Sex Ed in the City

What does transgender mean?

The term transgender means that a person is born with the anatomical genitals of one sex but identifies as being the opposite sex. For example, a person may be born with a penis and testicles but emotionally and spiritually feels that they are really a female. Similarly, a person may be born with breasts and a vagina but internally feel most comfortable identifying themselves as a male. Some transgender people undergo surgery to reconstruct their genitalia to match their gender identity. Other transgender individuals are perfectly comfortable with their anatomy and do not feel the need to have sex reassignment surgery (also called a “sex change operation”) Some transgender folks may feel isolated and alone. There are support groups, web sites and excellent books (such as True Selves by M. Brown and C. Rounsley) designed to help a transgender person come to terms with, accept, and celebrate their individual sexuality.

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Information provided by the Sexuality Education Resource Centre. Do you have questions about sexuality? Send them to amandav@serc.mb.ca

The information contained in this article is not intended as medical advice. Should you have any questions, please consult your health care provider.