Transgender Emergency Evac Plan

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 11

Today is another Ask day, so be sure to send in any and all gender related questions!

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Why do people need specific labels to describe themselves when more generalized labels encompass them?

30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 10, Ask 1

This is a great question!

Humans as a species love to categorize things by their characteristics, what we can see, hear, touch, and so on. But gender doesn't really allow for that since it's entirely an internal sense of self.

Sure, some science and sex characteristics can usually determine how a person will identify, but trans people are proof that those experiences are vast and differing amongst people based on their time period, political and language specifications (like phasing out older terms), and other more internal factors.

Since we can't describe gender using physical characteristics or olfactory senses, defining it by labels is the best we have. Part of the influx of labels is that self determination is more accessible to people in a meaningful way: i.e.: people don't have to say "I'm fully a man" or "I'm fully a woman" to get the healthcare or public respect they need and deserve. Which is not to say that respect is automatic by any means, but that it's more widely given than before. We still have a long way to go.

Given all that, people are able to further explore the finer details of their experience instead of broad "I'm more masculine," "feminine" or "androgynous" categories.

So instead of saying "I'm nonbinary" a person is able to say "I'm genderfluid" because it more accurately reflects the specific experiences they have in their gender.

Think of it like colors! You could say "The house is blue" and that may be accurate. But saying "The house is a light sky blue with scuffs and sun bleaching" may be more accurate, and certainly much more descriptive and identifiable than just "blue".

This is also why Xenogenders are being coined so frequently for niche experiences. I run under the theory that there are as many genders as there are people, and while most people fall somewhere into more binary experiences, the finer details of their gender experience vary, which is why gender expression is so vast too. Ergo: xenogenders are digging into those finer details and giving name to those experiences, so people of similar experiences can come together in solidarity and not feel so alone.

In short: people use more specific labels because it's a better description of their experience.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 10

Only a third of the way through the month and we’ve covered so much and yet only scratched the surface about gender and how it operates in our world. So I wanted to open the floor and ask you all what you want to know and learn about. Maybe you saw a particular identity (one covered or not by this series) and wanted more information on it, or you wanted more details about aspects of transition or the struggles trans people face. Whatever it is, curiosity is encouraged here. You can ask (even anonymously) on this blog about whatever it is, and I’ll try to respond to as many as possible before the month is up. I also wanted to highlight a particular person online who is doing a wonderful job at respectfully learning about identities: ivanfergony. Ivan goes over gender identities as well as sexual and romantic attraction/orientations. Using the series “Being a Better Ally” on instagram, facebook, and tiktok, Ivan goes over what certain labels mean with an approach of genuine curiosity. I highly recommend it. With that, I welcome you to send in your asks!

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 9

Let's pause on learning new identities today and discuss another thing trans people might do as part of their transition process:

Voice training!

While it was mentioned in other posts of this series, I think it's important to understand what it is, how it works, and why people do it. Voice training in reference to a trans person's transition is the act of “training” one's voice to go higher or lower to better reflect the range of voice their gender “typically” has. While generally the focus is on binary trans folk (trans men and trans women) any trans or nonbinary person can do voice training to help their voice sound better to themselves, and make them feel more comfortable speaking. There are several different ways to voice train, and a person may use all or a handful of these options if they choose to voice train at all. Voice training includes changing the pitch, tone, inflection, wording or thematic changes, among other things. Testosterone affects the pitch of your voice by thickening the vocal cords and therefore making your voice deeper (the bigger the instrument, the lower the sound). Estrogen on the other hand does not affect the vocal cords after they have been thickened, so just going on estrogen will not suffice in changing your voice the way testosterone will. Even without hormones though, you can vocal train! As a personal anecdote, I started voice training years before accessing testosterone, and was able to get a semi-deep voice from that alone. Most people are able to alter their voice to some extent without medical intervention such as surgeries or hormones. There are many different ways to go about vocal training, including hiring a vocal coach to be guided on the way you want to sound. These lessons can be expensive and may not be covered by insurance, so it’s important to remember you can do this training on your own at home. Whether self guided or through videos or an app, your journey with your voice is personal. A potential app you can use for this is the VoiceShift app available on the Apple AppStore and GooglePlay store. It walks you through more details on how the voice is structured, how certain types of voices are perceived, and much more. There are different sections on it for Vocal Health, Lesson Pathway (building your authentic voice), a Voice Studio to measure pitch and vocal range, and other sections! It also has captions available on all the videos. This app does have costly in app purchases for these lessons though, and while it may be cheaper that coaches, may also be outside the reach for many people. Voice Tool can also be a helpful app if you’d like to go completely solo on your vocal journey, and is an app I think is best explored on your own to see if you enjoy it. Some things you can do to warm up your voice for training are standard singing exercises. “Warming up” your voice is like doing pre-workout stretches. It will help you put less strain on your vocal cords. Don’t try to push your voice higher or lower in your vocal warm ups. That comes afterwards in the actual training. The warm ups are to prime your voice for the training itself.

