It is a process through whichtransgenderandgender-nonconformingpeople align their presentation or sex characteristics with theirgender identity.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
What Does It Mean to Transition?
The process has no particular timeline and isn’t always linear.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
Gender transitioning is a holistic process, addressing all aspects of who a person is inwardly and outwardly.
Exploring Your Gender Identity
Gender transitioning is a process that often starts in response togender dysphoria.
Some people have experienced symptoms of gender dysphoria as early as 3 or 4 years of age.
It is then that children or teens may undergo a process referred to as internal transitioning.
This is when you start to change how you see yourself.
Gender transitioning/affirmation is the next step.
Gender transitioning is not about “changing” or “recreating” oneself.
It’s about expressing one’s authentic self and asserting who you are socially, legally, and/or medically.
Social Transitioning
Social transitioning involves how a person publicly expresses their gender to the world at large.
Legal Transitioning
Legal transitioning is about legal recognition.
It involves changing legal documents to reflect your chosen name, gender, and pronouns.
This includes governmental and non-government documents such as:
The provisions allowing for these changes can vary by state.
Other states have begun to offer an “X” gender option for people who are non-binary.
It can also involve surgery to change certain physical aspects that hormone therapy alone can’t change.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy helps people look physically more like the gender they identify as.
They are sometimes used on their own and may also be used before gender-affirming surgery to improve outcomes.
Many hospitals offer gender-affirming surgery through a department of transgender medicine.
Medicarealso has no consistent policy regarding the approval of gender-affirming surgery.
In terms of private insurance, most providers have removed restrictions on gender-affirming care.
Another barrier is stigma and discrimination.
These factors can discourage transgender people from seeking gender-affirming care or embarking on treatments they would otherwise desire.
Educate yourself about gender and gender transitioning.
Everyone’s transition is different, and there is no right or wrong way to do it.
Take the first step by asking the person’s pronouns and affirmed name.
Its an act of respect, and everyone deserves to be addressed in the way they choose.
Transgender people can pursue some or all of these.
Gulgoz S, Glazier JJ, Enright EA, et al.Similarity in transgender and cisgender childrens gender development.PNAS.
Kaiser Family Foundation.Update on Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming health services.
Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services.Gender dysphoria and gender reassignment surgery.
Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund.Health insurance medical policies.
