Do's

• Respect a person's choice of name/gender/pronoun. If you are unsure use a gender neutral pronoun or ask the individual which they prefer.

• Educate yourself

• Respect their boundaries

• Take other people's identities seriously

• Remember to treat other people's identities and choices with the respect that you would want for yourself

• Remember that not all transgender people are the same.

• Ask appropriate questions

• Remember the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Treat them the same as anyone else

• Keep an open mind



Don'ts

• Ask about anyone's body, genitals, medical procedures, or medical history.

• Unnecessarily refer to a person's previous gender status or a previous name

• Insist that someone must be either a man or a woman. - Some individual's identity as genderqueer or gender non-conforming and several others.

• Say things like: "But you look like a woman!" or "But I've always known you as a man" or "But you made such a good/attractive woman."

• Make jokes at our expense

• Do not out the individual without their permission

• Remind the individual that they are trans identified

• Assume their sexual orientation based on their gender identity. They are not the same

• Ask about the person's sex life

• Use slang terms or offensive language

• Offer unsolicited advice or make rash decisions

• Try to instantly hook them up with your other LGBTQ friend or out them to others

• Tell them they should go to counseling

• Ask how we pee.