Terminology

Here are some helpful terms snagged from New York State Education Department (NYSED): Guidance to School Districts for Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment For Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students JULY 2015

Assigned Sex at Birth: the sex designation, usually “male” or “female,” assigned to a person when they are born.

Cisgender: an adjective describing a person whose gender identity corresponds to their assigned sex at birth.

Gender expression: the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.

Gender identity: a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth. Everyone has a gender identity.

Gender nonconforming (GNC): a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms “gender variant” or “gender atypical” are also used. Gender nonconforming individuals may identify as male, female, some combination of both, or neither.

Sexual Orientation: a person’s emotional and sexual attraction to other people based on the gender of the other person. Sexual orientation is not the same as gender identity. Not all transgender youth identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, and not all gay, lesbian and bisexual youth display gender-nonconforming characteristics.

Transgender: an adjective describing a person whose gender identity does not correspond to their assigned sex at birth.

Transition: the process by which a person socially and/or physically aligns their gender expression more closely to their actual gender identity and away from that associated with their assigned sex at birth.

Additional Terms

FSAUR: Family Style Accessible Unisex Restroom. This was how gender neutral restrooms were pitched at UNC Charlotte that made a lot of headway in the context of improving accessibility for everyone as opposed to fighting specifically for transgender rights. 

Intersex: "'Intersex' is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male." (From Intersex Society of North America) Note: While some who identify as intersex identify as trans* many do not and would prefer to keep these identities separate. I include this term here because intersex individuals do often face similar struggles with restroom accessibility and legislation related to gender and sex.