Being transgender is about gender identity the way you see yourself and the gender you identify with. Being gay or lesbian is about sexual orientation the gender you are attracted to.
Many gay and lesbian people are comfortable with their gender. They don't want to be a different gender from what they are. They're just attracted to people of the same sex they are.
Because sexual orientation is a different thing from gender identity, a transgender teen can be straight, gay, or bisexual just like other teens can.
Are People Who Dress as the Opposite Sex Transgender?
People who dress in clothes that are usually associated with a different gender are sometimes called cross-dressers (or transvestites). Not all people who dress as the opposite sex are transgender. Some are, of course. But lots of people who cross-dress are making a clothing choice for fun, comfort, or as a way to express their personal style not because they see themselves as the other gender.
What's in a Name?
The word transgender doesn't only mean that a person identifies with the opposite gender. It also can be used by people who don't feel like they're either completely male or completely female.
In addition to transgender, people use other words to describe feeling different from the gender they were born with. These words can include gender variant, MTF (for male to female), or FTM (for female to male). Some people don't want to be called by any of the terms that are typically used to describe people who are questioning their gender. They just want to be known as who they are, unique in their own special way.
By: Linda A. Hawkins, EdD, and Nadia Dowshen, MD
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