If you enjoy singing: Don’t Stop!! Don’t wait for your voice to ‘sound right’ to sing. Singing, like anything else, is a skill that requires practice! If you stop singing, you may feel discouraged from picking it up again when those skills have lessened during your break. Try finding an artist or band that has vocals similar to what you’d like to have. You can use tools online to change the pitch to something within your current range, and then work your way up or down depending on your goals. Try to find a voice in these songs that matches the tone and inflection you’d like to emulate too, not just the pitch. Also don’t choose a song that has super high or low points that you know are too far outside your current range. You don’t want to damage your voice.

A common way trans men “measure” their change in voice is to record a song pre-T or within the first few months of starting it, and either rerecording or dueting the original song every few months or after a year. I’d encourage trans women and feminine people to do the same. You’d be surprised how quickly your voice changes with practice and dedication.

If you’d like to retain the range you currently have and simply expand it, this is possible to some degree! Trans women may have a slightly easier time with this since estrogen doesn’t change the vocal cords as much, but trans men can retain some higher registers as well. Factor this into your vocal training by training both the higher and lower registers.

That idea may serve you well if you’re nonbinary and wish to have a masculine and feminine voice in your repertoire. Just remember that regardless of your gender, your voice sounds beautiful. Whether you want to change it or like it as is, it is uniquely yours.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 8

Only two terms for today: Xenogender and Anthrogender. While some people feel very strongly that xenogenders do not belong under the queer umbrella, I am of the firm belief that all forms of gender identity and expression are beautiful. The fact that people feel bold enough to expand the language we have to include more thoughts and ideas about what so many solidify as “biological” is wonderful and should be celebrated just as any other queer deviation is. Furthermore: regardless of the validity of xenogenders, they fall under the transgender umbrella, meaning the people who align and identify with them face similar and or identical oppression to the trans people of other, more commonly known identities. All the more reason for them to be welcomed into our community. So without further ado:

Xenogender: An umbrella term for non-binary gender identities that cannot be fully described through their relation to concepts typically used to describe gender such as male, female, woman, man, masculinity, femininity, androgyny, neutrality, etc. Xenogenders can best be described through how they relate to things, beings, or concepts that most individuals don't think of as having to do with gender, such as animals, plants, things, or concepts. Anthrogender: A term that refers to any gender that is not a xenogender or xenine in nature. This means any gender which can be primarily described in terms of how it is (or is not) related to manhood, womanhood, masculinity, femininity, androgyny, neutrality, or other terms commonly used to describe human gender. It is possible to have both an anthrogender and a xenogender simultaneously, usually through being multigender.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 7

Let's go over some more gender identities today! Many of these genders can be used as umbrella terms, and multiple gender labels can be used by an individual simultaneously. Furthermore, while definitions are provided, they are not strict. Some people who use these labels may not adhere to the rigid definitions provided. If you notice any inaccuracies, please send an ask or DM so it can be fixed as soon as I’m able. The goal of this is to educate, so if something is wrong, I’d like to fix it. Finally, if you have a gender identity not yet featured, send in an ask so I can look into it! I cannot promise to showcase every single one, but I'll do my best. Without further ado: Neutrois: A gender associated with having a neutral or null gender, not to be confused with Agender. While the definitions are similar, Neutrois is about having a gender that is simply "none", "null", or sometimes described as "nothing", whereas Agender is the complete lack of gender. Metagender: This identity has been coined multiple times, each with unique definitions. The most recent definition, according to the nonbinary wiki is as follows: A gender modality for persons who are not cisgender and do not identify as transgender. Many nonbinary people may use this term to describe their unique experiences with not being cisgender while not adhering to the binary expectations often associated with being transgender and transitioning. Importantly, this identity is not denying that nonbinary people fall under the trans umbrella and is also not advocating for nonbinary to be seen as distinct from transgender identities. Transfeminine: An umbrella term for a person who is born or assigned male at birth and identifies more with femininity, but not necessarily female gender(s). Some transfeminine people consider themselves trans women, but not all do. Although this identity is similar to trans women, and their experiences may overlap, they are distinct.

