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Glossary
Cisgender or cis Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth .
Gender dysphoria When a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity . This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn ’ t feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth .
Gender identity A person ’ s innate sense of their own gender , whether male , female or something else ( see Non-binary , below ), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth .
Non-binary Umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn ’ t sit comfortably with ‘ man ’ or ‘ woman ’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities , while others reject them entirely .
Pronoun Words to refer to people ’ s gender in conversation – for example , ‘ he ’ or ‘ she ’. Some people may prefer others to refer to
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them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they / their and ze / zir .
Transgender or trans An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as , or does not sit comfortably with , the sex they were assigned at birth .
Transgender man A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man . This may be shortened to trans man , or FTM , an abbreviation for female-to-male .
Transgender woman A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman . This may be shortened to trans woman , or MTF , an abbreviation for male-to-female .
Transitioning The steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify . Each person ’ s transition will involve different things ; some have medical intervention , such as hormone therapy and surgeries , but not all trans people want or are able to have this .
Source : Stonewall : List of LGBTQ + terms . bit . ly / 3POExIz
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• Lack of awareness among trans people of the specific trans health services available .
• Trans people avoiding medical care for fear of being mistreated or because of a previous negative experience with a healthcare professional .
Why is there a high incidence of mental health issues
Q and suicide among trans people ? There are many reasons - for example , long waitingA lists , stigma and difficulties with social transitioning . Suffering minority stress – a term to describe the high levels of stress faced by members of stigmatised minority groups – from the public , family and press can lead to a high incidence of mental health issues . Being trans is not a mental illness nor is it classed as such . Trans people might be at greater risk of mental health issues , but it is not the cause of these issues .
What is the best way healthcare professionals can
Q ensure they are trained and up to date with trans healthcare issues ? There are many resources available online , such asA the Royal College of General Practitioners ’ LGBT e-learning4 , which is free for all healthcare professionals . You can also request a protected learning event about trans health and language from local commissioners . • Full references available online
ONLINE Scan the QR code for details of upcoming Nursing in Practice events , or visit nursinginpractice-events . co . uk
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