Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Trans People
Trans people includes those people who have a gender identity which is different to the gender assigned at birth and those people who wish to portray their gender identity in a different way to the gender assigned at birth. It includes those people who feel they have to, or prefer or choose to, whether by language, clothing, accessories, cosmetics or body modification, present themselves differently to the expectations of the gender role assigned to them at birth. This includes, among many others, transsexual and transgender people, transvestites, cross dressers, no gender, multigender, genderqueer people, including intersex and gender variant people who relate to or identify as any of the above. (taken from the Transrespect versus Transphobia research project)
Transphobia
Transphobia is a matrix of cultural and personal beliefs, opinions, attitudes and aggressive behaviors based on prejudice, disgust, fear and/or hatred directed against individuals or groups who do not conform to or who transgress societal gender expectations and norms. Transphobia particularly affects individuals whose lived gender identity or gender expression differs from the gender role assigned to them at birth, and it manifests itself in various ways, e.g., as direct physical violence, transphobic speech and insulting, discriminatory media coverage and social exclusion. It also includes institutionalized forms of discrimination such as criminalization, pathologization, or stigmatization of non-conforming gender identities and gender expressions. (
taken from the Transrespect versus Transphobia research project)Transphobic Hate Crime
A transphobic hate crime is a crime or incident in which an aggressor is motivated by prejudice, hostility or hatred toward persons who transgress or do not conform to societal gender expectations and norms.
Individuals whose lived gender identity or gender expression differs from the gender role assigned to them at birth are particularly affected by hate crimes. Transphobic hate crimes are motivated by transphobia, which is generally acted out through a high level of physical violence and moralistic contempt for the victim.
Transphobic hate crimes have a deep impact not only on the victim but on the whole group or community to which the victim belongs. Thus, transphobic hate crimes affect social cohesion and stability, not only with regard to the trans community, but also the society in which the community is embedded.
In countries with hate crime legislation, the hate crime concept forms the legal basis for sentences or aggravation of sentences due to the intent of the perpetrator to discriminate. (
taken from the Transrespect versus Transphobia research project)Legal Gender Recognition
LEGAL GENDER RECOGNITION is the official procedure to change a trans person’s name and gender identifier in official registries and documents such as their birth certificate, ID card, passport or driving license. In some countries, it’s impossible to have your gender recognisedby law. In other countries, the procedure is often long, difficult and humiliating.