Transmasculine: An umbrella term for a person who is born or assigned female at birth and identifies more with masculinity, but not necessarily male gender(s). Some transmasculine people consider themselves trans men, but not all do. Although this identity is similar to trans men, and their experiences may overlap, they are distinct.

Azurenby: A masculine non-binary individual. They consider themselves a non-binary individual or have a connection to their non-binary gender identity, but they also have a connection to masculinity, either in their gender or their gender expression. It is an umbrella term for all identities that involve being both non-binary and masculine, and includes masculine-aligned non-binary individuals and non-binary individuals who present masculinely.

Rosenby: A feminine non-binary individual. They consider themself a non-binary individual or have a connection to their non-binary gender identity, but they also have a connection to femininity, either in their gender or their gender expression. It is an umbrella term for all identities that involve being both non-binary and feminine, and includes feminine aligned non-binary individuals and non-binary individuals who present femininely.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 6

Let's go over some more gender identities today! Many of these genders can be used as umbrella terms, and multiple gender labels can be used by an individual simultaneously. Furthermore, while definitions are provided, they are not strict. Some people who use these labels may not adhere to the rigid definitions provided.

If you notice any inaccuracies, please send an ask or DM so it can be fixed as soon as I’m able. The goal of this is to educate, so if something is wrong, I’d like to fix it.

Finally, if you have a gender identity not yet featured, send in an ask so I can look into it! I cannot promise to showcase every single one, but I'll do my best. Without further ado:

Genderfluid: A person whose gender fluctuates and changes. It may remain fixed some days and shift over time or retain multiple genders at once. The genders a Genderfluid person may experience is not exclusive to man and woman, and may encompass other genders (or lack there of). Genderqueer: An umbrella term for someone whose gender identity or expression falls outside of strictly man or woman. Some people may use this label as a political identity as much as a gender identity, or it may be used as an adjective to their already established gender. Greygender (or Graygender): Someone who has mixed or conflicting feelings about their gender and who usually identifies outside of the gender binary. Greygender is not a lack of gender. Someone under this label may not be invested in the concept of gender and therefore feel less inclined to express it. Genderflux: A gender that varies in intensity over time, considered a form of gender fluidity. Genderflux is specifically about the intensity of ones gender and how much one feels it as opposed to the changing or shifting of gender. Some identities under this umbrella term are Boyflux and Girlflux, referring to the changing intensity of a man and woman identity respectively. Demigender: A gender experienced only partially to a specific gender identity. Some describe this identity as having a "constant" or "prominent" gender (such as boy or girl) that mixes with other genders, but the "prominent" gender is always present. Others describe this gender as having a single gender (such as boy or girl) that is "mostly accurate" but not wholly. Demiandrogyne falls under this umbrella term, and refers specifically to the partial connection to being androgynous.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 5

Let's go over some more gender identities today! Many of these genders can be used as umbrella terms, and multiple gender labels can be used by an individual simultaneously. Furthermore, while definitions are provided, they are not strict. Some people who use these labels may not adhere to the rigid definitions provided.

If you notice any inaccuracies, please send an ask or DM so it can be fixed as soon as I’m able. The goal of this is to educate, so if something is wrong, I’d like to fix it.

Finally, if you have a gender identity not yet featured, send in an ask so I can look into it! I cannot promise to showcase every single one, but I'll do my best.

