Defining transgender

The word "transgender" encompasses more than you might realize. It covers a range of gender identities and expressions that might fall outside of the idea that all people can be classified as only one of two genders — male or female (gender binary).

Transgender is an umbrella term used to capture the spectrum of gender identity and gender-expression diversity. Gender identity is the internal sense of being male, female, neither or both. Gender expression — often an extension of gender identity — involves the expression of a person's gender identity through social roles, appearance and behaviors.

People who are transgender include:

• Those who have a gender identity that differs from the sex assigned to them at birth
• Those whose gender expression — the way gender is conveyed to others through clothing, communication, mannerisms and interests — and behavior don't follow stereotypical societal norms for the sex assigned to them at birth
• Those who identify and express their gender fluidly outside of the gender binary, which might or might not involve hormonal or surgical procedures