* Gender identity is one's internal sense of being male or female.
* This differs from sexual orientation, which refers to whom one
is sexually attracted.
* Transsexuals (male to female or female to male) feel their gender
identity is opposite from their birth sex.
* Transsexuals must live as the other gender for one year, before
undergoing gender reassignment surgery (GRS)
* Transsexuals are "pre-op": meaning before GRS, or
"post-op": meaning they have completed GRS
* The term "transgender" represents transsexuals, crossdressers
(those who appear
part-time as the other gender), intersexed, femme appearing men
and masculine appearing women (gender variant).
* Transsexuals undergo "transition" to the opposite sex, and this is a gradual process which includes "coming out" at their place of employment
* When transsexuals announce their transition in employment, they
are frequently subject to termination, reassignment, demotion
or harassment
* If an employer discovers that a person is a crossdresser, they
are also subject to discrimination
* Because most transgender persons appear "different",
they are also subject to hate crimes and violence
* Transgender persons are also subject to discrimination in health
services, public accommodation and housing.
Status-based discrimination is inherently unfair, whether it is due to race, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.
* Since 1977, courts throughout the United States have denied transgender persons the right to bring claims of sex or gender discrimination under federal or state statutes.
* Many cities have recently passed ordinances protecting gender identity. These include:
Denver, Tucson, New York, Tacoma, Boulder, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Dallas.
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