Hi y’all! For those of you who are trans and are comfortable answering, I had a question that is a bit too complex for Google.

Why do some transgender people identify as a “transgender (insert gender)” rather than simply as a man/woman/non-binary? Worded differently, why do some trans people include “trans” as a part of their identity when cis people don’t tend say “I’m a cis man/woman”? Why not just call yourself what you are, for example, if you transitioned to a man, why not just call yourself a man?

I imagine it is a sense of pride in one’s journey and self, and I also understand that gender is unique for everyone. I admit I’m from a very heteronormative area, so I don’t have many LGBTQ friends. I personally identify as a demigirl, so I can’t speak on trans topics, which is why I’m hoping we can have a fruitful conversation :)