Transgender

Transgender is a term that is used to describe men and women who were born a certain sex, but feel their true gender is the opposite. Some live completely - or part time - as the opposite sex. There are also some transgender people that get sex reassignment surgery, completely changing their gender.American Psychological Association: Answers to Your Questions About Transgender... While the definition of transgender is not yet fully agreed upon and is indeed still changing on a regular basis, there are some elements that seem to remain consistent:

1. Not identifying with the sex, and the related gender, that one is assigned upon being born
2. Indicating someone who combines male and female gender roles and/or someone who moves fluidly between these roles
3. Representing those who feel that the sex assigned to them at birth, which is based on genitalia, is incorrect or incomplete

It is important to note that being transgender does not necessarily imply anything about that person's sexual preference. Transgender individuals can be heterosexual, homosexual, asexual or anywhere else on the sexual preference spectrum.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

Understanding what transgender means also necessitates understanding the difference between sex and gender. A person's sex is biological and physical, and includes the sex chromosomes, genitalia, reproductive structures and gonads. In contrast, gender references more sociological aspects of a person's identity, such as how people interact and feel about themselves.http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/transgender.aspx

The term transgender became widely used in the 1970s, and at first referenced only those who wanted to live as another gender without having reassignment surgery. The term was expanded in the 1990s to cover all of those feeling uncomfortable with the gender assigned to them a birth. Today, transgender covers individuals in a variety of categories, which include:

1. Transsexuals (this category is also an identity all its own, given its precise medical definition)
2. Cross-dressers
3. Transvestites
4. Androgynes
5. Drag Kings and Drag Queenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender

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