Legal Definitions - transsexual

The term transsexual is an older, now largely outdated term that was historically used to describe individuals whose gender identity differed significantly from the sex they were assigned at birth. This term specifically referred to people who often pursued or underwent medical interventions, such as hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries, to align their physical characteristics with their internal sense of gender. While once commonly used, the broader and more inclusive term transgender is now widely preferred, as it encompasses all individuals whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth, regardless of whether they seek or undergo medical transition.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of the term:

• Example 1: In the 1970s, a person assigned male at birth who identified as a woman sought out medical professionals to begin hormone therapy and eventually underwent gender-affirming surgery. At the time, this individual would commonly have been referred to as a "transsexual woman" in medical and public discourse.

  Explanation: This example illustrates the historical use of "transsexual" to describe someone whose gender identity did not match their assigned sex at birth and who pursued significant medical interventions to align their physical body with their internal gender.

• Example 2: A historical legal case from the late 20th century involved an individual seeking to legally change their gender on official documents after completing a full medical transition, including surgeries. The court documents from that era might have referred to this individual as "transsexual" when discussing their journey and legal request.

  Explanation: This demonstrates how the term "transsexual" was historically applied in legal and administrative contexts, often in situations where a person had undergone or was undergoing medical procedures to affirm their gender identity.

• Example 3: A research study published in the 1980s focused on the psychological experiences of individuals who were transitioning through hormone therapy and preparing for gender-affirming surgeries. The study's title and content would likely have used the term "transsexuals" to categorize its subjects, reflecting the prevailing terminology of that period for people undergoing such medical transitions.

  Explanation: This example highlights the term's past use in academic and medical literature, specifically to denote individuals who were medically transitioning to align their physical sex characteristics with their gender identity.