Transgender

Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender identity is a person’s internal sense of being male, female, a blend of both, neither, or another gender. The term transgender contrasts with cisgender, where a person’s gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. People may identify with a specific gender (such as transgender man or transgender woman) or with non-binary identities (such as non-binary, genderqueer, or genderfluid).

People may transition to align their appearance and lived experience with their gender identity. Transition can be social (name, pronouns, clothing), legal (changing name and gender markers on documents), and/or medical (hormone therapy, surgeries). Medical care is not required, and access varies widely by country and health system. Some transgender people have distress related to gender dysphoria, which is recognized in some diagnostic frameworks; others do not experience distress. It is important to respect self-identified genders and pronouns.

Transgender people may face stigma, discrimination, and violence, and access to support and health care varies widely around the world. Public policy and protections also vary, influencing rights to work, education, housing, and healthcare. Culturally, many historical and contemporary communities have recognized diverse gender identities. Demographic estimates of transgender populations differ by methodology; no single figure captures the global extent.