ANDROGENE / 3RD GENDER - Someone who's gender is initially unclear. Most people who use this label knowingly attempt to blur the lines between male and female. Sometimes this involves surgery.

BOI - Term often used to refer to Female to Male transgendered people.

CROSS DRESSER - Anyone who wears clothing designed or intended for those of the opposite gender. Theoretically if a girl wears her boyfriends T-shirt she is cross dressing. Usually refers to transvestites.

DRAG KING - A woman who dresses as an exaggerated image of a man. Most Drag Kings identify as Lesbian/Dyke.

DRAG QUEEN - A man who dresses as an exaggerated image of a woman. Not trying to "pass" as female. Drag Queens can be Gay, Straight, Bi or Trans.

FEMALE IMPERSONATOR - Essentially another name for a Drag Queen, although most female impersonators tend to be less exaggerated in their look.

GENDER ILLUSIONIST - A catch all term for anyone aiming to look like a different gender to that of their everyday life. A bit like rebranding housewives as Domestic Engineers.

NON - OPERATIVE TRANSGENDER - Someone who has all the characteristics associated with those undergoing gender reassignment but who has chosen not to undergo hormone or Surgical treatment. The reasons behind this decision can range from cost to fear of not "passing" to psychological reasons that reassignment would be refused.

T-GIRL - Sometimes used to referred to transvestites.

TRANSGENDER / TRANSSEXUAL - A Person who is undergoing hormones or surgical treatments to reassign their gender from that which they were initially born with. Transgender is the term preferred by most people as it is felt that sexuality has nothing to do with the process as it is a matter of gender.

TV / TRANSVESTITE - A man who dresses as a woman because of a deep rooted need to do so. This may be in public or in private. Some Transvestites may only wear underwear, others will wear womens jeans and T-shirts, the fact that the clothing is aimed at women is enough for them despite the style being virtually the same as male attire. Many Transvestites are happily married with children and perfectly happy in their male gender.

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Trust me this list is barely a scratch on the surface and many people refered to above will take offence at some or all of the terms. The best advice I can give you is to ask someone what they prefer to be called and then stick to it.

For some people within the greater trans community gender specific terms such as he/she can also be offensive. Again please ask the individual concerned. Most people in the community are happy to be asked upfront.

Personally when I am in Drag I am SHE and Anna or Ms Glypta. Do not call me by my male name or say HE. It takes a lot of time and effort to turn me into the vision of beauty you see before you. It'd be like an actor being called by his or her own name during a play or in the middle of a movie. However when I am out and about as a boy I do answer to Anna. Again an actor will often be called by their character name. My neices will sometimes call me Uncle sometimes Auntie.