Out Central

Trans FAQ

What is transgender? | Isn’t gender the same thing as sex? | What is the difference between all of the types of transgendered people then? | What is the process of treatment that transsexual people go through then? | Where do transpeople stand legally? | What kind of welfare is available to transgender students? | Where can I continue reading about this?

What is transgender?
Transgender is an umbrella term that can cover a diverse community of people and is inclusive of transsexual people, crossdressers, transvestites, drag queens, drag kings and anybody else who feels that their gender role or expression is significantly different to that expected from their birth sex. Due to the general nature of the term, and because it often works as a matter of self-definition, the term can problematic. For instance, if you were to suggest to some drag queens that they might be classed in the same bracket as a transsexual they probably wouldn’t be incredibly impressed. However, due to the inclusive nature of the term it can be useful for all of those who feel that their gender role or identity is at odds with what is expected from them by social norms.

Isn’t gender the same thing as sex?

Gender is a person’s individual sense of femaleness or maleness. It is also, to some degree, a social construction that defines certain behaviours into male and female roles.
Sex, at its most basic, is purely physical (i.e. what kind of bits you have). However, this can be more complicated as you also have genetic and brain sex alongside straightforward easily graspable genital sex.

Typically, a transgender individual experiences some degree of conflict between their gender and genital / genetic sex.

What is the difference between all of the types of transgendered people then?
Well, we might as well indulge in a brief list. It must also be noted at this point too, that the following list is not exactly hierarchical. So, a transsexual person isn’t just a crossdresser times ten. This is simply a convenient way of listing sub-groups. However, there is a hierarchy in that while gender variant people aren’t necessarily transgender, transgender people are gender variant and while transgender people aren’t necessarily transsexual, transsexual people are transgender. Also, you have to remember there are no hard and fast rules, people are always individuals first, and sub-categories won’t always adequately describe somebody. So, if you do meet a drag queen who is also a transsexual woman then don’t be surprised.

Happy? Okay then...

Gender Variant (i.e. Effeminate Men / Butch Women):
The idea of gender variant here is in relation to that generally expected by ‘society’ at large. However, while gender variant people are not necessarily transgender, as they may still identify fully and firmly with the gender associated with their birth sex. Still, as transgender is a term that allows self-definition if you feel your gender identity, expression or role at odds with what may be expected from you then, sugar, you can claim it.
Drag Queens / Kings:
People who typically dress in flamboyant and extravagant clothing designed for the opposite sex to them. They are, typically, more about performance and being showy and being FABULOUS, darling. They generally do not desire to change their sex at all, but depending on the individual involved there will be exceptions.
Crossdressers & Transvestites:
Crossdressers are people who dress up in clothing of the sex opposite to them for fun, pleasure and / or to express a mindset opposite from their birth sex. Crossdresser and transvestite essentially mean the same thing when you look at the roots of the words. Cross-dressers can be male or female and can range from people who simply wear the underwear of the opposite sex underneath their clothes to those who totally dress up or present as opposite to their natal sex. The reasons for cross-dressing can range from expressing their true-self to letting their feminine / masculine side out to basically just looking damn hot darling. The amount of time spent ‘crossdressed’ can also vary from individual to individual, and may be every other year to 24/7. Purges are also a common tale in many who cross-dress (i.e. throwing away all their clothes in a fit of guilt and then regretting it because the wardrobe cost a small fortune). Cross-dressing is actually really common, with some people reckoning the level of cross-dressing in males to be 1 in 50. Crossdressers also have as much chance of being gay as the rest of the non-crossdressing population. Not all CD/TVs identify with the gender they present as and therefore not all CD/TVs are strictly transgender. Still, as per usual, everybody is different.
Genderqueer:
Genderqueer people are gender-variant persons whose gender identity is neither male nor female, is between or beyond genders, is some combination of genders or is something entirely different altogether.
Transgenderists:
This term was coined in the 1970s and refers to a person who internally identifies as and who lives as the opposite sex, but who do not pursue any form of sex-change. This is a term that seems to be dropping out of use among people, but can help those with a penchant for definitions and labelling to describe those tricky souls who seem to exist in a space between 24/7 crossdressers and transsexuals. Maybe.
Transsexuals:
These people experience a profound degree of incompatibility between their psychological gender and anatomical sex. This feeling leads the individuals to seek treatment to allow them to bring their anatomical sex more in line with how they actually feel it should be and treatment can involve a range of steps including hormonal treatment and various surgeries. The medical diagnosis by which most people receive this treatment is known as Gender Identity Disorder (GID), which suggests that transsexuality is a mental disorder. However, there is evidence from the Netherlands Institute For Brain Research that transsexuality is actually an inborn condition related to brain structure.
Transsexuals can be born anatomically male (MtF) or anatomically female (FtM), are about as likely to be straight, gay, lesbian or bi as anybody else and are currently in the process of getting themselves into government because the heteronormative genderstraights there right now really don’t seem to have an ounce of sense between them.

Also, an appropriate term for transsexual, transgender or MtF women is transwoman and an appropriate term for a transsexual, transgender or FtM men is transman. Still, in most cases their first names usually suffice too.

Got all that then? Good...

