Trans 101 - The Basics

Say it one more time.

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Non-bi-na-ry. (laughter)

Sorry. (laughter)

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3, 2, 1? (laughter)

When we think of the word gender,
a whole lot of images rush to mind.

Most of us are taught the idea--

That people are born a boy or a girl.

And we're expected to act a certain way
based on what's between our legs.

But that actually isn't true for everyone.

It totally ignores the huge
and amazing world of people

who are trans and gender diverse.

And that's what we're going
to dive into in this series.

Being trans, gender identity,
and what it's all about.

Welcome to Trans 101.

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Traditionally, we tend to think of gender
as decided by the body we're born in.

People are usually assigned
female or male at birth.

But bodies and gender
are actually pretty separate things.

Gender is basically part of someone's
internal sense of self.

It can be male, female,
neither, a mix of both,

or exist totally outside of that.

A person's relationship with their gender
can also change over time as well.

The gender we're assigned at birth
usually gets reinforced

by the people around us over our lives.

Hearing things like, "Be a man"
or "You're such a girl" --

Can feel like we're being told
who we're supposed to be.

Most people feel comfortable
with the gender they're assigned.

But for some people, that label
never quite fits and doesn't feel right.

That's what's called being--

TRANS-GENDER! (laughter)

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You've probably heard the term transgender
or even gender-diverse.

That's when your gender
doesn't entirely match

the one you were assigned at birth.

A lot of people use trans for short.

That could mean the gender
you were assigned felt meaningless,

restrictive or altogether
just didn't quite fit.

That might seem like
a pretty broad definition,

and that's because it is.

And the most important thing
you need to know?

There's no one right way to be trans.

There are a lot of different ways
people might identify.

It's not about knowing every single one.

But rather, being open
to difference when you encounter it.

And also keep in mind that gender
and sexuality are largely separate things.

Lesbian, bisexual, asexual, gay,
and straight are a few different examples.

But we're all those things
in addition to being trans.

They're not the reason we're trans.

I think for me there's this expectation
that I transitioned because I like guys

and wanted to get with them more easily.

Actually, I'm a super gay lesbian.
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When we talk about gender identity,
people often think of two opposing groups.

A binary of female and male.

And that when you're trans,
you go from one to the other,

but there's a lot more to it than that.

Putting it simply, non-binary
is an umbrella term people use--

To describe gender that doesn't fit
squarely into male or female.

And this can include people who feel
that their gender is a mix of both.

- Changes often.
- Or is something totally separate.

Or have no strong sense of gender at all.

Different people might use
more specific terms

to descrie their gender,
whilst others use non-binary.

And trans people who aren't non binary--

Who identify as strictly male or female--

Might describe themselves as binary.

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There's also a term for people
who aren't trans, that's cisgender.

Cisgender is a way of saying, "Not trans."

You might also have heard it
shortened as cis.

Being cisgender is when
the gender you identify as,

totally matches the one
you were assigned at birth.

The term comes from Latin,
meaning, "On the same side as,"

and is used in contrast with trans,
which means, "On the other side of."

It might be a new word to get used to,

but it helps avoid a contrast
of "trans people" and "normal people."

And instead, just recognizes
that being trans or cis

are just different ways to be.

So if you're cisgender,

this is a great word to add
to your vocabulary.

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Transitioning is when someone takes steps

to socially or physically feel
more aligned with their gender identity.

First is social transitioning.

Social transitioning involves
how we interact with people.

Such as coming out as transgender--

To ask people to use different words
and pronouns to describe use--

Or changing the way we interact
with gendered spaces,

like the bathroom we use.

Physically transitioning often involves
a person altering their appearance--

To what feels right for them.

Like clothes, makeup and hair--

- Or seeking medical support--
- Which can involve hormones or surgery.

Transitioning isn't about
appealing to other people--

Or necessarily trying to look
like a cisgender person.

It's about a trans person
doing what feels right for them.

And what that means
for each person is different.

It's also important to know
that transitioning isn't instant.

There's a tendency to think
of transitioning as something automatic,

like there's a fairy godmother
who'll pop up

and magically change EVERYTHING!

- Transitioning is a gradual thing.
- And everyone's different.

No two people transition the same way.

A trans person's identity isn't defined
by the way they do or do not transition.

So if someone doesn't feel
transitioning is for them,

that's totally cool too.

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Gender dysphoria is an intense discomfort
a trans person may feel--

About physical attributes or the way
that they're gendered by others.

Gender dysphoria can be on a social level,

a physical level, or even a purely
emotional level.

Dysphoria can be really
overwhelming sometimes.

Having to live with a body
or expression you're not comfortable with

can really impact the way you're living.

Trans people find different ways
to alleviate dysphoria.

And the positive impact
that can have is enormous.

Like transitioning, having dysphoria
doesn't make someone more or less trans.

And is not something
all trans people experience.

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There will be a lot of new words.

We often hear things like,
"That's grammatically incorrect."

- "Is that a real word?"
- Fine! You got us!

We couldn't get any store-bought,
brand name words.

So we had to go with "garden-grown."

They're twice as nutritious!

In reality, all language evolves
at a community level.

Every. Single. Word.

For trans people,
we're developing language

that describes who we are.

Because in the past, either
a lot of the words haven't existed.

Or those that have, have been created
by people outside the trans community.

And don't always reflect our experiences.

When you're talking about
gender and bodies,

talk about what you actually mean.

"People who have uteruses,"

instead of "Women,"
when talking about bodies.

Because some trans guys
and non-binary people have those too.

Or if you're talking about being a woman,

avoid things like, "People with vaginas"
and just say, "Women."

Because not all women have those.

There's also never a need to say "he/she"
when talking about a group of people.

"They" will do just fine!

It's shorter, less clunky,
and more inclusive.

Using the right language
makes trans people feel included.

And it's actually more accurate as well.

Learning this stuff
so you can be more informed

is a pretty awesome thing to do.

So if you found this video helpful--

Share it online so it can reach
even more people.

And if you want to know more,
check out the rest of Trans 101--

Full of even more awesome videos
about gender diversity.

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