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A couple of weeks ago, after months of speculation, Bruce Jenner—famed for his track and field prowess and his role as patriarch in the Kardashian family—came out as transgender and identified himself as female. Jenner stated that he wished to be referred to as “he” and “Bruce,” so out of respect for his choice, this piece will use these terms. Transgender people comprise about .3% of the population, but their numbers are steadily rising. Understanding transgender issues is not only key for mental health professionals, but also for everyday people, who may encounter trans individuals without ever realizing it.
The Distinction Between Sex and Gender
To understand transgender identities, it's key to understand the distinction between sex and gender. Though the terms are frequently used interchangeably, they actually mean very different things. Sex refers to a person's biological sex, as represented by his or her chromosomes. In most cases, the sex assigned to a person at birth aligns neatly with his or her chromosomes, though in some cases, medical conditions conceal a person's “true” sex. For instance, intersex people may present as male, but have the chromosomal structure of a female.
Gender refers to the social presentation of sex. While sex—including the existence of penises and vaginas, the fact that women give birth and men produce semen, and other basic biological facts—is a biological reality, gender is the product of culture. Cultures across the globe have devised very different roles for men and women. In some places, men are the primary caregivers to children or the gender that is expected to do the most grooming. In the U.S., of course, the reverse has historically been true. Thus a person's sex and gender identity can be completely different. A biological male may still identify more strongly with the cultural role established for women.
Why Do Some People Identify as Transgender?
When there is a disconnect between a person's biological sex and social gender, he or she may identify as transgender. To many non-trans folks, this may seem silly. After all, men can do anything women can do, so why bother with identifying as a different sex, right?
Pause for a moment and think about your own gender. If you woke up tomorrow as a different gender, odds are good you'd feel quite strange in your own body, perhaps even ashamed to leave the home. Sure, you could still act as you wanted, but feeling like your gender does not comport with your sex is a distinctly unnerving sensation.
A number of theories exist to explain why some people identify as trans. Early experiences, unusual hormonal experience in utero, being born with ambiguous genitals, identifying as intersex, and even the rigid gender roles so many children are forced into may play a role in transgender identities. Transgenderism, though, is not a disease. Gender identity disorder, the DSM's term for a gender that does not comport with one's sex is a mental health condition, but the treatment for it involves transitioning to the other sex. Because mental health professionals do not attempt to “cure” transgender individuals by convincing them to live as the sex assigned to them at birth, data on precisely why some people become trans is unclear, mixed, and often misleading.
The Role of Gender-Queer Identities
In the popular imagination, transgender people are those who transition to the “opposite” sex. But the transgender spectrum is a continuum of sex and gender identities, with many individuals failing to neatly fit into any category.
For some trans activists, gender is itself a tool of oppression. The fields of women's studies, sociology, queer studies, and trans studies have long addressed the dangers of gender roles. Gender roles, for instance, are what tell women they can't be strong and men they can't be nurturing. They play a strong role in justifying rape, abuse, and a host of social ills. For this reason, some people explicitly disavow gender. Some of those people also identify as trans. Though these folks go by a number of terms, “gender-queer” generally refers to anyone who does not wish to be identified as male or female.
The Perils of Transgender Discrimination
Transgender discrimination is an urgent problem, and a matter of life and death. Of those murdered for being LGBT, more than half were transgender women. Transgender people are more vulnerable to rape, domestic violence, and employment discrimination. They're also at a high risk of suicide. The tragic story of Leelah Alcorn, the trans teen who allegedly killed herself after her parents attempted to force her to live as a boy, brings this phenomenon into tragic focus.
How to Be a Transgender Ally
In the transgender community, people who support those with transgender identities and who oppose anti-trans discrimination are referred to as allies. Given the rampant discrimination and misunderstanding transgender folks face, it's important to avoid being part of the problem. You can become part of the solution by following these tips:
-Refer to a transgender person by the name he or she prefers, not his or her given name.
-Use the gender pronoun that your loved one prefers, not the one assigned to him or her at birth.
-Don't ever refer to transgender people as “he-she” or “it.” Transgender people are human beings, not spectacles.
-Don't force rigid gender roles on a transgender person. Not only have gender roles historically played a role in sexism and anti-trans discrimination; they may not accurately reflect a transgender person's experience. Don't assume, for instance, that a man who transitioned to life as a woman will love makeup or “girly” things.
-Don't treat a trans person as a “teachable moment.” It is not the obligation of trans people to educate non-trans people about transgender issues. Don't ask invasive questions or demand to know why your loved one transitioned.
-Know about “cis privilege.” In the transgender community, people who are not trans are frequently referred to as cisgendered. Cisgendered people experience “cis privilege,” which includes a collection of unearned benefits—such as the right to have one's gender presentation treated as “normal” and “natural,” and the right not to be assaulted for one's gender presentation.
Transgender issues are increasingly prevalent, and if you want to behave as unoppressively as possible, educating yourself about these issues is key. Respecting transgender people and their needs costs you nothing, but behaving cruelly toward those who embrace trans identities plays into the violent culture trans folks face.
References:
Injustice at every turn [PDF]. (2012). National Center for Transgender Equality.
Transgender 101. (2013, November 08). Retrieved from http://www.glaad.org/transgender/trans101
