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Crossdressers as Part of the Trans Community

Individuals who crossdress have always been a part of the trans community and, in fact, were instrumental in the formation of the trans and the larger LGBTQIA+ rights movements. Although some crossdressers do not align themselves with the larger trans community, most do, and they have historically been among the most prominent members of the community. The crossdressing population may be less visible today, but they remain important contributors to many trans social and political groups.

The First “Trans” People

Individuals who presented as a gender different from what they were assigned at birth first began to be described as “trans” by the pioneering sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld, who coined the word transvestites—from the Latin trans or “across” and vestis or “clothing”—in his 1910 book with that title. ...

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