Working With Transgender Persons

The transgender community is a diverse group of individuals who self-identify in many ways (eg, transsexual, transgender, gender nonconforming). Members of the community commonly transcend society’s gender binary and widely assumed definitions of gender roles and instead identify within a spectrum of gender expression.^1,2 (The gender binary is the traditional framework for understanding gender, including the culturally maintained belief that there are only 2 genders [men and women] and that gender must conform to biological sex [male and female].) A deficit of knowledge about optimal treatment for this population exists within the mental and medical health provider community, which contributes to the marginalization of transgender persons, for whom frequent barriers to health care access pose significant risks.³

Using a question-and-answer format, we present a brief overview of issues that arise when mental health professionals explore how to best serve this population.

What terms referring to gender identity are most appropriate? How do I know which pronoun to use?

FIGURE

Gender identity terms

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