by Oratile Tamryn Seroalo

I consider myself to be a fairly well-educated person, and I pay attention to the news and the world around me. When issues regarding the trans community come up, I listen closely and educate myself whenever possible. But there are still some issues that even I hadn’t considered until recently.  

So, here are some things I think you should know about trans women: 

Gender identity is a big part of a trans woman’s life. 

Gender Identity is an individual’s internal sense of being male, female, both, or neither. For transgender people, their gender identity does not match the gender assigned to them at birth. Gender identity can be a big part of a trans woman’s life, as many trans women struggle with their gender as they go through childhood and adolescence. 

Many people believe that transgender people make a conscious choice to identify as another gender. The truth is that no one chooses to be transgender; it’s something you feel inside yourself and know from an early age and your body never feels right until you transition socially and/or physically into who you really are on the inside. 

Many trans women know from a very young age that their gender identity is different from the gender they were assigned at birth whilst some only realise this much later in their lives. Having this realisation later in life often results in people being harsh on themselves based on how they look, feel and present themselves. It is as though there is a missing piece or a void within them.  

I think it is safe to say that once they have transitioned transgender people are often more comfortable in their own skin than cisgender (people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth) people are. This is because they are free – they get to live as their most authentic selves and be who they really are, it is also because the process of transitioning takes one through intense self-introspection and intervention. 

Transitioning into living as a woman can be financially challenging. 

Hormone replacement therapy and gender affirming surgery are expensive. If you’re a trans woman, the cost of taking hormones may be covered by your health insurance but the cost of surgery is often out-of-pocket. Trans women can also experience other medical expenses related to their transition, such as seeing an endocrinologist or psychologist, or undergoing electrolysis if they want body hair removed. Hormone replacement therapy is often necessary for trans women but may not be covered by their health insurance. Medical aid coverage can be difficult to obtain and is expensive if it’s available at all.  

Many insurance and medical aid companies don’t cover hormone replacement therapy, and even when they do, this coverage varies widely, depending on the policyholder’s plan. Some employers offer plans through their health insurance provider that cover hormones, while other plans may only cover hormone treatments if they’re prescribed by a doctor and administered in an office setting rather than at home. 

Preserving fertility is sometimes an issue for trans women. 

You may be surprised to learn that trans women can still have children. A variety of options are available for trans people who wish to preserve their fertility before transitioning, including freezing sperm and eggs which can be used in future pregnancy attempts, also known as “sperm banking” and “egg banking,” respectively. Fertility doctors often recommend this method for trans people who cannot afford gender affirming surgery at this time but want their gametes preserved for use once they do have the funds available. In order for these options to work properly, it’s important that you begin hormone therapy early enough so that any future pregnancies won’t present any complications that could be a result of masculinisation or feminisation caused by long term hormone replacement therapy. 

Many trans women find comfort and support from other trans people.  

As a trans person, you may find solace and support in the community of other trans people, this holds true regardless of whether or not you are free to come out in your life. You can meet up with other trans people in support groups or online forums, chatrooms, social media and dating sites (like Tinder). 

Access to Education is important for trans women.  

Being able to get an education is important for everyone! There are many reasons why accessing education is important, but it is especially so for trans women because they deserve to be able to get an education without fear of discrimination, or violence.  

They deserve safe schools and safe spaces where learning can take place without harassment from teachers and classmates alike because they don’t understand what it means to be transgender, or because they think it’s funny to make jokes about your body parts at the expense of your dignity and identity as a woman.  

Accessing education also means being able to be your true self in the learning environment. Trans women have the right to express themselves freely when they are in class or on campus—whether that means wearing clothes that make you feel good about yourself, dressing up as characters from games and shows like Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z (if that is how you choose to express your identity. 

Trans women are more likely to be unemployed and experience poverty than cisgender men and women.

As with any marginalised group in society, trans people face systemic discrimination that makes it harder for them to find jobs and earn a living wage; this often means that they have trouble paying back student loans or medical bills when they do get work (if they can get work).  

Trans women are disproportionately affected by homelessness. 

Trans women are more likely to be homeless than other women, especially if they are black. Trans women are also more likely to be homeless than other trans people and are still super disproportionately affected by homelessness compared to men, too. 

Trans women face discrimination in employment, public accommodation, and other areas of life.  

Trans women are discriminated against when applying for jobs—they are fired from their jobs more often than non-trans people (a phenomenon known as “trans job bias”). They are often denied service at restaurants and hotels, trans women are also often denied service at clothing stores or beauty salons or barbershops or hair salons. 

In addition to this discrimination at work and while doing everyday tasks like going grocery shopping or getting your haircut, trans women also face discrimination when trying to access health care services that they need. Many doctors refuse to treat trans patients, some hospitals don’t have gender-neutral bathrooms, some medical professionals assume that all patients identify as male until told otherwise by the patient; some medical professionals assume all patients identify as female until told otherwise by the patient.  

Whilst the South African constitution protects trans women from discrimination based on sex, gender and also sexual orientation, very few state departments ensure that these protections are in place in practice. 

Trans women aren’t always attracted to men.

Some trans women are lesbians, while others are bisexual or pansexual and express attraction for people regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. There are many misconceptions about transgender women, and one that’s especially prevalent is the assumption that they’re actually gay men. This couldn’t be further from the truth—transgender women are not gay men. Some may have been assigned male at birth and had relationships with other men in the past, but they still identify as women. 

Many trans women live their lives without being open about their pasts nor are they open to having gender affirming surgery.  

Some trans women are comfortable with their bodies and how they were born, and don’t want to be open about the fact that they were assigned a different gender at birth. For example, you may have a friend who identifies as a cis woman but was born with male genitalia. She might not be open about her past because she doesn’t see it as relevant to who she is today.  

Other trans women do want to be open about their pasts and do want to have gender affirming surgery—that’s perfectly fine too!  

My point here is only that there are many different ways for people to experience their gender identity, and no one way is right or wrong. Each person has their own needs and goals in life, so it’s up to each individual person how they choose to express themselves within society at large 

Of all the things I have mentioned what is most important to know and remember about trans women is this,

Trans women deserve the same respect and love as anyone else 

Trans women are humans. 

They deserve to have their rights protected and respected like anyone else. 

They deserve to be treated with respect. 

They deserve to be loved by their families and friends. 

If you want to learn more, the best way to get to know a trans woman is to ask questions and be curious. If you’re able, try to find trans women who are open about their experiences and willing to share them with you – it’s not always easy or possible for them to do so, but there are a few, like me, who are willing to empower and educate through sharing.