Trans man

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A trans man (short for transgender man) is a man who was assigned female at birth. Trans men have a male gender identity, and many trans men undergo medical and social transition to alter their appearance in a way that aligns with their gender identity or alleviates gender dysphoria.^[1]

Transition among trans men can involve a variety of social, medical, and legal steps. Initially, the term referred specifically to those undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or sex reassignment surgery (SRS),^[a] but its meaning has expanded to include psychological development and self-acceptance. While some trans men pursue medical interventions like hormones and surgery, others may opt out due to personal choice or financial constraints. Many who do not undergo top surgery use chest binding, and some employ packing to create a masculine shape. Transitioning can include social changes, such as adopting a new name and pronouns, legal name change or other document updates, and medical transition with HRT or surgery. Achieving social acceptance as male may be challenging without physical transition, and some trans men may selectively present as female in certain situations. Additionally, some transmasculine individuals may choose to become pregnant, give birth, and breastfeed.

Estimates of the prevalence of trans men in the U.S. vary widely, from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 2,000. Census data for 2015 show around 58,000 name changes indicative of transition to male, though far fewer changed their sex coding. Trans men, like cisgender men, have diverse sexual orientations, with most identifying as heterosexual, but others as queer, pansexual, bisexual, or gay. Many trans men have past connections with the lesbian community, often identifying as butch lesbian before recognizing their transgender identity. While some date heterosexual or queer women, trans men face more challenges integrating into cisgender gay men’s communities, which tend to be more body-focused. However, research challenges assumptions that trans men are predominantly heterosexual, showing a majority of non-heterosexual identities and rising acceptance within gay communities.

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