He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters

by Schuyler Bailar

Transgender is an adjective that describes people whose gender identity differs from the gender they were assigned at birth.

trans people are not “changing” gender but, rather, affirming it.

If you are a cis person not actively dismantling transphobia, you are perpetuating it.

Medical transition is not more valid than social transition, and the transness of those who do not or cannot medically transition is no less valid and should be no less respected.

I strongly encourage others to recognize that it is no one else’s right to police someone else’s gender in any way.

We must cease punishing marginalized groups for the toxic behavior of cis men. It is valid to fear cis men—patriarchy has caused the most harm to the most people for the longest period of time. But the solution is not to remove the rights of trans people because cis men might abuse the law. The solution is to teach men to be better.