Without further ado: Agender: A person who does not identify themselves with or experience any gender. Some people consider this to be a nonbinary identity since it falls outside of the man/woman binary, but others consider it a unique label since the entire point is a lack of gender, not just a deviation of gender. Androgyne: A person who identifies simultaneously as a man and a woman (or between man and woman), not to be confused with Bigender. Androgyne refers to the blend of masculine and feminine identity whereas Bigender refers to two distinct genders, of which the masculinity, femininity, androgyny or lack thereof is determined only by the individual. Multigender: A gender identity (and umbrella term) used by people who experience multiple genders. They may be experienced simultaneously or shift and fluctuate over time. Bi/Tri/Quad/Quintgender: A person who fluctuates between genders, the amount of which is denoted by the prefix. Some folk under these terms feel most or all of their genders constantly and others experience one identity for a while before shifting to the other. Pangender: A person who experiences many or all genders, encompassing an infinite amount of genders, unlike other genders (such as Bigender) with a specific number of genders specified, Pangender individuals do not necessarily quantify their genders.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 4

Let's discuss the myth that “you can’t change your biology”. While it is true that some aspects of your biology cannot be changed (such as chromosomes) intentionally, the aspects of your body that people see and you interact with every day can indeed be adapted and even permanently altered.

Medication has come a long way, and while the science and application of these medications isn’t perfect, drugs are tested thoroughly before being permitted for use and prescriptions, meaning that unless you are actively in a trial to test the effects of a drug, you’re not likely to be surprised by the side effects since most if not all of them have been discovered already.

Which brings us to gender affirming healthcare. GAC is insanely expensive without (and even with) insurance. Some insurance companies refuse to cover it at all, some only after jumping through several hoops and age requirements (some of which go beyond being the age of majority), some only after certain types of doctors sign off of it, and even then many are still denied, or are approved and then have that decision revoked. This causes a large gap in access, even for adults, who can receive this type of care. Most transgender adults who want surgery never receive it at all due to costs. Even amongst those who do receive surgery, it’s usually only one type. With that in mind, let’s look at gender affirming healthcare.

Puberty Blockers: Puberty Blockers are temporary medications given to children who are going through an early puberty, also known as precocious puberty (before age 8 for girls and before age 9 for boys). For transgender and gender-diverse youth, they can also be used to delay or completely stop the progression of puberty until the child determines their intent to transition, or they decide they no longer want to. Stopping puberty blockers will allow puberty to develop as anticipated. Many people consider puberty blockers for trans youth to be a compromise, an option to satisfy those who think transgender children are too young to know who they are. Others feel they are absolutely necessary to allow youth who suspect they are trans the chance to explore their gender further before deciding on medical transition that can have permanent effects.

Hormones: Estrogen and testosterone are the hormones that influence sex and sex characteristics. A gross over-simplification is that higher estrogen results in female characteristics and higher testosterone results in male characteristics.

Trans women taking estrogen can expect breast development/growth, body fat redistribution, changes in muscle mass and potentially a decrease in strength (averaging to what women of a similar workout experience). Skin produces less oils, pores become smaller, and skin changes texture, and a decreased amount of erections. There are other changes. Changes, risks, symptoms, and side effects are influenced by personal and family history. Trans men taking testosterone can expect a deepening of the voice, extra hair growth across the body, increase in oils on the skin, thinning hair especially around the temples (potentially a receding hairline), increase in muscle density, bottom-growth (increased size of clitoris), fat redistribution, lessening or complete cessation of menstruation. There are other changes. Changes, risks, symptoms, and side effects are influenced by personal and family history. Both can expect changes in skin as well as body and urine odor. Increased appetite is also common in both parties since the body is producing changes that take energy to do. Children who have not yet reached the age of puberty will not be prescribed hormones for gender transition, even in places where gender affirming care is legal for minors (with parental approval). A prepubescent child is not going to be given testosterone or estrogen to assist in medical transition. Even some children who have reached puberty (which can start as young as 8 or 9) may still be expected to wait until they are older to access hormones. If hormones are prescribed to a child, they will be carefully monitored to ensure they are developing at a similar rate to their peers. The typical recommendation for starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is 13-14 for trans girls seeking estrogen and 14-15 for trans boys seeking testosterone.

Surgeries:

Top Surgeries: These surgeries change the chest of an individual. For trans men, this is the removal of breast tissue and, if desired, changing the placement of the nipples. For trans women, top surgery usually entails enlarging the breasts via implants or other methods.

Bottom Surgery: These surgeries reconstruct genitalia and, in some people’s definitions, can include hysterectomies and orchiectomies (or orchidectomies). Many, though not all, of these procedures result in no ability to conceive or impregnate, sterilization.

For trans men this can include phalloplasty which takes a skin graft from the body and uses it to create a penis, and metoidioplasty which is the lengthening of the clitoris. Accompanying procedures may include vaginectomy which is the removal and closure of the vaginal canal, and scrotoplasty which reshapes labia tissue to form a scrotum (often with testicular implants). The specifics of each procedure should be discussed with a surgeon if you are interested in them.

