Glossary
A
AFAB
Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) refers to people declared to be female at birth and raised within a female gender role, which may not match their gender.
Affirmation
The ways a person can be supported in expressing their self-identified gender. This may involve supporting social transition steps or changes in gender expression.
Agender
Refers to people with no or limited personal connection to gender, or who identify as existing without gender
Ally
A cisgender (non-transgender) person who supports and celebrates trans identities, challenges the transphobic remarks and actions of others, and willingly explores these biases within themselves. (Source: QMUNITY)
AMAB
Assigned Male at Birth (AMAB) refers to people declared to be male at birth and raised within a male gender role, which may not match their gender.
Asexual
Someone who does not experience sexual desire for people of any gender. Some asexual people desire romantic relationships, while others do not. Asexuality can be considered a spectrum, with some asexual people experiencing desire for varying types of intimacy. This desire can fluctuate over time. Asexuality is distinct from celibacy, which is the deliberate refraining from sexual activity. Asexual people experience high levels of invisibility and trivialization. (Source: QMUNITY)
Assigned sex at birth
The legal designation of physical sex assigned to newborn infants at birth, based on the health care provider's visual assessment of the newborn's genitalia. Health care providers will assign newborns as either female or male. However, this visual assessment does not account for individuals who are born with differences of sex development (DSD) or individuals whose gender does not align with their sex assigned at birth.
B
Bigender
Refers to someone who has two genders.
Binding
Wearing compression garments or using other methods to flatten the chest.
Bisexual
Someone who is attracted to and may form relationships with people of at least two genders. Some bi people define the "bi" in bisexuality as referring to two types of attraction: to their own gender and to other genders.
Breast construction
A gender-affirming upper surgery (also called breast augmentation) that creates, enlarges or shapes one’s breasts by placing implants underneath natural breast tissue or muscle.
C
Care planning
Process that a person, their health care providers, family and other supporters undertake in planning to reach their gender-affirming care goals.
Chest construction
A gender-affirming, upper surgery that removes breast tissue and sculpts remaining tissue into a shape that is typically considered to be more masculine.
Cisgender
Refers to people who are non-trans, i.e. whose gender matches their assigned sex at birth.
Clitoris
An erogenous and erectile organ located above the urethral opening that consists of a complex network of erectile tissue and nerves, with parts located inside and outside the body. A person may be born with a clitoris or have one surgically created. When referring to genitals, the Trans Care BC website uses "erectile tissue (clitoris)" for trans people assigned female at birth (AFAB), and "clitoris" for trans people assigned male at birth (AMAB), but there are many different terms that individuals may use.
Coming out
The process of becoming aware of one’s trans identity, accepting it, or telling others about it. Coming out is also used to refer to disclosing one’s non-heterosexual sexual orientation. (Source: QMUNITY)
CPATH
Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH) is a professional organization devoted to trans health whose mission as an multidisciplinary professional association is to promote evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy and respect in trans health.
Cross-dresser
People who wear clothing traditionally associated with a different gender than their gender; cross-dressers may or may not be trans. Cross-dresser has generally replaced the term transvestite, as transvestite is considered offensive by many. (Source: QMUNITY)
D
Differences of Sex Development (DSD)
Reproductive or sexual anatomy that is outside the common range of variance assigned as male or female anatomy. Differences of Sex Development (DSD) may be related to genitalia, secondary sex characteristics, chromosomal make-up, hormone receptivity, and may or may not be visible at birth. Recent research estimates 1.7% of newborns may have some variance of DSD. Intersex is a term that some people with DSD use to self-identify. DSD is also referred to as Disorders of Sex Development. Note: Intersex and DSD are related to physical sex development, and therefore, are different than trans, which is related to gender identity.
Drag king
Drag kings are performance artists who dress and act in a masculine manner and personify male gender stereotypes as part of their routine. Many drag artists do not identiy as trans, however, there are trans individuals who are drag artists. Some trans and questioning individuals also use drag as an avenue to explore gender, their identity and self-expression.
