Transgender In America

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Transgender, a term coined by Psychiatrist John F. Oliven in his 1965 reference work Sexual Hygiene and Pathology, describes people whose gender identity, expression, or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth. The term was originally labeled transsexual, however Oliven wrote that the term transsexual is misleading because sexuality is not a major factor of being transgender. Transgender deals more with one's internal gender disposition or predisposition, as well as the related social expectations that may accompany a given gender role. Despite the history of the term, many people don’t understand enough about transgender people and treat them as outcasts instead of human beings. Because of such harsh discrimination, 49% of transgender people attempt suicide and 1 in 12 transgender people are murdered in America. The prevalence of transgender people in the news, social media, and television shows, can increase awareness in society and educate others to be more accepting.…show more content…
In the early morning hours of Saturday, June 28, 1969, police led a raid at the Stonewall Inn, a bar located in Greenwich Village on Manhattan’s west side. It wasn’t uncommon for police to lead raids there and in other LGBT-friendly areas, arresting and harassing the customers. It catered to an assortment of patrons and was known to be popular among the poorest and most marginalized people in the gay community: drag queens, transgender people, effeminate young men, butch lesbians, male prostitutes, and homeless youth. But this time, unsuspectingly, patrons fought back with “uncharacteristic fury and outrage.” Within a short time, the first LGBT pride parade took place, and within a few years, advocacy groups had formed in almost every major city in the United

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