Someone who identifies as a gender other than what they were assigned at birth. Currently, if a baby is born with a vagina, they are assigned female at birth, or
afab, and if they are born with a penis, they are assigned male at birth, or
amab. Cisgender people identify with the sex they were assigned at birth, while transgender people don't.
Transgender is an umbrella term, containing men who are afab (
trans men), women who are amab (trans women) and people assigned either sex that feel like both or neither genders (non-binary or
genderqueer). Some trans people may take hormones or undergo surgery to make their body match their gender, and to treat
dysphoria. Others are perfectly fine with their body, and only want minor or no changes. However, unless they feel comfortable discussing it with you, it is extremely rude and invasive to ask a trans person if they are on hormones or if they've had surgery yet.
Note that a trans person doesn't have to fit into any gender role. Much like cis men and women, a
trans man can be feminine, while a trans woman can be masculine.
Jamie was assigned male at birth, but is female. She is a transgender woman, is taking estrogen, and has plans for
bottom surgery in the future.
Max was assigned female at birth, but is male. He is a trans man, but has no plans for hormones or surgery.
Riley was assigned male at birth, but goes back and forth between feeling masculine, feminine, and somewhere in the middle. Xe is genderfluid, and has no dysphoria, except for on days when xe wants to female pass.
Yael, the author of this article, was assigned female at birth, but doesn't really feel like any gender. They are genderqueer, and want
top surgery.
