We explain gender and what it means to be transgender. Meet Kayla. Her friend Adam recently came out as transgender, but she's unsure what that means. Adam, happy to explain, lets her know that first she must recognize the difference between gender and sex in order to comprehend what it means to be transgender. Kayla is confused because she thought gender and sex were the same thing, but Adam informs her that they are very different. Sex is what everyone is biologically born as. Male, female, or in some cases intersex. In contrast, gender, which is separate from sexual orientation, is how we express masculinity and femininity. Think of a linear scale with femininity on one side and masculinity on the other. Instead of emoting one or the other based on sex, people can move throughout the gender scale freely and express various degrees of both at will, despite their biological anatomy. Since Kayla's sex and gender identity match, she is considered cisgender. However, transgender people have a gender identity that doesn't match their assigned sex at birth. In Adam's case, he identifies as a trans man, even though his assigned sex was female. Excited to learn more? Kayla wonders, is transgender a third gender? No. Adam reveals that it is an umbrella term that can be used for someone who identifies with the opposite sex, such as Adam, or it can refer to other various genders that aren't exclusively masculine or feminine. This includes, by gender, people who identify with two genders, and gender, people who identify with all genders, and even a gender, people who are genderless. Ultimately, people can choose from many terms and definitions they think represents their gender identity and also matches their self-expression. With so many different genders, Kayla is uncertain what pronouns she should use. Adam clarifies that it depends on each person's preference. If unsure, there is nothing wrong with asking. Still curious, Kayla wants to know, do all transgender people automatically get hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery? Adam explains that being transgender does not rely on a physical change. It's about identifying and expressing oneself based on how they feel. If they do seek medical assistance to transition, then they would be called transexual. Additionally, Adam tells Kayla that he wants to educate the public about what it means to be transgender, in order to fight the consistent discrimination they face. Transgender people have come a long way on the path to acceptance. However, they still have a difficult journey ahead. They must find the strength and confidence to embrace who they are, while combating social stigma that can even influence friends and family. Kayla now understands that being transgender doesn't follow the current status quo, but that's okay. She plans to educate her friends and family to help spread awareness.