Refers to one or several processes related to changing one’s name and gender marker on government-issued documents, such as driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and passports. Part of Larry’s legal transition involved applying for a court-ordered name change. The name on his driver’s license now accurately reflects his identity.
See: Gender Transition.
A gender-neutral term referring to Latin-American individuals. Another alternative is Latine. Both terms replace the letters “a” and “o” as feminine and masculine identifiers.
A form of bottom surgery typically performed following a vaginoplasty, intended to enhance some characteristics of the labia minora and/or major.
An umbrella term for a wide spectrum of natural variations in sex characteristics involving chromosomal, hormonal, endocrinological, and/or anatomical configurations that do not appear to fit the standard definitions of female and male (Serano, 2018). Shawn has XXY chromosomes, a relatively common intersex variation. Serano, Julia. “Julia’s Trans, Gender, Sexuality, and Activism Glossary.” Juliaserano.com, 2019.
A theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between a person’s social and political identities and the unique privileges and/or disadvantages they might face within a given society. Intersectional theory acknowledges the interconnected nature of various systems of oppression, creating context-specific incidents of discrimination. For example, a Black woman might experience oppression from white male co-workers due to being both Black and female.
Any number of negative self-beliefs stemming from negative convictions regarding one’s transgender identity. Internalized transphobia may exist among cisgender individuals who believe that they are affirming of transgender people but harbor unconscious biases. For a long time, Alden struggled with internalized transphobia, believing he was less worthy of intimate relationships than his cisgender peers.
An intersex (non-dyadic) person whose gender identity and/or expression falls somewhere between masculinity and femininity, including entirely outside of the gender binary.
