LGBTQuit it

How To Refer To A Transgender Person

"Yeah, Jack! You know, the tranny."

Please excuse me while I go bang my head into a wall.
If you are going to refer to a transgender person, refer to them as literally "transgender person" or by a title such as transgender male or transgender female.

"Tranny" is a derogatory word used by people who are transphobic. It is basically the equivalent to calling a gay person a "Homo," which isn't exactly what they prefer to be called.

The word "Transvestite" is not meant for transgender people, so stop using it. It's meant to refer to cross-dressers, or more specifically men who dress as women for their own pleasure although it can be the other way around too. At times, some transphobic people use this word to put down somebody who is transgender but they fail to know what the true definition is.

A transgender male is somebody who was born in a girls body, but feels like a boy inside.

A transgender female is somebody who was born in a boys body, but feels like a girl inside.

You are better off using these terms than taking a guess and accidentally offending somebody. Also, it's not a bad thing to ask questions! If you are unsure of what to call somebody, ask them what they prefer. It's always good to know a person's pronouns.

"What are your pronouns?"

That is literally all you have to ask. They would rather you ask than get it wrong and assume!

Keep in mind, the word "They" is also now classified as a pronoun. Don't believe me? Look it up in a dictionary. Some people do not want to be referred to as him or her. In that case, "They" or "Them" is the way to go.

For example, let's say your friend named Bob wants to get the mail.

"Bob is getting the mail. They want to see if they got any letters addressed to them."

Was that so hard? No. You learned these words in the first freaking grade.