Transgender identity

No. Transgender is not a sexuality. Your gender identity is about whether you feel male or female, whereas your sexual orientation is about who you are attracted to.

Transgender issues are often linked to lesbian, gay and bisexual issues, mainly because of shared experiences of visibility, exclusion and discrimination, although transgender identity is a completely separate aspect of identity.

Transgender people can be lesbian, gay, heterosexual, bisexual or asexual.

No. A drag queen – or drag king – is someone who dresses up as a member of the opposite sex for performance or fun.

A transvestite is a person who likes dressing up in clothes of the opposite sex but doesn't feel that they're in the wrong body.

Transition is the journey a transgendered person takes from the gender they were born with to the gender they feel is their actual gender.

Some transgendered people make this change very quickly, while others make it gradually. Transition will impact on all areas of a person’s life – such as within their family, friends, school and work.

Some transsexual people will take hormones as part of the transitioning process.

A person with an Intersex condition was born with genitals and/or internal reproductive organs which are not clearly male or female. Doctors may make a decision to assign a gender for them shortly after birth.

A person with an intersex condition might later realise that the gender they were given at birth is not their true gender and may then decide to go on the journey of transition.

Only you can decide when the right time to tell someone about your transgendered identity might be. Consider how you get on with your friends, parents, carers, or other family members before telling anyone anything. Some of your friends and family will be supportive, but others might be surprised, shocked or hostile. 

It’s important to get support from an adult in your life, as you would need it to help you with the journey of transition. You would also need an adult to help you access medical support, including hormone treatment.

Apart from ChildLine, you can contact Mermaids - a charity that supports transgendered young people and their parents or carers. Mermaids might also be able to put you in touch with a youth group in your area.

If someone you tell is negative or hostile, it is usually because they don’t understand what transgendered identity means. This attitude is called Transphobia.

Transphobia exists because our society tends to promote gender-role stereotypes for boys and girls. These stereotypes include opinions on how boys and girls should act, what they should look like, what clothes they should wear and what is ‘normal’ behaviour for boys and girls. 

These attitudes are usually influenced by family, the media and society in general and they help explain why some people with gender dysphoria may face prejudice and misunderstanding.

Because of transphobia, it is important that you keep yourself safe. Think through all of the possible consequences of what might happen if you tell someone about your transgendered identity and how you might cope with any reactions you might face. Remember you can always call ChildLine for support – our counsellors will listen to you and never judge you.

The best way to see a gender specialist is to speak to your GP and see if they can refer you to one.

There is also an NHS Clinic which anyone under the age of 18 can be referred which can help.

You can also contact the charity Mermaids who support transgendered young people and their parents.

The Gender Recognition Act enables transsexual people and people with gender dysphoria to marry in their preferred gender and obtain a new birth certificate and passport stating their preferred gender.

The Gender Recognition Act is also designed to protect the rights of transgendered people.