For trans women this can include vaginoplasty which reconstructs the penis and scrotum into a clitoris, labia, and vaginal canal, vulvoplasty which is like vaginoplasty but without the creation of the vaginal canal, and an orchiectomy which is the surgical removal of testicles.

While rare, surgeries for trans children do happen, and denying this fact is at best ignorant on behalf of trans people and allies alike. That said, they are rare and do not happen the way some people report. They require parental approval and several specialists including therapists and psychologists to determine if the child would benefit from it. In most cases, the child has to exhibit extreme depression, suicidality, and or dysphoria to access top surgery before the age of majority. Even then, it rarely happens before the child turns into an adult at 18. Of the trans children who receive top surgery, most of them are trans boys who are reducing or removing their breasts. And even then, these procedures are not happening to young teens. In these cases, the child must be at least 15-16 years old (reports vary on the specific age, and location can influence what is permitted as well) and the time it takes to get through this process for approval and insurance coverage may take so long the child turns 18 anyway. Children are almost never given genital reconstructive surgery for gender transition. It happens so little that I have yet to find a single report to definitively prove that it has happened at all. However there is more than enough evidence on the forceful reconstruction of intersex children, of which caveats in gender affirming care bans are made to allow their continuation. Misc: There are other surgeries or procedures to help curb gender dysphoria such as facial masculinization/feminization, removal or enhancement of the adams apple, hair implants (head, facial, and elsewhere). These are less likely to be covered by insurance meaning less trans people are likely to access them.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 3

Most aspects of transitioning don’t happen through doctors and surgeons, but rather at home and in courthouses. Yes, medical transitioning is very important for many trans people (and we’ll be going over that on day 4) but a lot of transitioning is socially and legally based. So let’s see what that looks like! Social Transition: This is where most people start their journey. After coming out to themselves, maybe some trusted friends and family, most trans people start transitioning with their outward appearance, mannerisms, and general things that shape how they are perceived by those around them. Changing the style of your hair by cutting it, reshaping it, or letting it grow out is a common place to start. Clothing is also a good place to start if you can afford a new wardrobe. You may even find luck trading your closet with another trans person. Name changes are also common, though certainly not required, and the same goes for pronouns. Mannerisms like tone and vocal inflection or walking styles may also be changed at this time. While many stories in media showcasing social transition frame a very binary look at it, that’s not the case for everyone. Yes, some binary trans people strive for and feel happiest when conforming to standard ideas of men and masculinity or women and femininity, but this is not the case or even the goal for many other trans people, especially nonbinary folk. So how does social transition actually look? It doesn’t! There is no one right way to socially transition. While it’s common to change the style of clothes, haircuts, name and pronouns, these aren’t required! For some folk, being perceived as their gender is nigh impossible in a society that adheres to a male-female binary, but that doesn’t mean social transition cannot be beneficial or freeing for them. In fact, some people have no goal of passing, or being perceived as their gender by others, whether for safety or general preference. Social transition is very personal and is a journey. Showing support for your trans loved ones while they navigate their newfound identity is important. Social transition is not easy, especially when legal changes haven’t been implemented yet. Many places require that your name and gender be legally changed to recognize or document it in their systems, including schools, banks, doctors offices, and so on. Some people may refuse to support a trans person in their identity by refusing to use their new name and pronouns. With their permission, advocate for your trans loved ones in these instances. Correct the person using the wrong name and pronouns and make sure to use the right ones even if the other person refuses. Legal Transition: Legal transition is the act of updating documents to reflect a trans person’s identity. This usually includes a legal name and gender change. In states where updating gender markers is still allowed, a doctor’s note or even gender affirming surgery may be required to “prove” a person is really trans, creating an unfair barrier to changing documents. Even still, in places where it is possible, once the changes are made other places need to be informed of these changes. Providing evidence of a court order for name change and outdated plus newly updated gendered documents may be required for certain services such as any place billing you, work, schools, doctors offices, insurance, the bank, and anywhere else a person’s old name or incorrect gender is documented. These changes are costly too. Publication may be required for name changes in some states, and updating several documents gets costly as fees add up, not to mention the court fees. Even after all that, updating a passport currently is inadvisable as changes may be forcefully made and updates ignored in favor of the documents reflecting “birth sex”. Some states have attempted to illegitimise documents that have had gender changes on them such as state ID or birth certificates. Updating all documents may not be possible depending on which state a trans person was born in or currently lives.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 2

