Trans woman - meaning and definition
AlsoMTFtransgender womantransgender womentranswomen
Definition
A woman who was assigned male at birth.
At a glance
- A trans woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth.
- Trans describes her history, in the same way other adjectives describe a person.
- There is no single transition path; some women take medical steps and others do not.
- MTF is an older abbreviation that many now avoid.
- Some older or fetishising slang for trans women is considered offensive.
In detail
A trans woman is a woman, and trans is a descriptive adjective about her history. As with trans men, there is no single transition path: some women use hormones or surgery, and others change only their name, pronouns or presentation.
The abbreviation MTF, short for male to female, still appears on some dating apps, but many women prefer trans woman or simply woman. Some older or fetishising slang for trans women is widely considered offensive and is not used in this glossary.
In a sentence
- She is a trans woman and works as a primary school teacher.
- The article was updated to describe her as a trans woman rather than using an outdated term.
Not to be confused with
- Drag
Drag is a performance of gender; being a trans woman is an identity.
Common questions
What is the difference between a trans woman and MTF?
They refer to the same people. MTF means male to female and still appears on some apps, but many women prefer trans woman or simply woman.
Is it respectful to say transwoman as one word?
Most style guides recommend two words, trans woman, because trans is an adjective, like tall woman or young woman. Writing it as one word can suggest a separate category from women.