Drag queen
Drag queens are performance artists who dress and act in a feminine manner and personify female gender stereotypes as part of their routine. Many drag artists do not identify as trans, however, there are trans individuals who are drag artists. Some trans and questioning individuals also use drag as an avenue to explore gender, their identity and self-expression.
E
Erectile tissue release
This procedure creates a penis by cutting the ligaments around the erectile tissue (clitoris), so the shaft falls away from the body, giving it a more pronounced appearance.
Estrogen-based hormone therapy
The use of medications (e.g., estrogen, anti-androgens, progestins) to develop physical characteristics that reflect a person's gender or gender expression, including breasts, softer skin, and more fat on the hips, thighs and buttocks.
F
Facial surgery
A set of surgical procedures aimed at altering facial features to create an appearance more in-line with an individual's gender goals, including Adam’s apple reduction, nose reconstruction, facial bone reduction, face lift, eyelid rejuvenation, and hair reconstruction.
Female-to-male (FTM)
A term sometimes used to refer to a person assigned male at birth whose gender is female all or part of the time, who is transitioning to female, or who identifies their experience as being on a male-to-female spectrum. (Source: QMUNITY)
Feminine
Socially and culturally coded aspects of gender typically associated with girls and women (e.g. roles, behaviour, expression).
Feminizing surgeries
Gender-affirming surgical procedures that create physical characteristics associated with a person's gender, including breast construction, vaginoplasty, facial feminization surgery, voice surgery, Adam's apple reduction, buttock augmentation/lipofilling and hair reconstruction.
Femme
Refers to gender expressions and/or social and relationship roles that are perceived as being feminine, often in the context of LGBTQIA+ communities, or to a person who embodies these qualities. A femme person may be trans, but is not necessarily. (Source: QMUNITY)
G
Gaff
A garment that flattens the lower part of the body, concealing the erectile tissue (penis) and the gonads (testes).
Gay
Someone who is primarily attracted to those of the same gender. The term is often but not exclusively used to refer to men.
Gender
Gender has various dimensions including an individual’s gender and its outward expression as well as cultural gender norms (e.g. roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes expected from people on the basis of their perceived gender). These individual and societal aspects of gender interact with and influence one another. Gender norms may influence how people perceive the gender of others, as well as how they react to perceived gender non-conformity.
Gender binary
A view that there are only two genders (girls/women and boys/men) and that these genders are fixed, separate and unchanging.
Gender creative
A term that refers to children who identify and express their gender in ways that differ from societal and cultural expectations. Some gender creative children grow up to be trans and some do not.
Gender diverse
Refers to gender roles and/or gender expression that do not match social and cultural expectations.
Gender dysphoria
Distress resulting from a difference between a person’s gender and their sex assigned at birth, associated gender role, and/or primary and secondary sex characteristics. (Source: WPATH)
Gender expression
How a person outwardly communicates their gender, including name and pronoun choice, style of dress, and voice modulation. (Source: QMUNITY)
Gender fluid
An experience of gender that is not fixed, and may continue to shift or fluctuate over time. The term is used in reference to both gender and gender expression.
Gender identity
A person's deeply held, internal sense of themself as male, female, a blend of both or neither. (Source: GenderSpectrum.org)
Gender incongruence
A mismatch between a person's gender and the sex they were assigned at birth.
Gender non-conforming
A person who does not conform to societal expectations for their gender roles or gender expression. Another term used for this is ‘gender variant’. (Source: QMUNITY)
Gender normative
Gender roles and/or gender expression that match social and cultural expectations.
Gender roles
Socially constructed behavioural norms, such as communication styles, careers and family roles, that are expected of people based on their sex assigned at birth. Trans individuals often experience pressure from society, community, or family to conform to gender norms at the expense of their individual gender and expression. (Source: QMUNITY)
Gender-affirming care
Processes through which a health care system cares for and supports an individual while recognizing and acknowledging their gender and expression.
