WHAT DOES TRANSGENDER MEAN?
Transgender is a word that describes someone whose gender identity, their own internal sense of their gender, differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Someone whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth is called cisgender, or not transgender. Being transgender describes an identity, not a mental illness, and gender diversity is a normal part of human development.
"Transgender" is also an umbrella term that covers a range of identities, and it is separate from a person's sexual orientation, meaning who they are attracted to.
The word is used often but not always clearly, so it helps to define it precisely, along with the related terms that tend to come up, and to be clear about what being transgender does and does not mean. This page gives that plain-language picture, with sources.
CONTENT NOTE
This is general information, not personal medical advice. Whether this medication is appropriate for a particular young person is a decision for that young person, their family, and their qualified healthcare providers, and in nearly all cases minors cannot receive it without parental consent. If you are in immediate danger, call 911; for support any time, call or text 988.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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A clear definition. Transgender describes someone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
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It's an identity, not an illness. The American Psychiatric Association states that "transgender" is not a psychiatric diagnosis.
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It's not the same as sexual orientation. Being transgender is about a person's own gender, not about whom they are attracted to.
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It's an umbrella term. It covers a range of identities, including nonbinary for some people.
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It's a normal part of human diversity. Leading pediatric guidance describes gender diversity as a normal part of development.
BEING TRANSGENDER IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS
Being transgender is an identity, not a disorder, and the major US medical and mental-health bodies are clear on this point.
The American Psychiatric Association states directly that the term "transgender" is not a psychiatric diagnosis. The American Academy of Pediatrics likewise describes terms like transgender and cisgender as ways of describing one's own gender experience rather than diagnoses, and treats gender diversity as a normal part of child development.
Some transgender people do experience gender dysphoria, which is distress that can come from the mismatch, but that distress is a separate thing from the identity itself; we explain it on our page on what gender dysphoria is.
TRANSGENDER IS NOT THE SAME AS SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Gender identity and sexual orientation are different things, and being transgender says nothing about whom a person is attracted to.
As the American Academy of Pediatrics explains, gender identity is not synonymous with sexual orientation, which refers to the gender or genders a person is attracted to. Being transgender does not imply any particular sexual orientation; transgender people may be straight, gay, bisexual, or any other orientation, just as cisgender people may be.
Gender identity is about who you are; sexual orientation is about whom you are drawn to.
WHAT TRANSGENDER MEANS
Transgender describes a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. To unpack that, two ideas matter.
Sex assigned at birth is the label, usually male or female, given at birth based on physical characteristics. Gender identity, as Mayo Clinic describes it, is a person's internal sense of their own gender. When those two differ, the word for it is transgender. When they match, the word is cisgender.
The American Academy of Pediatrics defines these terms this way and adds an important point: these terms are not diagnoses, but personal, and sometimes evolving, ways of describing one's own gender experience.
KEY TERMS, DEFINED
A few related words come up often, and defining them together makes the whole topic clearer.
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Sex assigned at birth: The label (usually male or female) given at birth, based on physical characteristics
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Gender identity: A person's own internal sense of their gender
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Transgender: Describes someone whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth
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Cisgender: Describes someone whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth
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Nonbinary: Describes someone whose gender is not only male or female; often included under the transgender umbrella
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics (2018); American Psychiatric Association; Mayo Clinic.
AN UMBRELLA TERM
"Transgender" is often used as an umbrella that covers a range of gender identities. For some people, that includes identifying as a man or a woman; for others, it includes identifying as nonbinary, meaning a gender that is not only male or female.
Different people use different words to describe their own experience, and the language is personal and can evolve.
What the identities under this umbrella share is a gender identity that differs, in some way, from the sex assigned at birth.
HOW COMMON IS BEING TRANSGENDER?
A small but consistently measured share of young people identify as transgender.
Research summarized in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology estimates that roughly 1.4% to 1.8% of US adolescents identify as transgender, drawing on national survey data from the Williams Institute at UCLA and others.
Estimates rise somewhat when surveys use more inclusive wording, which reflects how the question is asked as much as any change in the population.
However it is measured, being transgender is a real and recognized part of human diversity.
RESPECT AND LANGUAGE
Simple, respectful language goes a long way, and a few points help.
"Transgender" is an adjective, so the respectful usage is "a transgender person" or "transgender people," rather than using it as a noun.
Using the name and pronouns a person asks for is one of the most meaningful ways to show respect, and research links it to better well-being for young people.
If you are supporting a young person, our guide on how to support a transgender teen covers this in practical terms.
WHAT BEING TRANSGENDER DOES/DOES NOT INVOLVE
Being transgender is about identity, and it does not, by itself, mean medical treatment.
Many transgender people, especially young people, are supported entirely through social and psychological means, using a chosen name and pronouns, an accepting environment, and family support, with no medical care involved.
Medical options exist for some people, but they are individualized, and for minors they involve assessment and parental consent.
For the fuller picture, see what gender-affirming care is and supporting a trans child without medical steps.