Before diving into some more specific gender identities, today I wanted to take a moment to explain some other important information, specifically the difference between sex, gender identity, gender expression, gender rolls, and so on. First off: What’s The Difference? Sex: Sex is the biological characteristics that define how your body develops and maintains itself, specific to reproductive processes. Things such as chromosomes, hormones, sex organs, and genitalia allow doctors to determine the sex of a person before or after they are born. While sex is typically explained as a binary of male or female, the reality is that sex is a spectrum. Yes, there are intersex people (people whose primary and or secondary sex characteristics fall outside of the ‘typical’ bounds of male and female) the reality is that genetics also play a role in perceived sex alignment. Body curvature, bone structure/density, body type and builds, all have a socially defined ‘typical’ expression concerning male and female, but none of this is absolute. Many of these ‘defining differences between men and women’ aren’t actually related to sex, at least not in their entirety, and are entirely manufactured by social ideas of gender. While it is true that many factors relating to biological sex cannot be changed, it is equally true that you can change aspects of your biology and maintain said changes to better align with your gender identity, a subject that will be discussed another day.

Gender: An internal sense of identity that determines the perception of yourself in relation to gender expression, gender rolls, expectations, and sex. While it is expected that a child can identify their gender around the age of 3, and firmly assert this gender by 4, this is not always seen in transgender people for a variety of reasons. The language to describe our experiences is not available or taught to us, neurological differences (such as autism) may affect how gender is perceived or thought about, lack of acceptance and even punishment from deviation, and many more reasons can contribute to a child not being able to or not being allowed to assert their gender identity by this age. Other folk simply don’t recognize their gender is different until later in life such as when puberty brings about permanent changes, or the dangers of being openly trans have subsided enough to allow that self reflection and understanding.

Gender Expression: Gender expression is how a person outwardly presents their gender, and does not have to align wholly or at all with their gender identity. Gender expression can be displayed through clothing, hairstyles, social mannerisms, walking styles, verbal tones and fluctuations, and more. While many of these may be subconscious (such as walking or speech patterns) other physical displays such as clothing, hair, and accessories are often deliberate. As said before, this presentation does not have to align with the person’s gender identity. For example, a cisgender man may wear a skirt or a dress, clothing typically associated with women. This cis man may not feel his gender is feminine at all, but enjoy wearing skirts and dresses anyway. Although gender expression is not tied to gender identity, many trans people are still ridiculed for not ‘performing’ or presenting their gender in a strictly binary way. For example: a trans man may get flack for wearing makeup or having long hair, even if done in a masculine way. Gender Roles: Gender roles are socially constructed expectations of mannerisms, dress, attitudes, expressions, and cultural roles in society. Many consider gender roles to be oppressive as they limit or restrict the socially acceptable ways to experience and express their gender or other aspects of their identity. For example, men are often expected to hold in their feelings and not outwardly cry, to remain stoic. Women are often seen as more emotional and nurturing, expected to be caregivers and not seen as capable of hard work. These stereotypes make it difficult for anyone, but especially gender-expansive people to navigate society without being ostracized. Gender roles are pushed onto people from a young age, such as the social lessons taught to girls and boys differing, often resulting in one being punished for things the other is allowed or even expected to do. This is only reinforced as children age as adults and peers reinforce the expectations over and over. Gender roles make it difficult to deviate without fear of ridicule or punishment.

Pronouns: Pronouns are words used in place of proper nouns (such as a persons name, etc). They are usually used to refer to living beings, but are occasionally used for other things (such as transportation vehicles like boats, planes, cars, etc). Pronouns consist of words like he, she, they, often denoting gender and how many people are present. He/Him/His is the typically male or masculine. She/Her/Hers is the typically female or feminine. They/Them/Theirs is a gender neutral set, used for people who are neither men nor women, when the gender of a person is unknown, or when multiple people are being referred to at once. Using they/them to refer to a singular person is grammatically correct. It/Its is a set of pronouns usually reserved for inanimate objects (such as a vase, table, sink, etc). People have been referred to using It/Its pronouns as a way to dehumanize them, however, some people have adopted these pronouns to refer to themselves. As long as the person expresses a desire for them to be used, it is okay to refer to someone with It/Its pronouns. While these sets are considered standard or at least common in English, new pronoun sets, known as neopronouns, are being created by people who feel none of those options suit them. Some examples of neopronouns are: Xe/Xem/Xyr (same grammatical rules as They/Them) Ne/Nem/Nes/ (same grammatical rules as He/Him) There are also noun-self pronouns, or pronouns where a name or noun is used instead of pronouns. [Noun]/[Noun]’s/[Noun]self