Gender-affirming surgery
Range of surgeries that create physical characteristics associated with one's gender, including vaginoplasty, breast construction, chest construction and phalloplasty. Sometimes referred to as sex reassignment surgery (SRS).
Gender-inclusive pronouns
Inclusive pronouns such as they/them can be used instead of the gender binary pronouns (she/her, he/him) in order to avoid making assumptions about an individual's gender or sexuality. For example, "I have not met the new nurse. Have they started work? Would it be okay to contact them?" Some people use they/them as their own pronouns, finding that a gender-neutral pronoun more accurately reflects who they are.
Gender/Sexuality Alliance
Also known as Gay/Straight Alliance and Queer/Straight Alliance (QSA). Student-led organizations intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for LGBT2Q+ and questioning youth and their allies.
Genderqueer
A person who does not conform to society’s expectations for their gender roles or gender expression.
Gonadectomy
The surgical removal of either the testes or the ovaries.
H
Hair restoration surgery
A surgical technique that moves individual hair follicles from a part of the body called the donor site to a different part of the body called the recipient site.
Hermaphrodite
An outdated term that was historically used to label people who have reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not closely resemble typical male or female reproductive or sexual anatomy. Currently, the terms Differences of Sex Development (DSD) and intersex are commonly used, as many consider the term hermaphrodite offensive.
Homosexual
An older term used to describe people who are attracted to other people of the same gender. The term has commonly been replaced by the more inclusive and respectful terms gay and lesbian, as the term homosexual stems from the historical pathologisation of sexualities that are not strictly heterosexual.
Hormone therapy
Administration of sex hormones for the purpose of bringing one’s secondary sex characteristics more in line with one’s gender. Also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Hormones
Chemical substances that control and regulate the activity of certain cells or organs. Also see Sex hormones.
Hysterectomy
A gender-affirming lower surgery to remove all or part of the uterus and sometimes the ovaries and/or fallopian tubes.
I
IFHP
Interim Federal Health Program. This is a limited and temporary health care plan that provides health care coverage to some groups of foreign nationals who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or ineligible for provincial or territorial health insurance.
Indigiqueer
Indigiqueer is a term coined by TJ Cuthand and popularized by Joshua Whitehead to refer to people in the Indigenous queer community. Indigiqueer includes people who do not hold Two-Spirit identities, although Two-Spirit identities are part of the Indigiqueer community.
Intersex
A term that some people with Differences of Sex Development (DSD) use to self-identify. DSD refers to reproductive or sexual anatomy that is outside the common range of variance assigned as male or female anatomy. Differences may be related to genitalia, secondary sex characteristics, chromosomal make-up, hormonal receptivity, and may or may not be visible at birth. Recent research estimates 1.7% of newborns may have some variance of DSD. Intersex and DSD are related to physical sex development, and therefore are different than trans, which is related to gender.
L
LGBT
Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people. There are many variations of this acronym.
LGBT2Q+
An evolving acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Two-Spirit, Queer and additional identities. There are many variations of this acronym.
Lifestyle choice
A disrespectful term used to imply that people make the choice to be trans. Although the term is sometimes used without malice, the term is commonly used to imply that negative ramifications trans people may experience from discrimination are their own fault. Its premise of choice discredits the individual's innate sense of gender and belittles the struggles trans people may face due to living in societies that pathologize, stigmatize, and discriminate against trans individuals.
Lower surgery
Umbrella term for gender-affirming surgeries done below the waist, including hysterectomy, erectile tissue release, metoidioplasty, phalloplasty, orchiectomy and vaginoplasty surgeries. Also called “bottom surgery”.
M
Male-to-Female (MTF)
A term sometimes used to refer to a person assigned male at birth whose gender is female all or part of the time, who is transitioning to female, or who identifies their experience as being on a male-to-female spectrum. (Source: QMUNITY)
Man
A person who identifies as a man based on elements of importance to them, which may include gender, physiology, social roles, behaviour and expression.
Masculine
Socially and culturally coded aspects of gender typically associated with boys and men (e.g. roles, behaviour, expression).
Masculinizing surgeries
Gender-affirming surgical procedures that create physical characteristics associated with a person's gender, including chest surgery, hysterectomy, clitoral release, metoidioplasty, phalloplasty, pectoral implants, liposuction, and lipofilling.
Medical transition
Process of undergoing the medical steps a person deems necessary in order to more closely align their physical body with their gender. This may include hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries.
Metoidioplasty
A gender-affirming lower surgery to create a penis. Metoidioplasty involves cutting ligaments around the clitoris to add length to the shaft and grafting skin around the shaft to create more girth. Optional additional procedures include scrotoplasty and urethral lengthening.
Monthly bleeding
Menstrual bleeding or period.
N
Non-binary
Umbrella term referring to people whose gender does not fall within the binary gender system of woman/girl or man/boy. Some individuals identify as non-binary while others may use terms such as gender non-conforming, genderqueer, or agender. Non-binary people may or may not conform to societal expectations for their gender expression and gender role, and they may or may not seek gender-affirming medical or surgical care.
O
Oophorectomy
A gender-affirming lower surgery to remove the ovaries.
Orchiectomy
A gender-affirming lower surgery to remove the testicles.
Outing someone
Accidentally or intentionally revealing another person’s gender or sexual orientation without their permission. (Source: QMUNITY)
P
Packing
Wearing a prosthetic, cloth padding or another form of non-flesh penis in underwear or a lower garment.
Padding
Use of undergarments, including breast forms, to create the appearance of larger breasts, hips or buttocks.
Pangender
Refers to an experience of gender that includes all genders. (Source: QMUNITY)
Pansexual
Someone who is attracted to and may form relationships with people of any or all genders. Pansexuality differs from bisexuality in that gender is not a factor in attraction (whereas for bisexual people gender is a factor).
Patient identifiers
Information used to distinguish one patient from another, such as name, date of birth, personal health number or other unique identifiers assigned by health care providers. These identifiers help ensure accurate identification and tracking of patient information in medical records and health care systems.
Penis
An erogenous and erectile organ located between the legs that consists of spongy tissue that can fill up with blood and may become firmer with sexual arousal. It is also a means for urination. A person may be born with a penis or have one surgically created. When referring to genitals, the Trans Care BC website uses "erogenous tissue (penis)" for trans people assigned male at birth (AMAB) and "penis" for trans people assigned female at birth (AFAB), but there are many different terms that individuals may use.
Penis construction
An umbrella term for gender-affirming genital surgeries that create a penis, including erectile tissue release, metoidioplasty and phalloplasty.
Phalloplasty
A gender-affirming lower surgery to create a penis and scrotal sac (phase 1) followed by testicular implants and implants to obtain rigidity/erection (phases 2 and 3).
Privilege
The social, economic and political advantages and power held by people from dominant groups on the basis of attributes such as gender, race, sexual orientation and social class. (Source: QMUNITY)
Pronouns
Personal pronouns are words used to refer to a person instead of their name. Common pronouns in the English language include she/her, he/him, and they/them. Singular they/them can be used for both unknown and known individuals, e.g., "Someone just left, but I didn't see who they were," or "Sam has just arrived, and they are ready for their appointment."
Prosthesis
Refers to a device that can be used to modify or enhance physical features to align with an individual's gender. This can include items such as breast forms, hip or buttock padding, packers, binders, or prosthetic genitals. This term can also refer to an inflatable or non-inflatable implant is placed inside the penis after phalloplasty, allowing the penis to become erect.
Puberty blockers
A group of medications for youth that temporarily suppress or inhibit puberty by suppressing the production of sex hormones and preventing development of secondary sex characteristics.
Q
QTBIPOC
Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Colour.
QTPOC
Queer and Trans People of Colour.
