to discuss how you identify, you may wish to come out first to someone you suspect will be supportive. This could be a close friend or a trusted family member who you believe will be a strong ally. For more information, you may consult the Human Rights Campaign’s guide to Coming Out as Transgender or Non-Binary.

Unfortunately, transgender and non-binary people still experience high levels of discrimination in our society. If you are concerned for your safety, you may decide not to disclose your gender identity until you feel safe and comfortable doing so. This is a valid and often advisable choice. However, while disclosure can bring risk, keep in mind that your transition can have a positive impact on others, whether you directly witness it or not.

Living openly teaches others that there’s more to gender than they might have known and it can pave the way for future generations of transgender and non-binary youth to live better lives. It can also show others — especially those who may be biased or judgmental — that their attitudes are theirs alone, and help them evolve for the better. For help creating a coming out plan, you may consult the Human Rights Campaign’s guide to Coming Out as Transgender or Non-Binary. You may also seek advice from a gender-identity affirming mental health provider.

No. Transgender and non-binary people have existed for as long as human history. Over the past several years, transgender visibility has increased in the media and across our culture. This is related to victories for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole and is a positive sign that our society is growing more diverse and accepting. Some people may question why gender identity matters or wonder why transgender and non-binary people cannot receive counseling to accept their sex assigned at birth. It’s okay to be a masculine cis woman or a feminine cis man, some combination in between or just an individual. However, transgender and non-binary identities are also valid and often necessary for people to live as their full, authentic selves.

No. Many transgender and non-binary people choose to transition without surgery or any form of medical intervention, and neither are 'required' for a person to be transgender or non-binary.

At the same time, many transgender and non-binary people cannot afford desired gender-affirming medical treatment, or, based on legislation in their state, may not be legally allowed to access it. In light of these injustices, it is important that civil rights and protections are extended to all transgender and non-binary people equally, and communities continue to push back against the onslaught of legislative attacks on transgender people and gender-affirming care.

Transphobia is the specific hatred and fear of transgender and non-binary people that is all too often expressed by bigoted individuals or as part of the systemic inequality of our society. Too often, those seeking to undermine transgender and non-binary people attempt to impose rigid, sexist beliefs about sex and gender. To combat these insidious beliefs, learn how to be an LGBTQ+ ally and speak up for transgender and non-binary people.

No. Many people are taught to believe that sex and gender are binaries, or that chromosomes are objective markers of someone’s biological sex. However, gender is a concept created and reinforced by societies that has both changed and differed throughout history and across cultures. Embracing diversity means recognizing that all gender identities are valid, including if they do not fit into a male/female binary. Furthermore, both the existence of intersex people and the ability to medically transition show that sex is also mutable and not defined by rigid categories.

Transgender and non-binary people --as with cisgender people--should always be identified and referred to with their correct pronouns. If a person tells you their pronouns (or lists their pronouns in their email signature, Zoom name, etc.), be sure to always use them--and to correct others if they use the wrong pronoun. Misgendering, or using the incorrect pronouns for a transgender or non-binary person, may lead them to feel distressed, unseen, or unwelcome.

It is important not to assume one's pronouns. Many transgender people may use typical binary pronouns such as "he" and "she," while others use a gender-neutral pronoun such as "they/them." Others may simply use their name, or use multiple pronouns (such as "he" and "they"). Still others may use other pronouns entirely; known as "neopronouns," this can include pronouns such as “fae/faer” or “ey/em.”

If you're ever unsure which pronoun to use, just ask! It’s always appropriate to respectfully ask for a person’s name and pronouns. You could also share your pronouns to create an opportunity for the other person to share theirs. And if you get it wrong, simply apologize, correct yourself, and move on.

Supporting transgender and non-binary people is an important step towards reducing the stigmas they face in society. Here are some actions that you can take to support transgender and non-binary people publicly:

• Learn gender identity-inclusive language to respect transgender and non-binary people. You may view the Human Rights Campaign’s Glossary of Terms here.
• Too often, state legislatures introduce discriminatory bills that target the transgender and non-binary community. Educate yourself about these proposed bills and work to oppose them in your community.
• Support inclusive public accommodations including gender-neutral bathrooms.
• Support the Equality Act, a Congressional bill that would provide consistent and explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
• Support transgender and non-binary education in schools. Familiarize yourself with school policies in your area, learn who is on your local school board, and find ways to get involved to advocate for LGBTQ+ student inclusion. HRC's Welcoming Schools program offers a ton of resources to help you begin.
• Understand intersectional issues such as racism, sexism and xenophobia that can lead transgender and non-binary people of color to experience even greater disparities in health care, employment and housing.

On a personal level, you can support transgender and non-binary people you know and meet by engaging in some of the following actions:

• Educate yourself on transgender and non-binary people. If you know a transgender or non-binary person, advocate for them and speak up for them if they receive pushback and if they are comfortable with you doing so.
• Share your own personal pronouns. This helps to normalize discussions around gender identity and creates safe spaces for transgender and non-binary people.
• Support local transgender and non-binary organizations. This may include LGBTQ+ community centers or local non-profits that advocate for the rights of transgender and non-binary people.
• Engage in media that promotes positive depictions of transgender and non-binary people, including tv shows, documentaries, movies, and books.

For more information on supporting transgender and non-binary people, you may view the Human Rights Campaign’s Guide to Being an LGBTQ+ Ally.

In 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia that makes it clear that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited under the federal employment non-discrimination law known as Title VII. Importantly, Bostock does not reach some vital areas like public spaces and services, nor does it apply to federally funded programs since sex-based federal protections do not currently exist in these areas. It is imperative that officials continue to advance pro-equality legislation at the state level to explicitly protect LGBTQ+ people in every area of life.

These remaining gaps in non-discrimination protections are why we must urge Congress to pass the Equality Act, a bill that would provide consistent and explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service.