Reply #3: Merriam -Webster defines 'transgender' [View All]

[semillama]

as: "exhibiting the appearance and behavioral characteristics of the opposite sex".

Dictionary.com defines it as:
1. Appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex.
2. Of or relating to a transgendered person or transgendered people.

I think the dictionary.com definition is more on the mark, but still not quite accurate. I think that a transgender person IDENTIFIES with the gender traditionally assigned to the opposite sex of that person.

Compare with transvestite, which is often confused with transgender:

dictionary.com: A person who dresses and acts in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex.

m-w.com: a person and especially a male who adopts the dress and often the behavior typical of the opposite sex especially for purposes of emotional or sexual gratification.

Note that transvestites do not necessarily identify themselves as being the gender they appear as.

Funny the things you pick up being the significant other of a women's studies PhD student.