Transitioning
Updated:Transitioning refers to the process through which a transgender person aligns their gender expression and/or physical characteristics with their gender identity. This journey is highly personal and can involve social, medical, and/or legal changes. Transitioning is not a single event but a series of steps that can take months or years, and the specific steps can vary greatly from person to person.
Additional Information
Transitioning may include:
- Social transitioning: Changing name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, and other aspects of gender expression.
- Medical transitioning: Hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgeries, or other medical procedures.
- Legal transitioning: Changing name and gender marker on official documents.
It's important to note that not all transgender individuals choose to undergo all or any of these steps. The decision to transition, and to what extent, is deeply personal and influenced by various factors including personal comfort, safety, and access to resources.
Examples
Alex began their transition by asking friends and family to use they/them pronouns and changing their wardrobe to better reflect their non-binary identity.
Sarah's transition included hormone replacement therapy and eventually gender confirmation surgery to align her body with her female identity.