Gender identity is distinct from sexual orientation. Gender identity, the sense that one is a male or a female, is usually manifested by the age of 3 or 4 years. Sexual orientation, the sense that one ought to claim a gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual identity, does not manifest itself until much later in life, usually after puberty and often not until full adulthood. This is offensive. While most people's gender identity matches the anatomical sex with which they were born, some people's does not.
Many transgendered people have heterosexual identities.
Since both the legal system and the general public tend to discriminate against them similarly to discrimination against other sexual minorities, organizations have enlarged their mission statements to include transgender persons. This phrase has several different meanings. Generally, it denotes the act of telling someone that one is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or whatever. Sometimes it means simply avowing one's sexual orientation privately, to oneself. Sometimes it means making a public declaration of one's sexual orientation.