What is a Transgender Individual?
A transgender individual is a person with a gender identity which is not consistent with his or her assigned gender; in a classic example, someone with the genetic makeup of a man may feel that she is truly a woman. A wide spectrum of people are transgendered, and there is some dispute as to when someone should be considered a transgender individual, and when another label might be more appropriate. A transgender individual may also be referred to as “trans,” but the term “trannie” is generally deemed offensive. It is important to distinguish between gender identity and sexual orientation, because some people confuse the two. Gender identity has to do with someone’s perceived gender. Historically, gender identity has generally been confined to the binary of male and female, but in the 20th century, activists increasingly began to promote the idea that there are other ways of viewing gender, and that in fact biological gender is more of a continuum than a binary system. Sexual orientati
