Being transgender is about more than not identifying with the gender you were assigned at birth.
“It’s the freedom and courage to be yourself,” transgender advocate Nikki Araguz said at the Transgender 101 discussion panel Monday, in the Rockwell Pavilion of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library.
The panel, part of the Barbara Karkabi Living Archive Series, unpacked what it means to be transgender. Monica Roberts, owner of the award-winning blog TransGriot, Araguz and LGBT Resource Center Director Lorraine Schroeder were also on the panel, which was moderated by associate director of Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies Guillermo De Los Reyes.
With more than 50 terms to identify with, Reyes and the panel sought to define “transgender” and help others understand what it means.
The art of “passing” as a cisgender — one who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth — male or female isn’t always clear.
“Ask (the person in question), ‘What are your preferred pronouns?’ “ Schroeder said.
Guessing can be impolite, and asking demonstrates a higher level of respect for the person.
“Do not ask about surgery,” Roberts said emphatically.
The panelists said they see a positive shift in support for the “T” in LGBT in recent years, and that the public may be on the cusp of another human rights movement.
UH offers insurance that covers hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery and preferred name options for the Cougar Card, PeopleSoft and Blackboard so trans students don’t have to worry about awkward in-class conversations.
“I come from a people where community is a necessary survival tool,” Roberts said. “It’s about what’s between our ears, not what’s between our legs.”
The panel is recorded and is available in the library’s online archives.