Qualified surgical assessor
For genital surgeries, a qualified surgical assessor is a medical provider (MD, NP, and RN) with the ability to support care before and after surgery and are trained to provide surgical care planning and recommendations for genital surgeries. For upper surgeries and gonadectomies, a qualified surgical assessor is a BC clinician who meets WPATH competencies to provide surgical care planning for upper surgeries and gonadectomies.
Queer
A reclaimed term for non-heterosexual or non-cisgender people. "Queer" provides convenient shorthand for "LGBT2Q+", and is also used by some people to describe their personal identities.
Queer-Straight Alliance
Student-led organizations intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, Two-Spirit, and queer/questioning youth and their allies. Also known as Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA).
Questioning
A term sometimes used by people in the process of exploring their gender or sexual orientation or who choose not to identify with any other label. (Source: QMUNITY)
R
Read as
Refers to how an individual's gender is perceived (read) by others around them. An individual's gender may be read differently by different people.
Readiness assessment
An evaluation conducted by a health care professional to determine if a patient is ready to begin hormone therapy or have gender-affirming surgery.
Real Life Experience (RLE)
A former requirement for medical transition, during which an individual was required to live full-time in their self-determined gender role. The RLE requirement has been removed in the current WPATH Standards of Care (Version 7).
S
Salpingectomy
A gender-affirming lower surgery to remove the fallopian tubes.
Scrotoplasty
A surgical procedure to create or reconstruct the scrotum, the pouch of skin that contains the testicles.
Secondary sex characteristics
Physical traits that develop after sexual maturity (puberty), such as facial hair growth, deepening of the voice or breast development.
Self-identified men
An older term used with the intention of being inclusive of all transgender and cisgender men. All men is now used instead of self-identified men.
Self-identified women
An older term used with the intention of being inclusive of all transgender and cisgender women. All women is now used instead of self-identified women.
Sex
Biological attributes and legal categories used to classify people as male, female, intersex or other categories. Sex is primarily associated with physical and physiological features such as chromosomes, genetic expression, reproductive/sexual anatomy and hormone levels and function.
Sex assignment
Legal designation of sex, usually made at birth.
Sex hormones
Hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, that affect sexual and reproductive development or function.
Sex marker
Legal designation of sex, usually male or female, on official documents, such as government-issued identification cards and birth certificates. Sometimes called “gender marker”.
Sexual orientation
Refers to terms such as lesbian, gay, straight, and queer, which are based on patterns of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to groups of people. Sexual orientation terms are commonly (but not always) defined by the gender(s) of the people that the individual is attracted to. Sexual orientation also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions; for example pansexual, bisexual, LGB, heterosexual.
Social transition
Non-medical changes a person may make as part of their gender journey. This journey is different for every person.
Standards of Care (for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People)
Guidelines to the recommended course of care for people seeking gender-affirming medical or surgical treatment, published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).
Stealth
The practice of living life after a gender transition entirely as one’s gender, without disclosing past gender experiences. (Source: QMUNITY)
Straight
Someone who is primarily attracted to people of the "opposite" gender within a binary understanding of gender.
Surgical Readiness Assessment
An evaluation conducted by a health care professional to determine if a patient is ready to be referred for gender-affirming surgery.
T
Testosterone-based hormone therapy
The use of testosterone to develop physical characteristics that reflect a person's gender or gender expression, including deepened voice and increased muscle mass, facial hair and body hair.
Top surgery
Refers to some gender-affirming above-the-waist surgeries, including chest surgeries and breast surgeries.
TPOC
Trans People of Colour.
Trans (transgender)
Refers to a wide range of people whose gender differs from their sex assigned at birth.
Trans man
A man who is trans. Most trans men were assigned female at birth and have since socially and/or medically transitioned to male.
Trans woman
A woman who is trans. Most trans women were assigned male at birth and have since socially and/or medically transitioned to female.
Trans-antagonism
Another term for transphobia, which highlights how discrimination and violence against trans people does not usually come from a place of fear, but rather from ignorance, dislike and hatred of gender diverse people.