Finally, there are people who don’t have pronouns and only want to be referred to using their name, which will require restructuring of your sentences to accommodate.

If you’d like to look at more neopronouns or even test them for yourself, this site is a great place to start!

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Happy Pride! Consider supporting the Trans Emergency Evac. Plan website in honor of pride month. It's built with passion and love, made with the hope that all trans people in unsafe states can get to a safer, healthier home.

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The E.E.P. Website has received the first major update since its launch!

On top of general maintenance, a video has been linked on the site to give you a brief overview of how to make an E.E.P., linking to the new Youtube channel and it's first video! The video provides a brief overview on how to make your own E.E.P. More detailed information is available on the website.

Here is a simplified list of the changes that have been implemented:

Home/Landing Page: - Added/embedded video from the new E.E.P. Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@transevacplan) - Grammatical and spelling errors - Formatting (headings, font sizes, text placement, stylized formats, etc.)

States Page: - Moving states to new applicable classifications - Mending broken 'tables' - incorrect labels such as "No Neg. Law" when a law was indeed negative - incorrect images/emojis such as a smiley face when it should have been a frowny face - updating outdated M.A.P. scores and other information Moving Page: - added missing and/or omitted information - added further detail/explanations or warnings Most/All Pages: - grammatical and spelling errors - formatting (headings, font sizes, text placement, stylizations, etc.) - updated (hyper)links to current/ most recent relevant page - updated footer of each page (including copyright/update date) - added Twitter/X and Youtube to social media links.

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30 Days of Learning Gender: Day 1

To celebrate pride month this year, let's look at the broad spectrum of gender identities! Let's start with something simple: What is gender?

Gender is defined by the American Psychological Association (APA) as "the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for different genders... [G]ender implies the psychological, behavioral, social, cultural aspects of gender..."

Gender, and specifically gender identity, is a deeply personal sense of self. An identity that many people, cis or trans, explore deeply for years of their life, maybe up until they pass. Others may never give it a passing thought, and neither experience is inherently better than another.

There's a theory that I personally believe: There are as many genders as there are people.

This doesn't mean there are unique labels for every single person on Earth (though what would be the harm if there was). This just means that the way two people experience even the same gender is still different. Two women, two men, two nonbinary folk, will never experience gender the exact same way as someone who uses the same label as them.

Much like humans, animals, plants, and so on are defined by broad, common experiences in their classifications, so too do people experience the same gender widely differently. One woman may see her gender best expressed through form fitting clothes and sequence dresses while another feels her gender is best represented by loose t-shirts and baggy pants. They may both see themselves as women, but their gender, how they experience it, how they express it, how they describe it, differs, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Still, humans tend to enjoy defining experiences via labels to better create community around those who experience similar things to them, and that's why the list of gender identities and labels is ever evolving, to encompase those broad or niche expereinces.

So for the first day of Pride Month, let's look at some broad terms to get ourselves aquatinted with some different experiences relating to gender identity.

Cisgender: It is not a gender identity in itself, but rather an adjective (descriptor word) used to describe the state of ones gender aligning with their sex at birth (example: a person born male identifying as a man). It is considered an umbrella term, holding other identities under it.

Transgender: It is not a gender identity in itself, but rather an adjective (descriptor word) used to describe the state of ones gender not aligning with their sex at birth (example: a person born male identifying as a woman). It is considered an umbrella term, holding other identities under it.

Nonbinary: A gender identity that is not wholly bound under the concepts of man and woman. While it is a gender identity, it is also an umbrella term used to describe more specific experiences of gender that do not fully align under man and woman. Nonbinary as a term and identity is considered part of the transgender community and held under the transgender umbrella.

