Wednesday is International Transgender Day of Visibility. Transgender people are already protected against discrimination when it comes to employment, housing and education in Connecticut, but some may still face discrimination or bias when it comes to language.
GLAAD has a full list of terms to avoid that include:
Instead of referring to a "sex change" or saying "pre-operative or post-op," say "transition."
“Being trans isn’t just about surgeries. You can never do those things and still be trans. It’s more your inner sense of your own gender. If you do choose to transition, that’s up to you. But it doesn’t change the inner reality that you are the gender you say you are,” said Elijah Lombardi, the secretary of the Connecticut Trans Advocacy Coalition.
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Use transgender as an adjective not a noun, according to GLAAD. For example "Tony is transgender person. He is not a transgender."
GLAAD also recommends that instead of "biologically male," or "genetically female" or "born a woman," opt for "assigned male or female at birth."
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“There are words you don’t use because they’re inaccurate, they’re rude, they’re just offensive. If you really wanted to learn about someone then put on their shoes. Treat everyone with respect, regardless of if you agree with them or not,” Lombardi said.
