Transgender Women
Definition and Terminology
A transgender woman is an individual who was assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman. However, the term "transgender woman" is not always interchangeable with other terms used in discussions of gender identity and gender diversity. Other terms that are often associated with transgender women include MTF, transsexual woman, and transfeminine, each of which can have distinct meanings.
Gender Identity and Transition
Gender identity is a deeply-held sense of being male, female, or something else. For transgender women, their gender identity is female. This is separate from sexual orientation, which pertains to whom an individual is attracted to. Transgender women may be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, or identify with other terms such as queer.
The process of changing from living as one gender to another is often called transitioning. This may involve social transition, where an individual changes their clothing, name, pronouns, and social roles. It may also involve medical transition, where an individual pursues medical interventions such as hormone replacement therapy or surgery. Not all transgender women choose to or are able to pursue medical transition.
Medical Aspects of Transition
Medical transition for transgender women may involve hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which typically includes an estrogen supplement and an anti-androgen. HRT can result in changes such as breast development, softer skin, body fat redistribution, and a decrease in muscle mass.
Surgical options for transgender women include gender confirmation surgery (GCS), also known as sex reassignment surgery. This can involve procedures such as vaginoplasty, which creates a vagina, and facial feminization surgery, which can make the face appear more typically female.
Social and Legal Issues
Transgender women, like all transgender people, can face significant social and legal challenges. These can include discrimination in employment, housing, and healthcare, as well as violence and harassment. In many countries, transgender women are not legally recognized as women and may not have access to legal protections against discrimination.