Two-Spirit: An umbrella term specific to indigenous communities, and one that cannot be claimed by non-indiginous people. Doing so is a form of cultural appropriation. The label encompasses a wide variety of identities and cultural roles within Native tribes, the definitions and experiences of which differ from region to region and even tribe to tribe. It is an umbrella term used to describe the specific experiences of indigenous gender identities, but does not replace the specific terms and labels thereof.*

Intersex: Intersex is not a gender identity but rather an umbrella term to describe people whose bodies have mixes of male and female specific sex characteristics. These mixed characteristics may involve chromosomes, hormones, genitalia, and or reproductive organs. There is no one set "intersex" type, and the medical and social challenges of intersex people differ based on what characteristics they possess or are perceived. Intersex people are often considered to be part of the trans community because their experiences and struggles are similar to transgender people's (gendered expectations, perception, healthcare access, etc). While some intersex people are transgender, not all intersex people are.

There are many more umbrella terms that could be gone over, but for now this should suffice to get our foot through the door on this topic. Follow along for the rest of the month to learn more about specific identities and learn more about the vast experiences of gender!

*It is important to note that not every indigenous person who potentially fits under the term Two-Spirit accepts or uses it, and an individual's labels and identity should be respected with this in mind. The term Two-Spirit has faced criticism for it's potential to erase more specific identities and terminology of Native communities. Its inclusion in this list is for educational purposes and not to enforce western ideals, identities, or otherwise on indigenous communities. For a brief overview of the history of the term Two-Spirit, I recommend reading the wiki article on it and expanding your research from there.

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Happy Pride to all queer people seeking to make a better life for themselves. Happy Pride to those who had to move away from home to be safer. Happy Pride especially to trans people everywhere, who are standing tall in the face of ignorance and dangerous attacks against us. You are loved 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

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The E.E.P. Website has received the first major update since its launch!

On top of general maintenance, a video has been linked on the site to give you a brief overview of how to make an E.E.P., linking to the new Youtube channel and it's first video! The video provides a brief overview on how to make your own E.E.P. More detailed information is available on the website.

Here is a simplified list of the changes that have been implemented:

Home/Landing Page: - Added/embedded video from the new E.E.P. Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@transevacplan) - Grammatical and spelling errors - Formatting (headings, font sizes, text placement, stylized formats, etc.)

States Page: - Moving states to new applicable classifications - Mending broken 'tables' - incorrect labels such as "No Neg. Law" when a law was indeed negative - incorrect images/emojis such as a smiley face when it should have been a frowny face - updating outdated M.A.P. scores and other information Moving Page: - added missing and/or omitted information - added further detail/explanations or warnings Most/All Pages: - grammatical and spelling errors - formatting (headings, font sizes, text placement, stylizations, etc.) - updated (hyper)links to current/ most recent relevant page - updated footer of each page (including copyright/update date) - added Twitter/X and Youtube to social media links.

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Texas is becoming increasingly unsafe for trans folks, especially trans youth.

If you are the parent of a transgender child, I urge you to look for a new state to live in. The safety of your child may depends on it, even if they are not seeking gender affirming care or have no plans to. Resources are available at the Transgender Emergency Evacuation Plan website to help you determine where is safest for your family to move to and find services to help with the cost of moving.

Erin Reed, a transgender journalist, has listed Texas as one of three "Do Not Travel" states for trans people in her February Trans Risk Assessment Map (alongside Kansas and Florida). The Movement Advancement project has given Texas a score of -8/26 for Gender Identity and -6.75 overall on their Equality Map of the United States.

Regardless of if the government will force trans youth to attend such 'clinics' (a theory unconfirmed with no solid evidence thus far), this 'clinic' being forcefully opened paired with the ban on gender affirming care for minors, including affirming mental health services, is more than enough justification for you to move to a safer state. There are other reasons of course such as Ken Paxton (Governor of Texas) creating a list of transgender people seeking gender marker updates and bathroom bills like in Odessa, Texas that encourage 'tattling' on presumed transgender people for using the 'wrong' bathroom.

In short, Texas is one of the most unsafe places within the United States for a trans person, especially trans children, to live. I strongly urge you to use the linked resources to begin planning for a move out of the state. It is not impossible to reach. There our services here to help you, services and organizations that I am actively seeking to add to the Trans Evac. Plan website's resource page everyday.

If you know of or run organizations designed to help transgender people in any way, please use the contact form on the website to get in touch so I may research and potentially add it to the ever growing list.