What Does Transgender Mean in Simple Terms?

The terms, transgender and transsexual, are used for people who identify themselves as different-sex from what they were assigned at birth by a doctor.

Some transgender people, particularly transsexuals, are very dissatisfied with their sex at birth, physical sex traits, or the gender role associated with that sex. These people frequently seek gender-affirming therapy. A transexual person may use hormone therapy or surgery to change their appearance so that they resemble the sex they identify with.

Transsexual is a specific term that comes under the umbrella of transgenders and is of two types:

1. Transsexual man
   • A transsexual man or “trans man” is now a man who was brought up as a girl before they identified themselves as a man. They were assigned to be a female at birth, but later, they were inclined toward masculinity and feel like a boy trapped in a girl’s body and start identifying themselves as a boy. They eventually start behaving and dressing up as a boy.
2. Transsexual woman
   • A transsexual woman or “trans woman” is now a woman who was brought up as a boy before they identified themselves as a woman but were assigned as a male at birth. Even though brought up as a boy, they slowly incline toward femininity and behave or dress like a woman and identify themselves as a girl.

Trans people may even make bodily modifications through surgery or take hormonal therapy to change their appearance according to how they identify themselves.

Transgender people may identify themselves at any age in many ways.

• Some people may trace their transgender identities and sentiments all the way back to their childhood. They may experience general thoughts of "not fitting in" among others of their assigned sex, or they may have definite desires to be someone other than their assigned sex.
• Others become conscious of their transgender identities throughout adolescence, much later in life, or begin to explore and experience gender-nonconforming attitudes and behaviors. 
• Some people are proud of their transgender identity, whereas others may feel a bit hesitant or confused. Those who transition later in life may have fought to fit in as their assigned sex only to subsequently find themselves dissatisfied with their lifestyles.