The following list of terms and tables are from the University of Minnesota Library guide on Transgender Topics. "Terminology used to describe transgender individuals has evolved over time. This variability in language can make searching comprehensively for literature on transgender topics difficult. Below is a list of search terms that can be used in databases from a variety of disciplines. The list is annotated to provide context and guide their use. Many of the definitions were adapted from https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/learn/glossary."
| Term | Notes |
|---|---|
| Transgender | As an identity term, describes individuals whose gender identities and/or expressions do not align with the sociocultural expectations of their birth-assigned gender; most widely used term in the literature |
| Gender identity | An umbrella term referring to one's sense of self |
| Trans men | Generally describes people assigned female at birth who identify as men; plural |
| Trans man | Generally describes someone assigned female at birth who identifies as a man |
| Trans women | Generally describes people assigned male at birth who identify as women; plural |
| Trans woman | Generally describes someone assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman |
| Trans youth | Children and adolescents who are transgender |
| Transfeminine | Individuals who were assigned male at birth but align more closely with the female side of the gender spectrum |
| Transmasculine | Individuals who were assigned female at birth but align more closely with the male side of the gender spectrum. |
| Trans folk | Gender neutral reference to transgender people. |
| Trans folx | An alternative spelling for trans folks |
| Intersex | 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 |
| AFAB | Assigned female at birth |
| AMAB | Assigned male at birth |
| Cross gender | Across multiple gender identities, that draw from or pertain to, the traditional opposite role of the individual’s gender. |
| Crossgender | Across multiple gender identities, that draw from or pertain to, the traditional opposite role of the individual’s gender. |
| Trans people | Plural reference to people who identify as transgender |
| Trans person | Singular reference to a person who identifies as transgender |
| QTPOC | Queer and trans persons of color |
| Gender change | Referrers to changing one’s gender they were assigned at birth. Differently, sometimes used instead of sex change. Can also mean changing gender markers in systems. |
| Gender transition | The process of gender identity and expression development of an individual whose gender assigned at birth is not aligned with their self-identified gender. Gender transition is comprised of personal, social, legal, and physical processes. Some examples of these processes may include hormone replacement therapy, name changes, and or a change in wardrobe. |
| Trans male | A person assigned female at birth who identifies as male or has a masculine gender identity (Female to Male) |
| Trans female | A person assigned male at birth who identifies as female or has a feminine gender identity (Male to Female) |
| Two spirit | A modern term used by some Native American populations to describe a third-gender or gender variant individual |
| M2F or MTF | A person assigned male at birth who identifies as female or has a feminine gender identity (Male to Female) |
| F2M or FTM | A person assigned female at birth who identifies as male or has a masculine gender identity (Female to Male) |
| Sexual minority | A group whose sexual identity, orientation, or practices differs from the majority of the surrounding society |
| Trans spectrum | An umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth; a continuum that accounts for every variation of gender identity |
| Gender minority | A group whose gender identity or expression differs from the majority of the surrounding society |
| Gender queer | A person whose identity falls outside of the gender binary, or an umbrella term to describe identities outside of the gender binary (e.g., agender, genderfluid) |
| Genderqueer | A person whose identity falls outside of the gender binary, or an umbrella term to describe identities outside of the gender binary (e.g., agender, genderfluid) |
| Gender fluid | Nonbinary gender identity that’s not fixed and is capable of changing over time |
| Non-binary | Individuals that do not define or describe themselves according to a binary female and male gender spectrum |
| Agender | Individuals that do not define or describe themselves as having or belonging to a gender |
| Gender variant | A term noting an individual whose gender identity or expression does not conform to dominant or socially accepted gender norms. Other related terms include gender fluid, gender non-conforming, gender expansive, gender diverse, and gender creative. |
| Gender non-conforming | A person whose behavior or appearance does not conform or match masculine or feminine gender norms. |
| Gender expression | How a person performs gender within a spectrum of femininity and masculinity. |
| Gender expansive |
Used for individuals who broaden their own culture’s commonly held definitions of gender |
| Gender diverse | Describes an ever-evolving array of labels people may apply when their gender identity, expression, or even perception |
| Gender creative | People, often children, who don’t conform to traditional gender norms. |
| Transvestite | Outdated terminology relevant for historical and/or archival research |
| Transsexual | Outdated terminology relevant for historical research in medical and psychological subject areas. |
| Third gender | Characterizing one’s gender as neither male nor female |
| Transphobia | Discrimination against trans-identified people |
| Trans | Short for transgender; keep in mind that truncating this term (e.g., trans*) will also retrieve results such as transportation, transdisciplinary, transnational, transglobal, etc. |
Helpful keywords for conducting scholarly research on trans issues include terms related to gender (e.g. trans, queer, "gender non-conforming"), trans-relevant issues (e.g. passing, "gender dysphoria"), or culturally specific terminology (e.g. Hijra). These terms can be combined in a search in addition to keywords specific to your research area (e.g. midwifery, fashion).
Search strings/filters/hedges are tested and standardized search strategies that can be used to retrieve articles on specific concepts (e.g., randomized controlled trials, resource-poor countries, transgender populations). To apply these filters, copy and paste the strategy into the relevant database, or recreate the strategy we've provided in the relevant database. Search strings are not a guarantee of retrieving quality research; you still need to critically appraise results for quality and relevance.
Source: University of Minnesota Library Resources for Transgender Topics.
For complex searches, depending on database or platform preferences, use the following search filters: