2019 saw 331 recorded killings of trans and gender-diverse people, according to Trans Respect Versus Transphobia Worldwide. Some people judge what they don’t understand so this might help educate.

What’s in their pants is none of your business

Just as you wouldn’t ask a cis person what their genitals look like, you should never ask a trans person what they have ‘down there’. Nor should you ask if they’ve had surgery.

You can’t tell if someone is  transgender  by looking at them

Men and women come in all different shapes and sizes, and how someone dresses does not necessarily dictate their gender identity

You don’t know their story

Never make assumptions about someone’s story. Don’t assume they’ve had a difficult time trying to gain acceptance; that they’ve showed signs of being trans since they were a child; that they want/have had surgery or hormone treatments; or that they started out as a gay cis person before they realised they were trans.

Try to just accept

While a lot of trans people are comfortable with the ‘trans’ label, the fact is most trans people would just like to be seen as the gender they identify with.

Someone can identify as  transgender no matter what  stage of their transition

The term ‘transgender’ refers to anyone who does not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender reassignment surgery is not a prerequisite for being transgender.

Gender identity and sexual  orientation are different things

There seems to be this misconception that trans people start out as identifying as gay, and when they transitioned, they identify as straight. A person’s gender identity does not dictate their sexual orientation. For example, there are plenty of gay men and women out there who also happen to be trans.