The opposite of transgender is cisgender, which describes persons whose gender identity matches their assigned sex. Transgender people may identify as heterosexual (straight), homosexual (gay or lesbian), bisexual, asexual, or otherwise, or may decline to label their sexual orientation. īeing transgender is distinct from sexual orientation. The term transgender does not have a universally accepted definition, including among researchers. The term transgender may be defined very broadly to include cross-dressers. Other definitions of transgender also include people who belong to a third gender, or else conceptualize transgender people as a third gender. Transgender, often shortened as trans, is also an umbrella term in addition to including people whose gender identity is the opposite of their assigned sex ( trans men and trans women), it may also include people who are non-binary or genderqueer. Some transgender people who desire medical assistance to transition from one sex to another identify as transsexual. Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth.
