Trans 101 - The Basics

Say it one more time

[laughs]

Non-bi-na-ry

[laughs]

Sorry

[laughs]

[laughs]

3, 2, 1

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're 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

[drum beat plays]

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 seperate things

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

It can be male, female, neither, or 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 that 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!

[laughing]

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 seperate 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 thatI transitioned because I "like guys"

And wanted to get with them more easily

Actually, I'm a super gay lesbian

[laughing]

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 seperate

or have no strong sense of gender at all

different people might use more specific terms to describe 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'

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 recognises 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

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 us

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 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

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

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