admirer — a non-transgendered person who is emotionally or sexually attracted to TGs.
androgynous — exhibiting both masculine and feminine characteristics simultaneously, independent of gender roles prescribed by society.
asexual — having no interest in sexual activity.
autosexual — refers to someone whose primary sexual activity is masturbation.
bi — see bi-sexual
bind — to tightly wrap or tape female breasts to appear flat like a male chest.
bi-sexual (bi) — someone who feels an emotional and/or sexual attraction to more than one gender.
butch — usually refers to a lesbian who is overtly masculine in dress or behavior, but can apply to anyone.
clocked — being detected as a person who is crossdressed.
closet – see in the closet
CD — see crossdresser
crossdresser (CD) — someone who adopts the dress, mannerisms and/or role of a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Crossdressers are typically comfortable with the gender and genitalia assigned them at birth and do not wish to permanently transition to another gender. They usually, but not always, lead dual lives, the bulk of which are lived as their birth gender. Contrary to public perception, the majority of crossdressers are heterosexual.
drag — wearing clothes usually considered appropriate for another gender.
drag queen — a crossdresser or transsexual who employs dramatic, exaggerated makeup, feminine clothing and behavior, usually for entertainment purposes.
dyke — a lesbian or bi-sexual woman.
electrolysis — the process of kiling hair folllicles with an electric needle.
en femme — the state of dressing and behaving as a feminine gendered person.
femme — effeminate dress or behavior.
fetish — sexual interest in an object or activity not typically viewed as sexual.
fetishistic crossdresser — someone who crossdresses primarily for erotic reasons.
FTM (female-to-male, F2M) — indicates the direction of change in gender or sex, from female to male.
gaff — a type of panty designed to hide male genitalia by tucking it into a pouch and holding it in place between the legs.
gay — a primary emotional and/or sexual attraction to members of one’s own gender or sex.
gender — one’s gender or sexual identity, appearance and behavior.
gender binary — a social/cultural construct that limits a person’s gender expression to male or female as manifested by typical social standards of appearance, behavior and sexuality.
gender dysphoria — the dissatisfaction experienced by someone whose primary sex characteristics do not match his or gender identity.
gender euphoria — feeling positive, even giddy, about one’s transgender identity and activity. Sometimes referred to as pink fog, denoting a tendency to lose perspective and behave irresponsibly.
gender identity — how someone perceives his or her own sexual or gender identity and orientation, with strong emotional, psychological and sexual connotations.
gender queer — a person who identifies his or her own gender as neither male nor female, or as both male and female, or somewhere in between.
gender role — perceptions and rules assigned by a society or culture defining what sensibilities, appearance and behavior are appropriate for members of a given gender.
GG (gender girl) — see GW
GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender) — an umbrella acronym encompassing the gay, lesbian and transgender communities and their activist agendas.
GW (gender woman) — a person assigned as female at birth.
hermaphrodite — a medical term describing someone with primary and secondary sex characteristics. Pseudo-male hermaphrodites are born with a penis but do not develop other masculine physical characteristics, and may in fact appear more feminine than masculine. Pseudo-female hermaphrodites are born with a vagina but do not develop other feminine physical characteristics, and may exhibit some masculine physical traits. Only rarely are hermaphrodites born with both masculine and feminine sex organs.
heterosexual — exclusively attracted to members of a different gender than one’s own (i.e., the “opposite sex”).
hir — a gender-neutral replacement for the pronouns him and her.
homophobia — an irrational fear of being sexually attracted to members of one’s own gender or sex. Also refers to a fear or hatred of homosexuals.
homosexual — emotional or sexual attraction between members of the same gender or sex. Also refers to a person who is so oriented.
hormone therapy — medical treatment to affect or alter the development of secondary sex characteristics.
HRT (hormone replacement therapy) — see hormone therapy
intersex — born with underdeveloped sex organs, or with male and female sex organs.
in the closet — being secretive about one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
ladyboy — a Thai MTF transgendered person, now expanded to include other Asian TGs.
lesbian — a woman is emotionally and sexually attracted to other women.
MTF (male-to-female) — indicates the direction of change in gender or sex, from male to female.
opposite sex — references a convenient but rather outdated and inaccurate social construct presuming that men and women are diametrically opposite in gender and sexuality.
out — refers to the disclosure of a person’s sexual or gender identity. “Coming out” refers to a person voluntarily disclosing that he or she is LGBT. Being “outed” refers to someone divulging that you are LGBT, usually without your knowledge or against your will. An LGBT can be out to the whole world all the time, or only in certain situations and just to selected people.
pansexual (omnisexual) — someone who is emotionally or sexually attracted to members of any sexual orientation or gender identity.
passing — succeeding in being perceived as one’s preferred gender regardless of birth sex.
pink fog — see gender euphoria
post-op (post-operative) — a transsexual who has completed sexual reassignment surgery.
pre-op (pre-operative) — a transsexual who has not yet undergone SRS but wishes to or is planning on it.
presentation — the total effect of one’s appearance and behavior in his or her preferred gender.
primary sex characteristics — refers to the penis and testes for males and the vagina for females. These can be changed by SRS.
purge — to give or throw away all TG-related items (clothing, makeup, etc) in order to give up crossdressing and “cure” oneself of being transgendered.
queer — an umbrella term referring to gays, lesbians and bi-sexuals.
read — see clocked.
real life experience — living fulltime in the desired gender role.
secondary sex characteristics — the physical changes that normally occur at puberty. These may include fertility, emotional development, breasts, a curvaceous body, muscle mass, facial and body hair, etc. These may also be influenced by HRT.
sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) — a medical procedure that applies hormonal and surgical treatment to achieve the physical characteristics of another gender other than the one assigned at birth. Commonly refers to the replacement of male genitalia with a surgically constructed vagina.
shapewear — padding to produce or enhance a feminine physique.
shemale — slang for a transsexual, usually possessing breasts and a penis, with heavy sexual connotations often associated with the porn industry.
sissy — can be used as a perjorative to indicate a male who is effeminate. Also, a MTF fetishist who enjoys extremely feminine and childish attire such as petticoats, ruffled panties, pigtails, schoolgirl shoes, etc., usually for erotic stimulation.
SO (significant other) – a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend or other life partner.
SOFFA (significant others, family, friends allies) — an umbrella acronym referring to one’s extended community of support.
SRS — see sexual reassignment surgery
stealth — refers to a post-op or passing crossdresser being secretive about one’s actual gender history.
straight — see heterosexual. Also refers to someone who disapproves of or otherwise does not understand alternative lifestyles.
TG — see transgender
tranny — historically, slang for transvestite, but it can also refer to any MTF transgendered person.
tranny chaser — see admirer
transgender (TG) — having a gender identity that does not conform to the gender assigned at birth. Has evolved to become an umbrella term encompassing crossdressers, the intersexed and transexuals.
transsexual (TS) — a person whose actual sex and body are so out of sync with his or her own gender identity that the more radical steps of HRT and SRS are warranted. Also, a person who has completed the change of his or her sex to align with hir gender identity.
transition — the time and process of changing from one gender identity and role to another.
transvestite (TV) — an outdated, and often pejorative, term for a man who dresses in women’s clothing, primarily for the thrill of dressing in a way that defies social norms, and as erotic stimulus. While still clinically accurate, in popular vernacular the term can have negative connotations of sexual deviance and promiscuity and consequently has fallen out of favor in the TG community.
TS — see transsexual
tucking — hiding male genitalia by tucking them back between the legs.
TV — see transvestite
underdressing — wearing the intimate apparel of the opposite sex under one’s own non-TG clothing.