Still, you must remember that all definitions are, ultimately, arbitrary and they do allow blurring between boundaries depending on who you’re talking to. Also, different people, over the course of their lives, may shift from one general class to another. Still, if you’re really not sure about how a particular person identifies and how they wish to be addressed and you really must know then it’s always best to *ask*.

What is the process of treatment that transsexual people go through then?
There are various different steps and issues in the overall process of treatment that transsexual people undertake when they bring their physical sex in line with their psychological gender. As it worked so well last time, we can have another list outlining the terms and elements associated with the general procedure.

Gender Reassignment:
This is the overall term for the treatment and general process whereby a transsexual person changes their anatomical sex to better match the gender they are. There isn’t one true way to go about this and, in reality, each particular step is, or at least should be, elective and depend on the individuals situation and requirements. Thus, there is no one way to go about it. It’s also known to people in the business as transition.
However, it should be noted that the flexibility of treatment does depend on where you go for it as, with all things, if you can afford private care you get more say in your treatment.
Harry Benjamin Standards Of Care (HBSOC)
This is a document that outlines recommended approaches to care and order of treatment for transsexual people. Even though some health care professionals follow them slavishly, they are generally considered to be guidelines rather than absolute rules.
The HBSOC does, however, suggest that being transsexual is some sort of pathology, or disease, which isn’t helped by the whole term Gender Identity Disorder. This is pretty much the same thing as when people thought being gay was a mental illness. The HBSOC isn’t wholly loved by everybody for exactly this reason.
Changing Your Name
This is actually a fairly painless process and can be performed by deed poll or statutory declaration, which are simply legal documents that states your intention to fully relinquish your old name in favour of your new name. However, writing off to the Inland Revenue, DVLA, banks, building societies, credit card companies and catalogues (ad infinitum) informing them of said change is quite a drag.
Real Life Test (RLT)
This is a common requirement for transsexual people prior to achieving surgery (or, in some cases, hormone treatment). The idea is for you to live in your ‘target gender’, which will be female for transwomen and male for transmen, for a period of one year prior to being allowed genital surgery. However, for many people transitioning on the NHS in the UK the RLT is two years. During these two years the lucidity of your character is ascertained by the requirement that you hold down a job for twelve months. The other twelve months, we assume, it is okay to sponge off the rest of society.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Transwomen receive oestrogen, testosterone blockers and occasionally progesterone. These women can expect their breast to grow, skin to soften and body fat to generally redistribute. Transmen receive testosterone. This allows these gentlemen to grow beards, it deepens their voices and causes their muscles to grow.
Hair Removal
This often tends to be the most expensive and time-consuming. There are various different techniques available, including electrolysis, laser and other light therapies. There is a little saying that runs along the line of, ‘you’ll know you’re transsexual when you look forward to electrolysis’.
Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS)
Also known as Genital Reassignment Surgery (GRS), this is essentially surgery to bring the transsexuals primary sexual characteristics into alignment with his or her sense of gender. As with any other stage in transition it is not necessarily undertaken by everybody and it is very, very, very bad form to ask a transperson whether they have had such surgery or not.
You may also hear tale of pre-op, post-op or non-op transsexual people, which refers to people before, after or not intending to get surgery.
Other Surgeries
For transmen there is top surgery, being breast reduction. For transwomen there are tracheal shaves to reduce adams apples and facial feminisation surgery (FFS) which does pretty much what it implies.

We also often have to get a rather thick skin surgically implanted to deal with all the well-meaning people inquiring about our genitals.

Where do transpeople stand legally?
Very recently an important piece of legislation, known as the Gender Recognition Act, was passed that allowed transsexual people to apply for a new birth certificate that reflects the gender said transsexual person lives their life as. With this certificate a transperson is legally recognised as their own gender and can essentially pretty much get on with their lives without worrying that somebody may come along and question whether they really are a man or a woman. In order to receive this certificate a transsexual person has to live as their desired gender for two years, following which they can apply to a Gender Recognition Panel for their certificate.

Prior to receiving this certificate transpeople, and hence other transgender people, can currently still be discriminated against in the provisions of goods and services.

What kind of welfare is available to transgender students?
Transgender people should generally be able to get support, guidance and counselling. Commencing transition does alleviate anxiety and depression for a transsexual persons, but the process is still long and arduous and can involve high levels of stress. Transgendered people who do not require transition will also face similar anxiety and difficulties to lesbian, gay or bisexual people in the accepting themselves / coming out process.

Where can I continue reading about this?

You could do worse than going to these internet sites...

http://www.hbigda.org/ - HBSOC information. Buy your own softback copy of the HBSOC. Or just download it, print it and practice your origami for the amusement of your local friendly mental health professional.
http://www.pfc.org.uk/ - Press For Change. UK transsexual lobbying group.
http://www.northernconcord.org.uk/ - Northern Concord support group.
http://www.transgenderzone.com/ - Transgenderzone Directory
http://www.symposion.com/ijt/ijtc0106.htm - ‘A sex difference in the brain and its relation to transsexuality’ The paper from the Netherlands that suggests the link!
http://www.genderpsychology.org/psychology/BSTc.html - Discussion on transsexuality and brain structure and the above paper.
http://transgenderwales.bravepages.com/ - Local transgender support site.
http://gender.org/resources/dge/gea02007.pdf
http://gender.org/resources/dge/gea02006.pdf - two links describing an alternate perspective on understanding gender variance and transgender.