TERMINOLOGY TO KNOW

Transgender - (adjective)

A person whose lived gender is an identity that differs from their assigned gender at birth. There is no "right way" to be transgender. "Trans" is short for "transgender."

In Example: A transgender man, a trans man, a transgender woman, a trans woman, a trans person, a transgender person. Never delete the space between the words. Trans is an adjective.

Cisgender - (adjective)

A person whose lived gender aligns with the gender they were assigned at birth. Being cisgender is not "being normal/natural" also, it is just one way to be just like being trans. Being trans is as natural as being cis.

Transition - (noun)

The process of changing gender presentation, names, pronouns, and anything else lifestyle based to better align with their gender identity. Change is not necessary to be trans but it is desired and needed by many. Sometimes coming out as trans is just coming to a better understanding of yourself with no physical change.

Assigned Gender / Sex - (noun)

Gender is often over-simplified into being congruent with our assigned sex at birth by doctors. Assigned sex is often used in medical or scientific contexts. It doesn’t define who you are, or what your gender identity might turn out to be.

Gender Identity - (noun)

Your internal knowledge of your gender. For example, this is your knowledge that you are a man, woman, or a non-binary gender or lack thereof. Everyone has a gender identity, including cisgender people.

Gender Expression - (noun)

How a person presents themselves and their gender(s) and/or lack thereof on the outside. This might include behavior, clothing, hairstyle, voice or body characteristics. Everyone has a gender expression, including cisgender people.

Hormone Replacement Therapy - (noun)

The therapeutic use of administering hormones either testosterone or estrogen to a person due to low levels or the inability to produce it by themselves. Done through injections, pills, patches, or gels/ointments.

Top Surgery - (noun)

A type of gender confirmation surgery where a transgender person has their breasts removed in a double mastectomy procedure and chest masculinization plastic surgery.

Bottom Surgery - (noun)

A type of gender confirmation surgery that varies in types and methods based around providing affirming genital configurations for transgender people using phalloplasty, vaginoplasty, orchiectomy, etc.

Gender Euphoria - (noun)

A state marked by positive emotions (such as happiness or excitement) arising from a sense of alignment between a person's gender identity and gender expression. This is more important than dysphoria in measuring if someone is trans.

Gender Dysphoria - (noun)

A state marked by negative emotions (such as distress or grief) arising from being treated like the wrong gender or from being gendered at all. Dysphoria is not necessary to be trans. Dysphoria is seriously debilitating for those who experience it, though, and should not be written off as simply "discomfort."

Misgendering - (verb)

The act of using the wrong gender pronoun for someone who does not use that gender pronoun. Can happen to cis people too, but is greatly harmful to transgender people.

The Gender Binary - (noun)

The fascist and colonialist idea that there is "only man and woman" and "only two genders," pushed by Nazis primarily who are against the well-studied fact that the world is actually very diverse. This belief is embedded in our culture and our laws.

Non-Binary - (adjective)

A person whose lived gender(s) and/or lack thereof is neither man or woman nor falls on The Gender Binary. However, there are such a thing as non-binary men and non-binary women too. Being non-binary is not a monolith and there is no one way to be non-binary. There are some people who experience being part man, part woman, a mix of the two, a little of one or the other, or neither of the two. Originally coined by Riki Anne Wilchins in the 1990's a decade after 'genderqueer.'

BONUS: "Enby" is a term like "man/woman" drawn from "NB" a shortened acronym meaning "non-binary", but not all non-binary people enjoy this term, so it's best to ask what someone likes before using something.

Genderqueer - (adjective)

Genderqueer serves as both an umbrella term for non-binary identities and an adjective describing those who challenge or diverge from conventional gender distinctions, regardless of how they personally identify. It encompasses a range of expressions that transcend the binary gender categories of man and woman. This term 'Genderqueer' was commonly used by people before 'Non-Binary' became more popularized by the Tumblr era of the queer community in the 2010's. 'Genderqueer' originated in the 1980's in queer zines. By 2002, the term had further dissemination through the anthology "Genderqueer: Voices Beyond the Sexual Binary."

FOR PARENTS OF TRANS YOUTH -

• What is a transgender person? What is a non-binary person? Start here with Advocates For Trans Equality's well-made Trans 101 guide to go beyond what was described in our terminology section.
• Download the Mental Health Toolkit from Equality Texas to know how to see the signs and help LGBTQ youth survive mental health challenges in the face of this onslaught against them.

LEARNING / EDUCATION -

• Practice how to better use your friend or family member's pronouns on PracticeWithPronouns.com, a free resource! Includes neopronouns.
• Keep up to date with the Trans Language Primer and the List of LGBTQIA+ Flags.​
• Why are pronouns so important? (GLSEN downloadable learning file)

CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY -

• Join OUTreach Denton's monthly adult queer socials or join Spectrum, their teen support group if you're between 13 - 18!
• Take part in fantastic June Pride events annually with PRIDENTON!
• Join the Trans North Texas Discord server and come to our monthly all ages meetings!! Aura Coffee social at 11AM second Sunday of the month. Library meetups at Emily Fowler Library with snacks, crafts, and games once monthly on varied days dependent on library availability, announced through the Discord.

