A resource for speech pathologists
 General Terminology
Being read: The term used to describe when individuals with transsexualism are treated as their biological gender despite their attempt to look and behave like the opposite gender.1
Cross-dresser: The term used to describe an individual who expresses an intermittent desire to take on the appearance of the opposite sex. These individuals do not have a gender identity disorder. This is the modern term for transvestite.19, 31
Drag: This term refers to men and women who wear the clothing of the opposite sex for entertainment and fun.1, 19
Fundamental frequency: The vibrating frequency of the vocal folds, usually defined as average fundamental frequency or speaking fundamental frequency.11
Gender dysphoria: The term used when an individual experiences discomfort with their socially, biologically, or culturally assigned gender role. This term is occasionally used synonymously with transsexualism, as it describes the distress that some individuals with transsexualism experience.19, 30
Gender expression: The manner in which an individual expresses their masculinity or femininity.1
Gender identity: The psychological term that refers to a subjective sense of maleness or femaleness.1
Gender identity disorder: A condition described in the DSM-IV-TR as a strong and persistent cross-gender identification and persistent discomfort with one’s own biological sex.3 DSM-IV-TR (pdf)
Gender presentation: The term used to describe an individual’s preference to dress and behave in accordance with the gender to which he or she identifies.1
Genital reconstructive surgery (GRS): The surgical procedure that an individuals with transsexualism may elect to undergo to transform their genitalia to that of the opposite biological gender. Specific procedures are called vaginoplasty (for male to female) or phalloplasty (for female to male).1 GRS may also be known as Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS).
Homosexual: An individual who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex including gay men and lesbian women.1
Intersexual: An individual whose reproductive sex organs/sex chromosomes are not exclusively male or female. This condition is usually evident at birth and has a variety of causes. This is the current term for hermaphrodite.1
Passing: The term used to describe when an individual with transsexualism is spoken to or perceived as their new gender role.1
Pitch: The term used for the perceptual correlate of fundamental frequency.11
Real life test (RLT): The period of time, as specified by WPATH, in which the individual with transsexualism is required to live full-time in their desired gender role before being considered a candidate for surgical intervention.16
Sexual orientation: The term used to describe an individual’s sexual attraction to a particular sex.1
Transgender: An umbrella term used to describe individuals living in a gender role different to their biological sex, including transsexuals and cross-dressers.1
Transsexual: The term used to describe an individual’s lifelong conviction that their psychological gender is the opposite to their biological gender. Transsexualism is rarely amenable to change through psychotherapy and individuals often seek hormonal and surgical intervention to match their gender identity.19, 30
Transvestite: The medical term formerly used to refer to men who dress as women for erotic desire. Cross-dresser is now the preferred term.19
World Professional Association For Transgender Health (WPATH): The international organisation, formally known as Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, that stipulates the Standards of Care for the professional management of gender identity disorders. It includes current psychiatric, psychological, medical and surgical management guidelines for professionals to assist them in their clinical decisions.43
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