ABSTRACT
In the real world, gender theory isn’t academic: It’s about listening to the voices of the transgender communities.
A COMMON LANGUAGE
This chapter reviews the knowledge and practice that social workers need to establish beginning competency in working with transgender and gender nonconforming persons. The concepts, variables, and change logic to be explored require a common language. Because clinical language can often be “out of step” with the language of the trans communities themselves, whenever possible, this chapter emphasizes the language, terminology, and vocabulary of trans culture rather than the language or terminology used by social services and health care providers.