Transfeminine
Refers to trans people who were assigned male at birth and whose gender expression leans towards the feminine.
Transition
The process through which trans people may change their gender expression and/or bodies to reflect their gender, including changes in physical appearance (hairstyle, clothing), behaviour (mannerisms, voice, gender roles), identification (name, pronoun, legal details) and/or medical interventions (hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery). (Source: QMUNITY)
Transmasculine
Refers to trans people who were assigned female at birth and whose gender expression leans towards the masculine.
Transmisogyny
Transphobia directed at trans women and transfeminine people, which intersects with misogyny and reinforces male power and privilege. Impacts of transmisogyny may include heightened risk of harassment, violence and discrimination. (Source: Julia Serano)
Transphobia
Ignorance, fear, dislike or hatred of trans people. Transphobia may be expressed through name-calling, disparaging jokes, exclusion, rejection, harassment, violence or other forms of discrimination, such as refusal to use a person’s name or pronoun or denial of services, employment or housing. (Source: QMUNITY)
Transsexual
An older term referring to a wide range of people whose gender differs from their sex assigned at birth. Most trans people today do not use the term transsexual to refer to themselves. This is due to the term being associated with a history of pathologizing and medicalising trans people. However, some trans people still identify with the term transsexual, as it can also be positively associated with the history of trans activism from the 1960's onward. As with any term, it is best not to use the term transsexual to describe a person unless they have identified to you that this is a term they would like you to use.
Transvestite
An older term that was historically used to label people who cross-dressed as having a mental illness. It has been replaced by the term "cross-dresser", which is more inclusive and respectful. (Source: QMUNITY)
Tucking
Method of positioning the penis and testicles so as to conceal them.
Two-Spirit
A term used within some Indigenous communities to reflect complex Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality and the long history of sexual and gender diversity in Indigenous cultures. Two-Spirit encompasses sexual, gender, cultural and spiritual identity. It may refer to cross-gender, multi-gender or non-binary gender roles, non-heterosexual identities, and a range of cultural identities, roles and practices embodied by Two-Spirit peoples. Some people also use "2-Spirit" or "2S." (Source: Battered Women’s Support Services)
U
Urethral lengthening
A surgical procedure to extend the length of the urethra to allow for urination out of the tip of the penis. The procedure involves connecting a person's current urethra to the new urethra created in the shaft of the penis.
V
Vagina
An internal organ located between the legs. A person may be born with a vagina or have one surgically created. When referring to genitals, the Trans Care BC website uses "internal genitals (vagina)" for trans people assigned female at birth (AFAB), and "vagina" or "vagina with vaginoplasty" for trans people assigned male at birth (AMAB), but there are many different terms that individuals may use.
Vaginectomy
A surgical procedure that involves the removal of vaginal tissue and the closure of the genital opening (vaginal canal).
Vaginoplasty
A gender-affirming genital surgery to create a vulva (including mons, labia, clitoris and urethral opening) and vagina.
Vocal feminization surgery
A gender-affirming surgery to elevate the pitch of the voice.
Vulvoplasty
A gender-affirming genital surgery to create a vulva (including mons, labia, clitoris and urethral opening) and remove the penis, scrotum and testes. Vulvoplasty creates the external aspects of a vulva without creation of a vaginal canal.
W
Woman
A person who identifies as a woman based on elements of importance to them, which may include gender, physiology, social roles, behaviour and expression.
WPATH
World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is a professional organization devoted to transgender health, whose mission as an international multidisciplinary professional association is to promote evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy and respect in transgender health.
WPATH Standards of Care
Guidelines created by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to help health care providers offer quality care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals. These standards outline best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and support with the aim of ensuring respectful and affirming health care experiences.
Z
Ze/hir
Gender-inclusive pronouns used as an alternative to gendered pronouns such as she/her or he/him, or to avoid making assumptions about other people’s genders. (Source: QMUNITY)