READING recommendations -

• Find community by reading 'Trans-Gressive: A Trans Texas Survival Guide' by Transgender Education Network of Texas.
• Read about how Queer Joy Is Resistance with experiences from the 2023 legislative session at Equality Texas' site
• Read "Affirmations For Eggs" by Ben Valen. It was made in honour of those who might be thinking about transness and are struggling to find themselves.
• Learn about cool LGBTQIA+ folk with HFE's interview series on faer site.

Books For Just Starting Out learning about lgbtq+ community...

• "A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G. & Jules Zuckerberg
• "A Quick & Easy Guide To They/Them Pronouns" by Archive BonGiovanni and Tristan Jimerson
• "How To Understand Your Gender" by Alex Iantaffi
• "How To Understand Your Sexuality" by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi
• "Beyond the Binary" (A Pocket Change Collective Book) by Alok Vaid-Menon
• "Trans Teen Survival Guide" by Owl and Fox Fisher

Books for Knowing Your Roots: Queer History...

• "Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes From Past & Present" by Arabelle Sicardi & Sarah Tanat-Jones
• "History Comics: The Stonewall Riots" by Archive BonGiovanni and A. Andrews
• "Queer: A Graphic History" by Meg-John Barker PhD & Jules Scheele

memoirs: stories of queer lives...

• "Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth" by Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Adam Polaski, and Alexis Stratton
• "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe
• "Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans" by Sammy Lisel & more
• "Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure (A Graphic Novel)" by Lewis Hancox
• "Be Gay, Do Comics: Queer History, Memoir, and Satire" from The Nib
• "I Am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel
• "Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen" by Jazz Jennings
• "The Magic Fish" by Trung Le Nguyen
• "Beyond Magenta: Transgender and Non-Binary Teens Speak Out" by Susan Kuklin
• "Super Late Bloomer: My Early Days in Transition" by Julia Kaye
• "Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States" by Samantha Allen

books for adults & parents of trans youth...

• "Gender Euphoria" edited by Laura Kate Dale
• "Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution" by Susan Stryker
• "Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity" by C. Riley Snorton
• "Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out!" by Lani Ka'ahmanu and Loraine Hutchins
• "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson
• "We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir" by Samra Habib

Lists & Libraries:

• Dig into an endless amount of LGBTQ Reading recommendations!
• Check out the Queer Archive of Work for cool zines
• See more zines at The Queer Zine Archive!

LGBTQ+ Friendly Bookstores

• Find a new LGBTQ+ and all other marginalized types of authors at A Room of One's Own, a trans-ecstatic bookstore.
• Support local Denton booksellers at Patchouli Joe's Books & Indulgences!

Reputable Trans-Led News Sources -

• Erin Reed's 'Erin in the Morning' Substack
• Katelyn Burns @transcribed Freelance Journalism contributing to Them and independently writing on Patreon.
• Them.us
• The 19th News
• Assigned Media
• Pro Publica
• The Advocate

organizations supporting queer community -

• OUTreach Denton
• PRIDENTON
• Resource Center (Dallas, TX)
• Planned Parenthood
• GLAAD - the Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - they feature a GLAAD Trans Media Guide too!
• GLSEN - the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network -
• The Safe Zone Project
• Advocates for Trans Equality

Anti-Trans Legislation

Texas:

• In response to the declarations of "child abuse" against trans accepting families from Greg Abbott, Trans Pride Initiative has a letter writing campaign, resources for family assistance including moving help for Texas families of transgender youth.
• The Campaign for Southern Equality has a fantastic resource page with how you can help Southern LGBTQ youth facing unjust anti-trans legislation (SB14 in particular), and how you can receive help if you are impacted by this hateful legislation
• The Texas DPS is no longer changing gender markers on IDs or birth certificates, except for in cases of errors. This is anti-trans and a hateful form of legislative action.

UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2025 -

• The next regular legislative session starts January 14th, 2025. Trans people are STILL primary targets as are all LGBTQ+ people at this point seeing 2023's legislative session outcome.
• Prepare and submit your spoken or written testimony for use the next session in 2025.
• Equality Texas is always asking for volunteers to help fight back against anti-trans legislation in the most deadly state for trans people. You can also take the pledge to fight back by joining their newsletter here.
• Host a Postcard Party using the tools provided by Amber Briggle to contact the TX legislature about protecting trans youth.

Everyone:

• Find out how you are protected as an LGBT person through Lambda Legal's state search function. Their tool shows you all current protections or lack thereof.
• Chris Mosier's site, TransAthlete.com has entire kits ready to use for getting involved in any state and speaking up against anti-trans legislation. Get in touch with your reps!
• Try seeing if there is an 'Equality...[state]' for your home state and get involved with them to fight back against anti-trans legislation everywhere!
• Track Anti-Trans Legislation for all states using the Freedom For All Americans' Legislative Tracker.
• Read my friend Ben Valen's article: "TERFs Are Always White Supremacists, Here's How to Identify Them" to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. 

how to transition

• DIY HRT Directory 2.0 - Up to date and with the safest guidelines possible, keep this info safe.
• Download a printable zine of the 'Transfem DIY HRT Guide' and keep it safe for yourself, share it!
• Download a printable zine of the 'Transmasc DIY HRT Guide' and keep it safe for yourself, share it!